Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 5, 2026

Peter Collinson's "Up the Junction" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary by critics Josephine Botting and Melanie Williams, and new program featuring critic Matthew Sweet. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The girl from Chelsea

While there is a legitimate connection between Ken Loach’s teleplay and Peter Collinson’s film, both directed during the 1960s, the two could not be any more different. In the teleplay, Loach visits South London and then stitches up several slices of working-class reality in what is essentially a short documentary feature. A portion of the teleplay shows graphic footage from an abortion, which made it somewhat controversial. Collinson’s film is a scripted ‘kitchen sink’ drama with proper characters played by professional actors. It has a very particular period appearance. Also, it reimagines the abortion without the graphic footage.

In London, Polly (Suzy Kendall), a proper posh girl from Chelsea, inserts herself into the working-class reality of Battersea. She gets a job at a local confectionery factory, rents a lousy apartment, and begins visiting the busy local pubs. While shopping for cheap furniture to give her new place an authentic appearance, Polly also meets former troublemaker Pete (Dennis Watterman) and the two become a couple.

Sort of.

Despite cutting her hair short and changing her outfits, Polly fails to blend in with the locals, and Pete realizes that the two will always see the world they share differently. During a planned vacation to bring them closer, Polly then enrages Pete, and he ends up in prison for stealing a fancy car.

While a good time capsule with a legitimate 1960s personality, Collinson’s film is not a close relative of gritty ‘kitchen sink’ dramas like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and This Sporting Life. It is easier to group with the lighter, more flexible ‘kitchen sink’ dramas like Billy Liar and Alfie, which are typically linked to a much bigger family of films representative of the British New Wave.

However, it is precisely this flexibility that makes Collinson’s film very attractive and surprisingly relevant today. For example, Polly’s decision to relocate from Chelsea to Battersea is quickly revealed to be a byproduct of an elitist obsession with an illusion, proving that she has been permanently conditioned to misinterpret the people she seeks to associate with. Unsurprisingly, before her relationship with Pete crumbles, Polly repeatedly dismisses his condemnation of Battersea, unable to grasp that his way of life is an ongoing struggle rather than an unglamorous but fulfilling existence. This particular development in the narrative is what makes Collinson’s film very relevant today. The fortunate, which Polly represents, continue to view themselves as the intellectually superior saviors of the unfortunate and, while routinely inserting themselves in their current reality, demand that they accept their virtue signaling to move up the social ladder.

The same flexibility prevents the clash of ideas from reshaping the romance between Polly and Pete into a political statement, too. While not hanging out with Pete, Polly spends time with two girls from the confectionery factory who are too busy having fun with the local boys to feel depressed that Battersea is their home. This material is frequently complemented by popular Manfred Mann tunes, adding warmth and energy that the gritty ‘kitchen sink’ dramas lack.

Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Up the Junction arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older but very solid master, supplied by Paramount. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from good to very good, and all visuals maintain strong density levels. Some of these visuals can look slightly fresher, but the entire film has a very fine healthy appearance. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. Grain exposure is very good. It can be slightly better, but there is nothing to be unhappy with. Color reproduction and balance are wonderful. If the film is eventually restored in 4K or 2K and properly graded, select primaries and supporting nuances will be slightly better saturated. However, the overall temperature of the visuals and balance will remain the same. I did not see any anomalies to report in our review. Image stability is excellent. Finally, there no large and distracting cuts, debris, marks, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

I chose to view the film with the LPCM 2.0 track. It is not plagued by any age-related anomalies. Clarity, sharpness, and even balance are very good. In a few areas, the exchanges can be somewhat difficult to follow because of the accents, but clarity is still very good. Manfred Mann's music sounds lovely.

Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Josephine Botting and Melanie Williams.

• Matthew Sweet - in this new program, critic Matthew Sweet discusses Up the Junction. In English, not subtitled. (22 min).

Up the Junction Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Up the Junction is not a close relative of the grittiest 'kitchen sink' dramas, like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and This Sporting Life. It is easier to group with the lighter, more flexible 'kitchen sink' dramas, like Billy Liar and Alfie, which are typically linked to a much bigger family of films representative of the British New Wave. I rarely see it mentioned, which is strange, because it is one of the most relevant of these British genre films. Imprint Films' release is sourced from an older but very solid organic master, supplied by Paramount. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.