Privilege

Privilege was Peter Watkins' feature length debut. Using the faux documentary style, Watkins' follows a year in the life of a pop star. Stephen Shorter, Britian's most beloved pop icon. Shorter's handlers pimp him out to the highest bidder. What's so scary about this movie is how it's still relevant, even in today's society. One of my favorite scenes in this movie is when the Church of England uses Shorter's services to try and lure more converts. Utilizing a set that's eerily reminded me of a large Nazi youth rally (crosses replacing swastikas) The crowd is led by a young charismatic priest (who speeches commands an audience like Hitler)he leads the audience chanting "We will conform".

Critics called this movie heavy handed and others called it paranoid. I say it's excellent and Mr. Watkins did a fantastic job directing this film. It's too bad this movie's virtually impossible to find. Oh well, if you ever happen to come across it don't even stop and pause. Watch it!

Highly recommended.

Factoid: A movie and audio clip from this movie can be found on the Big Audio Dynamite song and video "Just Play The Music"

Privilege is one of those `lost' rarely screened masterpieces that always seem to end up on some critic's top-ten list, but you almost never know anyone who has seen the film. It is no wonder no one has seen this film – it has never been available on video (except for crummy bootlegs), it's not shown on television any longer and revival theatres have long since forgotten about it. Why?

Privilege has much more pertinence now than it did back in 1967. Paul Jones (lead singer of Manfred Mann) plays Steve Shorter, a British manufactured rock-n-roll icon, who is shaped and molded into a tool used to sell every product imaginable. In one humorous moment, the British Apple Growers Association, having harvested far too many apples to be sold, hire Steve to do a commercial convincing each British person to eat six apples a day.

To the nation, Steve is a god. A symbol of everything that is pure and good. Steve can do no wrong. Unfortunately, Steve has no mind of his own and is easily led from concert-to-concert, commercial-to-commercial and meeting-to-meeting by his conniving, greedy managers. Everyone wants a piece of Steve. The mere mention of a product from Steve's lips will sway the entire nation's fashion sense – if Steve wears black, the whole country wears black. His managers know this and there is no organization they will not sell him out to.

`The Church', in an act to attract more young members into its congregation, hires Steve to convince the nation's youth to become God-fearing Christians. But, this does not sit well with Steve who is becoming more cognizant of his surroundings through the help of a young artist played by sixties supermodel, Jean Shrimpton.

Privilege, even though rarely shown, is a surreal motion picture every film fanatic and music historian should seek out. With teeny-bop stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson and NSYNC sprouting up like so many invasive weeds, Privilege is very worthy of a second look. Hurry, please, before it is too late.

Corporate ownership of a rock star...hmm..Singing the message his corporate masters want him to sing...hmmm...Using pop songs to manipulate the ideas and thoughts of youth in the mold that is 'desirable' by 'those in charge'...hmmm Naw, it'd never happen!! Turns out this film was pre Beatles Apple (empire) and it turned out the idea was somewhat 'prophetic' I liked the film..I remember seeing it several times..bought the book, own two copies of the soundtrack. (bought the Who's 'Who Sell Out' the same day...) Neither Paul Jones and Jean Shrimpton were particularly brilliant actors, but they were able to convey the feelings of the time. The late Michael Leanders music is still enjoyable and interesting..check out the film's version of 'Onward Christian Soldiers' Overall, I would like to see this film again!

Fascinating, baffling, confused and prescient -- sometimes all within the same scene. A true artifact of the late 60's. The American Cinemateque just showed the ONLY existing print in the world. It was pretty ratty, with a constant hiss on the soundtrack, but at least it was shown. Director Peter Watkins (THE WAR GAME, PUNISHMENT PARK) directed PRIVILEGE as a faux documentary about a near future where the biggest musical star in the land who's fame becomes so large that he becomes a demi-god to the people. Of course, with all that power, he becomes a political pawn. The idea of a pop singer turning into a national icon that transcends his commercial status is even more relevant today than in '67.

The one major flaw of the film is Paul Jones' performance as the Singer Steve. He's just too dull and boring to be believed as the greatest Rock Star of All Time. Swinging 60s fashion icon Jean Shrimpton plays the girl who is hired to be with him. Patti Smith covered the title tune ("Set Me Free") on her great album, Easter.

Update: PRIVILEGE has finally made it to DVD and Blu Ray (but, not currently streaming)

Set in Britain's near future, Peter Watkins's "Privilege" puts forth a fascinating premise, despite the limitations of both budget and the talent of its leads. Steven Shorter is a charismatic pop star with mesmerizing influence over his young impressionable audiences. His stage performances use violence and brutality to cast him as society's victim, and, with powerful background music, he whips devotees, especially female, into a frenzy. The emotional impact is not unlike the Beatles, who coincidentally were at their peak in 1967, when the film was made. Shorter's opportunistic handlers, however, want to influence the youth of Britain with his cooperation, and, in an unholy alliance with the established church, undertake a campaign to promote conformity and traditional values. However, the campaign's launch coincides with Shorter's awakening desire to break free of his burdensome role and become an individual. In this struggle, he is encouraged by the young artist who is painting his portrait.

The original songs by Mike Leander and rock versions of "Jerusalem" and "Onward Christian Soldiers" are catchy and provide the movie's best moments. Unfortunately, the film's stars do not match Watkins's ambitions. Paul Jones lacks a charismatic presence and fails to convince that he could move millions with his voice and image. Although Jones is only adequate as a dramatic actor, the former lead singer of the group Manfred Mann manages the stage sequences quite well. However, his non-singing dramatics lack depth and are largely expressionless. Although Jean Shrimpton is astonishingly beautiful as Vanessa Ritchie, the portrait artist, her talents as an actress are woefully lacking. Despite success as a fashion model, her lackluster performance herein was likely one reason she has only two film credits.

In support of the two leads, Shorter's handlers and the clergy are convincing, and the film has a fascination that transcends its flaws, which include lazy overuse of narration. The manipulation of religion for political ends is as relevant now as in the 1960's, and combining religious faith with popular music and canny advertising is still a potent mix. Burning crosses, hysteria-induced "miracles," screaming young women with tear-stained cheeks, pounding hymns and anthems, sinister-looking clergymen, police brutality: "Privilege" seems to have been drawn from "Triumph of the Will" and, in turn, later inspired "Pink Floyd, The Wall." An often powerful warning about the evils of mixing church and state, restricting individual rights, and following demigods, "Privilege" remains a flawed work that is definitely worth a look.