'Wonderland: The Curious World of Frinton on Sea'

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A topic from Film, TV & Radio: Miscellaneous

baalhadadMon 24/03/08 12:18

Did anybody else watch this program a week or so ago?

I did; it was grim viewing. The production team seemed to be determined to take advantage of some extremely vulnerable people in order for comedic value. They seemed to attempt to ridicule one woman in front of the man she loved (but who did not love her back) about her unrequited love. They also spoke extensively to one man who claimed there was something about him which would mean social death his friends found out; the production team, over a series of interviews, managed to make him say something that made it clear that he was gay. They then thought it appropriate to broadcast this information which appeared to be that thing he didn't want his friends to know. It was presented as if his homosexuality was what he wanted to hide.

It was grim viewing; I sent a complaint to the BBC, saying that the program aided and abetted homophobia and ageism.

In their reply, this was their justification:

The programme was an authored documentary that presented the personal view
of the director Marc Isaacs who visited the town a number of times over a
period of over a year. The content is the genuine response of what Marc
found there.

The programme is not intended to be representative of the entire town, but
a subjective look at the lives of a small selection of people who live
there.

What was at the heart of the film was the strange combination of the fierce
loyalty people showed to the town of Frinton. For example the campaign
against the level crossing change, and also the feelings of frustration and
disappointment that Marc encountered when he talked to people who had spent
a long time there.

Marc did not intend to ridicule vulnerable people but to portray the
oddness and eccentricities of life in what is a very English town with
warmth as well as humour.

I'm not very happy with this; it is obviously bollocks. The director singled out two people for special treatment; it was simply a form of playground sniggering. Frinton is an extremely eccentric place, and one could have made a documentary about it's eccentricities without resorting to the sort of bullying that occurred in this program.

So I don't know what I should do next. I suspect I shall sit for a while feeling irritated and maybe consider complaining to Ofcom. I'm sure plenty of other people will have done the same.

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