Brian Hill’s ‘Drinking for England’

I didn’t attend the lecture as I was on a plane, however I youtubed the documentary and found it very different from any documentary I’ve watched before. It focusses on the drinking culture of England, exploring a few subjects and their attitudes towards alcohol through poetry and song. The topic intrigued me as attitudes towards alcohol in different areas and people fascinates me. However, I found poetry in the beginning of the documentary quite unusual and repelling. I didn’t feel like watching the rest of it although I did. To me it didn’t really have much of a purpose, although I’m sure it did. It did make it seem more comical and light hearted especially since “colourful” language was used like “shitfaced”. I guess it targets a younger market rather than being a warning to parents? When it got to the middle aged man singing a song about his drinking habits, the documentary felt quite tacky. The documentary to me felt like one of those documentaries you watch in high school that promotes “drugs are bad, stay in school”. I was quite displeased, although it was interesting in parts, it was hard to watch for me. It isn’t how I want to explore my subject in my documentary.