Kes - Ken Loach

(aka 'A Kestrel for a Knave')

Directed by Ken Loach
UK 1969

Barry Hines' novel, about a young schoolboy in Barnsley who attempts to escape the tedium and meaninglessness of his uninviting working-class future by caring for and training a kestrel that he finds, is never allowed to fall into undue sentimentality by Loach's low-key direction (his first feature). Rather than a tale of a boy and his pet, the film is a lucid and moving examination of the narrow options open to people without money, family stability and support, or education. Terrific performances, illuminated by Chris Menges' naturalistic but often evocative photography.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE

Kes is Ken Loach's most acclaimed film. Shot in Barnsley with a largely unknown cast, it's a highly engaging tale about Billy Casper (David Bradley), a fifteen year-old boy whose independent nature doesn't gel with the rigid authoritarianism and conformity that characterise his wasted school life. It is only through the acquisition and training of a young kestrel hawk that his existence is given meaning. It allows him the kind of fulfillment and liberation that his family or school life could never provide. For once his life has a focus - he glimpses the fact that it is possible to escape from his depressing working class environment.

Excerpt from Edinburgh University Film Society review located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 13th, 1970 - New York Film Festival

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DVD Review: MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	MGM - Region 2,4 - PAL
Runtime	1:46:34 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.66:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.29 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUB: German (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English (HoH), German (HoH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: MGM Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (2:46) DVD Release Date: January 20th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters: 16

Comments:

The stingy MGM DVD shows some weaknesses - non-anamorphic and moderately hazy in spots - but is progressive and sports optional subtitles. Audio is unremarkable but close, I'll wager, to the way it was produced. Set to sell to a German audience as well - it has an optional Deutsche DUB (and subs). Good news again that I don't see excessive manipulation and the image is fairly clean.

The DVD inferiorities don't take away from the magnificence of the film one iota. This borders on essential cinema folks - a riveting and memorable piece of cinema. If there was a superior DVD version - we would probably recommend but this is it for now - and we've certainly seen worse.