Michael Caine Talks Up Possible ‘My Generation’ Swinging Sixties TV Series
Michael Caine and the team behind the film “My Generation,” about London in the Swinging Sixties, are prepping a TV version that will include the movies star’s interviews with Paul McCartney and other icons of the era.
Double Oscar winner Caine, speaking at a screening of “My Generation” on Wednesday, was asked about the decision by the documentary makers to avoid showing interview subjects in the present day in favor of showing them purely in footage from the ’60s, alongside other archival footage of the era, much of it from veteran filmmaker Peter Whitehead.
Only Caine is shown in the present, in the film’s opening scene, driving through contemporary London. “We couldn’t put the interviews in the film…because it takes the concentration and atmosphere of where you are away,” he said. “What [director David Batty] used was only me. You didn’t need to see everybody. But we’re doing a television series of six episodes with all of the interviews in.”
Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment and Batty’s Raymi Films made “My Generation” with the support of Ingenious Media. IM Global handles international sales. The film launched at last year’s Venice Film Festival. Variety’s review said: “Loaded with great footage from the era and accompanied by superbly cleaned-up music tracks from the Kinks, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and many others, this love letter-as-documentary offers 85 minutes of good old fun.”
Caine and the various parties are keen on making a series although nothing has yet been put together. There is, however, a huge amount of footage gathered over the six-year production period, including the actor’s two-and-half-hour interview with former Beatles band member McCartney, plus interviews with ’60s model Twiggy and fashion designer Mary Quant.
No broadcaster or platform is attached to the series project, but the major players are aware it is in the offing. The film goes out in Britain on Friday.
Caine, whose credits include hits such as “Alfie” and “The Dark Knight,” shared anecdotes from his life and career at Wednesday’s screening of “My Generation,” and paid special tribute to Christopher Nolan, with whom he has made six movies, including a voice cameo in “Dunkirk.” “He’s my lucky charm, and I’m his lucky charm,” he said.
Caine was brought onto the stage in a wheelchair, having suffered a recent foot injury. In the audience were McCartney – who Caine said was his favorite Beatle – and Twiggy, among others. The evening came to a close with a rendition of “Happy birthday” from the audience in honor of Caine’s 85th.
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