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My So Called Life
RRP: £34.99
Our Price: £14.88 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most acclaimed series on TV during its brief run in the '90s, My So-Called Life pioneered the modern teen drama and made a star out of 15-year-old Claire Danes. Ostensibly centering around the trials and tribulations of high schooler Angela Chase, My So-Called Life actually expanded to include everyone in its protagonist's orbit, from school friends to extended family, and gave its stellar ensemble cast ripe material to work with during its too-short life. Produced by thirtysomething creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, MSCL evoked that yuppie-friendly show with its emphasis on finding extraordinary drama within ordinary situations, but was far more heartfelt and heart-wrenching, echoing the dizzying highs and lows of adolescence. As such, it developed a cult following among young viewers who identified strongly with Angela's high school traumas and followed her every move with rapt attention (after cancellation, the show enjoyed a popular reprise on MTV). Avoiding the sensational, My So-Called Life tackled every teen hot-button issue imaginable (and pioneered the then-controversial topic of teen homosexuality), but with a clear-eyed perspective, never dissolving into soap opera-–even when Angela mooned over heartthrob Jordan Catalano (dreamy Jared Leto). Even as it mined adolescent angst, though, My So-Called Life never lost sight of its adults, with Bess Armstrong and Tom Irwin both phenomenal as Angela's parents, whose marriage was one of the most complex seen on TV since... well, thirtysomething. Through it all, Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Danes was a neurotic, touching, and funny centre, whether obsessing over a zit or negotiating the rocky terrain of first love. Her funny, sobering, and empathetic portrait of teendom reminded us that in some ways, life was just an extended version of high school. --Mark Englehart
so good it hurts!
Review date: 2008-09-03 Rating: 10 out of 10
I first saw this when it was originally broadcast on channel 4 in the mid-ninties and what an impact it had on me; prompting me to go and study film and tv like I'd always wanted to. Thirteen or so years later, in my 40's I find I'm still captivated and charmed by the poetry of this ground breaking and hugely influential series. Somehow it wonderously manages to feel like something of its time but also still utterly contemporary - maybe that's because of its universal honesty about the pain and joy of those awkward teenage years no matter what decade you negotiated them through. From its rich tapestry of beautifully written, envisioned and understood characters it manages to illustrate that the journey from teen to adulthood from any vantage point (the dreamer, the geek, the rebel, the cool guy etc - male/female.) is fraught with problems and pratfalls. To say that Claire Danes is amazing is a gross understatement - her performance throughout is so precise and engaging as to still utterly floor me after all these years - but the rest of the cast are outstanding as well. Devon Gummersall as uber nerd Brian is particularily deserving in my opinion, managing to make a potentially irredeemably annoying character sympathetic, endearing and at times hilarious. Jared Leto, deserves a special mention too, as he somehow manages to flesh out the one dimensional dream boat Jordan and turn him into a complex 3D person with the minimum of lines. Beautifully shot and edited, with a fabulous soundtrack this series truly is a thing of beauty and sadly the likes of which may never come our way again.... I can't recommend it highly enough!
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Reviews
Still the best!
Review date: 2008-05-27 Rating: 10 out of 10
It's been an odd 15 years since I saw this from TV. Times have changed and I've grown up so I was a bit hesitant to buy this. I was worried that perhaps the series would seem silly and outdated by now, but fortunately that was not the case! In fact, it was even better than I remembered! My So-Called Life is a pearl among TV drama and obviously remains to be that.
a fantstic teen drama
Review date: 2008-04-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
I remember when this came out i was 14 yrs old and i loved it from the start. Every sunday at 4 i would make sure that i was in to watch it with my goodies.I've just purchased this box set and watched all 5 discs and i've got to say i wasn't disappointed with it at all. I love all the characters especially Jordan Catalano :0) go out and buy it x
The most fantastic series ever written
Review date: 2007-11-05 Rating: 10 out of 10
I am some years past my teens but sat and watched all five discs without a break I was so hooked. The whole series was riveting with honest, real characters and believable storylines. I can't believe how many times I laughed and cried. The acting was so credible, you felt like a fly on the wall watching a real, true life drama as it unfolded in front of you. I agree with many others that I would have loved another series to tie up loose ends and yet, at 15 years of age, you don't really have loose ends to tie up. So yes, I was left wanting more but also happy that I was left wondering. I had never heard of 'My So Called Life' until I read up on Jared Leto, being a huge fan of 30 Seconds to Mars.
I would highly recommend this series to anyone and have done already to so many people I know.
gritty
Review date: 2007-09-03 Rating: 8 out of 10
I absolutely loved this and all the issues it dealt with, like teen isolation etc. I loved Rayanne and wish that they had made a second series to tie up all the loose ends!
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Claire Danes
Wilson Cruz
Devon Gummersall
A.J. Langer
Jared Leto
Creators:
Claire Danes (Primary Contributor)
Jared Leto (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: Universal Pictures Video
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures Video
EAN: 5050582479904
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-05-14
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 874 minutes
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)