In Defence of Frinton...

[caz963]

I missed Wonderland - The Curious World of Frinton-on-Sea on Wednesday, but I caught up with it earlier on the iPlayer.

What a load of bollocks.

Of course, I expected that the filmmakers would have chosen to feature the oddest people they could find - that's what they do; it's not good telly unless there's something weird or contentious is it?

But to entitle a programme the Curious WORLD of Frinton and then not to show a single person under the age of about seventy and then put across the idea that this is a place that nobody intended to live in, but somewhere that people have somehow ended up living by default is just insulting.

It's not as though I'm intensely attached to where I live. And actually, I was laughing at the people who made the film for falling for the obvious stereotyping that's bound to go on about a place like this. But there were some points I thought they were just cruel. It doesn't matter that the people they chose to film would have given their consent for their interviews to be used - I bet most of them had no idea what could potentially happen when the film was edited together.

At one point they filmed a scene in one of the local church halls. I took both my kids to "mums and toddlers" groups in that hall, and there was absolutely nothing in this to indicate that anyone other than OAPs used it. Opposite that church are two pre-schools. Again, not shown. They filmed at the top of Connaught Avenue (in effect the "high" street) which is within spitting distance of THREE schools (one of which I used to work at, another where I currently work) - they filmed people using the "gates" (the level crossing gates) again, plenty of people of all ages walk up and down that road, but no, the only ones shown were older people.

Sure, the place is known as a "retirement area" - but even in the (almost) eight years I've lived here, there's been a huge change as more new developments spring up and families with children move into the area - evidenced by the fact that most of the schools here are full or oversubscribed.

The programme was ostensibly about the local residents' campaign to save "The Gates" - which are the manually operated level crossing gates which lead into Frinton "proper". There were continual shots of the (empty) beach, and (empty) benches on the greensward overlooking the beach. All I can say is they should have had the bloody cameras there on a Summer Sunday when you can't park for love nor money - and when you can, it's FREE. Show me many seaside resorts where that's the case.

I'm sure the Essex Tourist Board is extremely grateful.

Comments

[hooloovoo_42]

I saw about 10 minutes and taped the rest. I was going to comment the other night that you must be at least 70 if you lived in Frinton. The bit I saw was the bit about saving the gates. So, pick a "wacky" local project and show just how stuck in the mud the local people are about it. I agree - total hatchet job.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

The whole thing was ostensibly about the gates. True, the local council does have a reputation for digging its heels in and opposing practically everything - it's why we never had a pub here until recently - but then where does it say that development is necessarily a good thing? As the curious woman in the curios shop said, there's a pier at Clacton and one at Walton (and plenty of pubs!) - people come here precisely because we don't have things like that. We don't have ice-cream and sweet shops along the seafront, for which many a weary parent is very grateful!