# Mini: A Life Revisited. 70's documentary about a child arsonist.



## Part 2 (Oct 31, 2013)

Anyone see this the other night? Still on iPlayer for another 5 days.

It's a great bit of telly from the 70's, a documentary about a kid from the North East who's in a kids home after setting fire to the family home and a church. He's such a little character and the film just reminds me of growing up in the 70s in the north when parenting wasn't perhaps as enlightened. There's a scene where the parents are talking about religion and Mini is saying he doesn't believe in God. Their response is heartbreaking.

Following the documentary the film maker kept in touch with Mini and the program has a meeting with him nearly 40 years later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03fvc2j

There's another program called Johnny Oddball which was filmed 10 years after the original, I'm going to watch that tomorrow.


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## farmerbarleymow (Oct 31, 2013)

Don't have a telly so didn't know about this.  I'll have a watch - thanks for posting the link.


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## Scaggs (Nov 1, 2013)

Wish they sill made them like that today, without the terrible music and crap effects. There was one on C4 tonight about the Maudsley and at one point the dialogue was drowned out completely by a screaching violin. Mini's dad looked a wrong-un. I tried to find out what had happened to the family since but there wasn't much on the website. Might buy his book.


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## marty21 (Nov 1, 2013)

he was interviewed on the One Show earlier in the week (might also be on Iplayer) looks remarkably like he did as a kid - haven't watched it yet - will try and do so.


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 1, 2013)

I've found this interview in the Big Issue with him.

http://www.bigissue.com/features/3039/michael-mini-cooper-interview-i-first-ran-away-aged-just-three


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## Frances Lengel (Nov 1, 2013)

Cheers for posting that CB, I wouldn't have known about it otherwise.


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## Frances Lengel (Nov 1, 2013)

marty21 said:


> he was interviewed on the One Show earlier in the week (might also be on Iplayer) looks remarkably like he did as a kid - haven't watched it yet - will try and do so.



The first thing I thought was that he just looks the same.


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 1, 2013)

Just watched it - an amazing documentary. 

Certainly _very_ different to a documentary you'd see nowadays - no fluff or padding, and no stupid music and the like, and including the heated rows without any voice over.  A really good narrative documentary - and captivating all the way through.  I can't imagine a film crew would be granted that level of access these days.

But an incredibly bright kid, and its sad that he ended up spending most of his life to date in institutions.  But arson is always very problematic to deal with. 

I had no idea the school was there, growing up not too far away - but then I never got more into fires that lighting a few minor ones on the back field as a kid.  I checked on the map, and it looks like the shopping centre they filmed him at is still there, and pretty much unchanged.  One thing that really struck me was that so many people were smoking, including the kids!  A totally different world to today in many respects.

It was nice to hear the same sort of voices as I heard growing up. 

Definitely tempted to buy the book.


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## sunnysidedown (Nov 2, 2013)

thanks CB for the heads up on this, one of the best/touching doco's i've seen in a very long time (made closer to home by me being an old South Shields lad).

this could of been posted in the politics section tbh, essential viewing.


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## Part 2 (Nov 2, 2013)

I watched the Johnny Oddball program last night, found it really uncomfortable viewing.


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 2, 2013)

Chip Barm said:


> I watched the Johnny Oddball program last night, found it really uncomfortable viewing.


 
Not got round to watching that yet - but will do tomorrow.


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## sunnysidedown (Nov 2, 2013)

Chip Barm said:


> I watched the Johnny Oddball program last night, found it really uncomfortable viewing.



it was, Moss Side for the lad? horrific.


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## 8115 (Nov 2, 2013)

I watched this, I really liked it.  Will try and watch Johnny Oddball too.


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## butchersapron (Nov 2, 2013)

He's written an autobiography as well.


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## Ms Ordinary (Nov 2, 2013)

marty21 said:


> he was interviewed on the One Show earlier in the week (might also be on Iplayer) looks remarkably like he did as a kid - haven't watched it yet - will try and do so.



 the one thing missing was finding out how he'd turned out, I was disappointed that wasn't part of the re-showing.

Fell asleep  anyway, so want to try & re-watch it.


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## sunnysidedown (Nov 2, 2013)

butchersapron said:


> He's written an autobiography as well.



just picked that up (on the old kindle) did you watch the two programmes?


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## Part 2 (Nov 2, 2013)

Ms Ordinary said:


> the one thing missing was finding out how he'd turned out, I was disappointed that wasn't part of the re-showing.
> 
> Fell asleep  anyway, so want to try & re-watch it.



I assume you need to buy the book for that. I wonder about the relationship with his family, if he ever saw his sisters again etc.


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 2, 2013)

Just ordered the book.


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## Onket (Nov 2, 2013)

My Mrs used to work with children who started fires. We're planning on watching this soon. Not read the thread, just subscribing at this point, I spose.


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## clicker (Nov 2, 2013)

Just watched the first one - amazing TV, I miss those documentaries, they were of an era. Will watch the Johnny Oddball one, but imagine it will be disappointing from the above comments. He was such a bright, articulate kid.


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## clicker (Nov 4, 2013)

Just watched Johnny Oddball - so sad. I want a recent one now to fill in the gaps.


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## Frances Lengel (Nov 4, 2013)

clicker said:


> Just watched Johnny Oddball - so sad. I want a recent one now to fill in the gaps.



It was sad - Especially after seeing the first film and knowing the direction his life was going to take. The book he's written will hopefully fill the gaps - I'm going to read it anyway.


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## clicker (Nov 4, 2013)

the editing was good...especially watching the parents then and later.


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## butchersapron (Nov 4, 2013)

sunnysidedown said:


> just picked that up (on the old kindle) did you watch the two programmes?


Haven't seen either, or read the book.


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## Part 2 (Nov 4, 2013)

Onket said:


> My Mrs used to work with children who started fires. We're planning on watching this soon. Not read the thread, just subscribing at this point, I spose.



Only on til tomorrow night Onket


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 4, 2013)

Chip Barm said:


> Only on til tomorrow night Onket


 
Thanks for the reminder - I'd forgot about the time limit on this.


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## sunnysidedown (Nov 5, 2013)

butchersapron said:


> Haven't seen either, or read the book.



Recommended viewing if you get the chance.


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## butchersapron (Nov 5, 2013)

sunnysidedown said:


> Recommended viewing if you get the chance.


Films now on the list - i know they are moving off iplayer soon, but they are still available elsewhere. Cheers to Chip Barm for the pointer


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## kittyP (Nov 5, 2013)

That was quite painful but excellent viewing.


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## Frances Lengel (Nov 5, 2013)

Who noticed that advert in the shopping centre place for bottles of Cyprus sherry for about 70 odd pence?


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## 8115 (Nov 5, 2013)

If you liked the Mini program, Johnny Oddball is maybe even better I thought.



Spoiler



There was a persistent theme of lack of freedom, the home office having to approve where he lived, what job he did, all that.  It was very interesting.


I'm definitely going to buy the book.


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## D'wards (Nov 5, 2013)

Can i still watch this tonight?


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## kittyP (Nov 5, 2013)

D'wards said:


> Can i still watch this tonight?


Yes but you only have til about half ten
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03fvc2j/Mini_A_Life_Revisited/


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## D'wards (Nov 5, 2013)

kittyP said:


> Yes but you only have til about half ten
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03fvc2j/Mini_A_Life_Revisited/


 Thanks, just went on the site and it has a countdown to watch it - deadlines make me nervous!


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## D'wards (Nov 5, 2013)

My computer is on the fritz indoors, so will watch this through the ps3. I assume it was on BBC4 last Tuesday night? Makes it easier to locate if i have this info


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## Onket (Nov 5, 2013)

Watched this tonight. Very sad. Decided against following it straight away with the 1985 documentary. Probably would have been too much.


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## farmerbarleymow (Nov 6, 2013)

Onket said:


> Watched this tonight. Very sad. Decided against following it straight away with the 1985 documentary. Probably would have been too much.


It was very sad. What an awful start in life.  

It's not a surprise that a lot of the prison population consists of people with very poor starts in life. Society warehousing its probblems. It's very depressing.


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## og ogilby (Nov 6, 2013)

All those people trying to influence the kid to change his behavior, all puffing away on a fag.


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## D'wards (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for recommending this - thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maybe we should have a televised documentary thread, to keep those who may miss them updated with the listings for, what look like, good examples.


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## friedaweed (Nov 6, 2013)

Yup Top notch. Really enjoyed it


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## D'wards (Nov 6, 2013)

I have Grey Gardens to watch later - supposed to be a fine example of its genre


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## Yetman (Nov 6, 2013)




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## Part 2 (Nov 6, 2013)

D'wards said:


> I have Grey Gardens to watch later - supposed to be a fine example of its genre



It's great, proper bizarre.


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## Part 2 (Nov 6, 2013)

D'wards said:


> Thanks for recommending this - thoroughly enjoyed it.
> 
> Maybe we should have a televised documentary thread, to keep those who may miss them updated with the listings for, what look like, good examples.



I was looking last night to see if there were any other 40 minutes documentaries on Youtube. There are but there was nothing that caught my eye. There must be loads of classic World in Action, Panorama etc programs from that time.

Actually I might steal your idea and start the thread with Mini.

ETA: Maybe not. On searching there are a lot of documentary threads already.


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## D'wards (Nov 6, 2013)

This was a superb documentary, though pretty depressing.

Called The Wet House about a hostel for alcoholics where they can drink on site. Jamie Dodger is particularly harrowing to watch. Long-term solvent abuse seems the most destructive of all.


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## friedaweed (Nov 6, 2013)

D'wards said:


> This was a superb documentary, though pretty depressing.
> 
> Called The Wet House about a hostel for alcoholics where they can drink on site. Jamie Dodger is particularly harrowing to watch. Long-term solvent abuse seems the most destructive of all.




Just watched it.  Good but not that good IYSWIM


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