Forever Young, Forever Free (original South African title: e'Lollipop[2]) is a 1975 South African drama film directed by Ashley Lazarus and starring José Ferrer and Karen Valentine.[3][4] The lives of actors Muntu Ndebele and Norman Knox are dramatised in 2011 unofficial sequel Canadian film A Million Colours, directed by Peter Bishai and co-written with Andre Pieterse.
A white orphan, Jannie, is dropped off at an orphanage run by a priest and nun in Lesotho, Southern Africa. The boy befriends another orphan, Tsepo, who is black. While playing with a tractor tyre, Jannie rolls down a cliff, severely injuring himself. During this ordeal, he has flashbacks to his parents dying. Jannie is evacuated to New York City via a USAF mercy flight, to have his kidneys operated on, due to his injuries. He has permanent renal damage, requiring him to take pills for the rest of his life. The local village raises money so Father Alberto and Tsepo can go to New York. At the airport, Tsepo is mistaken for a school student and lugged onto a school bus, before escaping the school bus in Harlem. Upon meeting a Zulu-speaker, Tsepo is taken to the police and reunited with Father Alberto, before reuniting with Jannie, and exploring New York before the two friends return to Lesotho.
Filming for e'Lollipop took place in South Africa and New York City, starting on 8 July 1974.[1] It was the first feature film for director Ashley Lazarus (who had helmed documentaries previously) and television actress Karen Valentine.[1]e'Lollipop was one of eight planned inaugural features in the Children's Film Theater, a U.S./Canadian matinee initiative slated to launch in late 1975[1] as a counterpart to Laundau's own American Film Theatre program.[5]
The soundtrack for e'Lollipop was composed by Lee Holdridge. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's George Anderson wrote of its U.S. release as Forever Young, Forever Free, "A mixture of innocent-sounding pop melodies and African folk music...[this] pleasant album [is] 'dedicated to children everywhere.'"[7]
Thematic analysisedit
The film was "one of the few [apartheid-era productions] which imagined some type of friendship between blacks and whites...[but] did not [set out to] challenge apartheid ideology".[8]
Releaseedit
In its native South Africa, the original e'Lollipop was not shown in Bloemfontein theatres for fear of bans.[2]Universal Pictures picked up the film for U.S. and Canadian distribution as early as 31 August 1975,[9][10] then proceeded to re-edit and retitle it as Forever Young, Forever Free.[11] The revised version, according to Keyan Tomaselli of Cinéaste, "turned the well-paced pathos of a little black boy who sacrifices his life for his white friend into a soppy happy ending which negates the film's moral and racial parable."[11] Furthermore, its distribution in that market was mainly relegated to "the lower half of double bills".[12] In 2004, the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival amid plans for revived distribution.[2]
Receptionedit
In June 1979, David Deneui of The Bellingham Herald gave the film 2½ stars, writing that "the simple story...could be entertaining family viewing."[12] In later years, film critic Leonard Maltin gave it the same rating in his Movie Guide, finding it "Entertaining, if a bit too sugar-coated".[13]
^ abcJenkins, Elwyn (2006). "Famous Writers and Books". National Character in South African English Children's Literature. Routledge. p. 37. ISBN0-415-97676-6. Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Google Books.
^Vourlias, Christopher (23 July 2019). "Ashley Lazarus, Director of Apartheid-Era Cult Classic, Returns to Screen". Variety. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
^Peros, Mike (2020). Jose Ferrer: Success and Survival. University Press of Mississippi. p. 213. ISBN978-1-4968-3017-3. Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Google Books.
^Anderson, George (1 December 1976). "The Soundtrack: Other recent recordings". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 13. Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^Botha, Martin (2012). South African Cinema: 1896-2010. Intellect Books. p. 116. ISBN978-1-78320-330-7. Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Google Books.
^Maltin, Leonard; Sader, Luke; Clark, Mike (2008). "Forever Young, Forever Free". Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin. p. 478. ISBN978-0-452-28978-9. Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Internet Archive.
forever, young, forever, free, original, south, african, title, lollipop, 1975, south, african, drama, film, directed, ashley, lazarus, starring, josé, ferrer, karen, valentine, lives, actors, muntu, ndebele, norman, knox, dramatised, 2011, unofficial, sequel,. Forever Young Forever Free original South African title e Lollipop 2 is a 1975 South African drama film directed by Ashley Lazarus and starring Jose Ferrer and Karen Valentine 3 4 The lives of actors Muntu Ndebele and Norman Knox are dramatised in 2011 unofficial sequel Canadian film A Million Colours directed by Peter Bishai and co written with Andre Pieterse Forever Young Forever FreeDirected byAshley LazarusWritten byAshley LazarusStory byAndre PieterseProduced byAshley LazarusAndre PieterseStarringJose Ferrer Karen Valentine Norman Knox Muntu NdebeleCinematographyArthur J OrnitzEdited byLionel SelwynMusic byLee HoldridgeProductioncompaniesFilm Trust 1 Milton OkunEly Landau Organization uncredited 1 Distributed byUniversal PicturesRelease dateMarch 24 1975 1975 03 24 Running time85 minutesCountrySouth AfricaLanguagesEnglishAfrikaans Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Soundtrack 5 Thematic analysis 6 Release 7 Reception 8 References 9 External linksPlot editA white orphan Jannie is dropped off at an orphanage run by a priest and nun in Lesotho Southern Africa The boy befriends another orphan Tsepo who is black While playing with a tractor tyre Jannie rolls down a cliff severely injuring himself During this ordeal he has flashbacks to his parents dying Jannie is evacuated to New York City via a USAF mercy flight to have his kidneys operated on due to his injuries He has permanent renal damage requiring him to take pills for the rest of his life The local village raises money so Father Alberto and Tsepo can go to New York At the airport Tsepo is mistaken for a school student and lugged onto a school bus before escaping the school bus in Harlem Upon meeting a Zulu speaker Tsepo is taken to the police and reunited with Father Alberto before reuniting with Jannie and exploring New York before the two friends return to Lesotho Cast editJose Ferrer as Father Alberto Karen Valentine as Carol Anne Muntu Ndebele as Tsepo Norman Knox as Jannie Bess Finney as Sister Marguerita Simon Sabela as Rakwaba the Witchdoctor Ken Gampu as Thomas LukeProduction editFilming for e Lollipop took place in South Africa and New York City starting on 8 July 1974 1 It was the first feature film for director Ashley Lazarus who had helmed documentaries previously and television actress Karen Valentine 1 e Lollipop was one of eight planned inaugural features in the Children s Film Theater a U S Canadian matinee initiative slated to launch in late 1975 1 as a counterpart to Laundau s own American Film Theatre program 5 Soundtrack editForever Young Forever FreeSoundtrack album by Lee HoldridgeReleasedNovember 1976 6 LabelMCA 6 The soundtrack for e Lollipop was composed by Lee Holdridge The Pittsburgh Post Gazette s George Anderson wrote of its U S release as Forever Young Forever Free A mixture of innocent sounding pop melodies and African folk music this pleasant album is dedicated to children everywhere 7 Thematic analysis editThe film was one of the few apartheid era productions which imagined some type of friendship between blacks and whites but did not set out to challenge apartheid ideology 8 Release editIn its native South Africa the original e Lollipop was not shown in Bloemfontein theatres for fear of bans 2 Universal Pictures picked up the film for U S and Canadian distribution as early as 31 August 1975 9 10 then proceeded to re edit and retitle it as Forever Young Forever Free 11 The revised version according to Keyan Tomaselli of Cineaste turned the well paced pathos of a little black boy who sacrifices his life for his white friend into a soppy happy ending which negates the film s moral and racial parable 11 Furthermore its distribution in that market was mainly relegated to the lower half of double bills 12 In 2004 the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival amid plans for revived distribution 2 Reception editIn June 1979 David Deneui of The Bellingham Herald gave the film 2 stars writing that the simple story could be entertaining family viewing 12 In later years film critic Leonard Maltin gave it the same rating in his Movie Guide finding it Entertaining if a bit too sugar coated 13 References edit a b c d e Amusements Shooting Begins for E Lollipop Austin American Statesman 20 July 1974 p 22 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com a b c Jenkins Elwyn 2006 Famous Writers and Books National Character in South African English Children s Literature Routledge p 37 ISBN 0 415 97676 6 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Google Books Vourlias Christopher 23 July 2019 Ashley Lazarus Director of Apartheid Era Cult Classic Returns to Screen Variety Retrieved 7 March 2021 Peros Mike 2020 Jose Ferrer Success and Survival University Press of Mississippi p 213 ISBN 978 1 4968 3017 3 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Google Books Wolf William 24 November 1974 Family fare That s what Children s Film Theater will offer The Post Crescent View Magazine Appleton Wisconsin p 13 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com a b MCA Releases 6 Albums Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph 1 November 1976 p 9 B Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com Anderson George 1 December 1976 The Soundtrack Other recent recordings Pittsburgh Post Gazette p 13 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com Botha Martin 2012 South African Cinema 1896 2010 Intellect Books p 116 ISBN 978 1 78320 330 7 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Google Books Hoffman Olivier marathoners The Daily Breeze Torrance California 31 August 1975 p E11 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com Universal Gets e Lollipop The South Bend Tribune South Bend Indiana 14 September 1975 p 68 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com a b Tomaselli Keyan 1983 Racism in South African Cinema Cineaste 13 1 14 ISSN 0009 7004 JSTOR 41686271 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via JSTOR a b Deneui David 23 June 1979 TV movie reviews The Bellingham Herald Bellingham Washington p 2 E Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Newspapers com Maltin Leonard Sader Luke Clark Mike 2008 Forever Young Forever Free Leonard Maltin s 2009 Movie Guide Penguin p 478 ISBN 978 0 452 28978 9 Retrieved 3 July 2023 via Internet Archive External links editForever Young Forever Free at IMDb Forever Young Forever Free at Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Forever Young Forever Free amp oldid 1172643676, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
