Gritty Realism Versus Mindless Kitsch

Finally watched Swansea Love Story on the VBS internet channel after reading a post on internet as the medium of the future for socialist films.  It's just a tad harrowing so I had to try to take my mind of it by reading Valley of the Dolls.  I forgot that Valley of The Dolls dresses itself up as a glitzy text about fast Hollywood living but is actually about three women's addiction to pills and their ensuing downfall (the 'dolls' in the novel are the sleeping and slimming pills that were rife amongst American stars during the time the novel is set in).  It didn't quite give me the escapism from the film since it's also about drug abuse and the vicious cycle of lives controlled by addiction.

I then decided to embrace my inner airhead and researched pink typewriters instead.  This wasn't entirely random; I read in the Valley of The Dolls introduction by Julie Burchill that Jacqueline Susann wrote the bestselling novel on one, and I just thought that was just about the epitome of mindless kitsch and probably what I need in my life right now. I found some on ebay but they're all in America and the prices are a bit steep...

Ok, still can't stop thinking about Swansea Love Story.  I feel just like I did after watching Requiem For A Dream.  Although probably not as bad as my old housemate and her boyfriend did after their spontaneous viewing of it.  They're both still scarred after borrowing the DVD from my room thinking it was a rom com.

So with total trepidation, here's Swansea Love Story's trailer, for your viewing (dis)pleasure:

Let me know your thoughts if you end up watching the film.  It's incredible and definitely worth watching, just ever so slightly depressing. You can find it on VBS.