This cinematic sociological experiment has been going on so long that director Michael Apted, who has Bond and Narnia credits under his belt, in addition to “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Enigma” and “Nell” and “Thunderheart,” might be thinking of handing the directing reins over to somebody new.

But he isn’t. After catching up with seven typical Brits every seven years since the first of these documentaries, “Seven Up,” in 1964, and learning how their lives are going, how they’ve changed, how much they’re like the seven year old version of themselves, he’s not stopping now.

It’s always fascinating to catch up with these people and see for ourselves how we’ve been molded, almost since birth, into the personalities we carry around with us.  At least one of them is “getting the band back together.”

“56 Up” is in limited release, and opening wider over the next few weeks.