Britishness in British Film

[cars]

Hello..
I'm curious to find out.. What British films people feel most represent England?
Whats british about British realism films?
I'm doing an essay on how, Britain is represented in British Social Realist Films.. if anyone has any ideas, all will be appreciated..
Merci x

P.s bare with me, this is my first time in a forum

[penfold]

Welcome to the forum....as a pointer, why don't you share with us your ideas...that way we can expand on or disagree with your ideas, and get a debate going...that would then bring forth some material for your essay....

[Moor Larkin]

Originally Posted by cars I'm curious to find out.. What British films people feel most represent England?

England? Or Britain?
The difference can be startling.......

[AdrianTurner]

'bare' with me? Are you asking us to strip off in a group? Don't you mean 'bear' with me?

[kawolski]

Hi cars,
that could be such a mutil-faceted essay.
I suppose for a good point of reference it would be a start if you had an example of what exactly being 'British' meant. (Or is that for you to decide?)
For example; films such as 'London to Brighton', 'Dead mans Shoes', 'Kes' most of Ken Loach's work and 'Vera Drake' are all great examples in my opinion of an 'underclass' Britishness.


P.S.
Loving the site, and marveling in awe at some of the knowledge and experience here!

[cars]

I'm interested in researching into the Director Shane Meadows. Several of his films, all of which are classed as British Realism Films, are situated in the Midlands/North of England similar to all his main characters. My main objective is to comment on the limited realist films situated in the south, compared to the majority of films which are situated in the midlands/north.
Does the south not represent 'real' Britain?
I'm also thinking of doing a critical evaluation of Shane Meadows in relation to the Auteur theory. In my eyes, he is todays current biggest director producing the most successful and 'Real' Realism Films.

Thanks for all your comments so far, This Forum business is enlightening me :)

[kezzy]

Brighton Rock, London to Brighton, Nil By Mouth: social realism from the South.

But nevertheless I agree with your point in so far as it's easier to think of gritty films from up North than down South. Distribution of wealth must have something to do with it. So for example down south we get slightly candy-coloured gangster films like 'Lock Stock', while up North we get the grim brown thuggishness of 'Get Carter'.

[batman]

I think if Jack Carter had been involved in Lock Stock ... it would have been a very short film!

[scholes]

You may well also consider the following northern based films, sometimes described as "kitchen sinkers" by some of my learned friends in this forum:

Saturday Night and Sunday morning
A kind of Loving
A taste of Honey
Rita Sue and Bob too.

Dead Man's shoes is a really good film, and is shot at Riber Castle, Matlock, which is very near to where I live in Derbyshire.
Paddy Considine is simply brilliant in his role as the avenging seargent.
I didn't realise that the main villain was Gary Stretch until about half way through the film. An ex-professional boxer and male-model from St. Helens in Merseyside, he was given a "good spanking" by Chris Eubank in the ring in th early nineties, which I believe finished his career.
The musical score is a cross between Derbyshire Folk and Irish ballad music.

[cars]

Interesting.. I agree, most films that are shot in the south tend to deal with subject matters of drug use, violence and gangs, dodgy deallers etc, whereas i8n the North and particulaly the Midlands, films cover issues such as working class struggles, communtiy based problems with the industrial break down etc.
I've seen Dead mans shoes, will definately watch it again. However i think a signature mark of Meadows films is his portrayal of characters with deep pyschological issues, I want to look more into how he portrays the community and the british way of life, more so than concentrate on his charcters. Although, i obviously will comment on them. So, perhaps films such as Once upon a time in the Midlands and This is England would be more suited?
Thnaks everyone

[kawolski]

Mike Leigh's Naked.
Although the main character is from the north the film centres around the south.
Amazingly visceral film!

[cars]

Cheers guys i shall check them out.
Anyone know any good books on the auteur theory by chance?

[penfold]

Originally Posted by cars Cheers guys i shall check them out. Anyone know any good books on the auteur theory by chance?

For heavens sake, they aren't still teaching you that are they?? It was pretty much discredited years ago!! It is relevant to very few directors and their films, and excludes a huge number....

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by cars Cheers guys i shall check them out. Anyone know any good books on the auteur theory by chance?

I think the word "good" and the auteur theory are an automatic contradiction in terms

Film-making is the ultimate collaborative art. It's extremely rare when any one person can really have an influence on each aspect of a film

Steve

[julian_craster]

' 'Realism' is a very dodgy concept' . Discuss with relation to the films of Shane Meadows and one other director from an earlier decade.

Perhaps your tutor should have set you this question....