Shane Meadows latest film This Is England
- Thread starter Orang Utan
- Start date
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
STFC said:
Oh ok.. well that was my reading of the big fella with the moustache so.
The older guy with the glasses was a bit odd - but I got the impression that he was a bit slow and very clearly also marginalised (very like the younger fat boy who was in a school class below his peers) - hanging around with a bunch of kids with no job or friends or other "life" to speak of visible - I could imagine how that might well be something that is part of Meadow's experience growing up - I know that growing up in the 80s myself there often was older "dropout" types who would hang around - the rest of their generation having moved on, had kids etc. I don't suppose that has changed much now?
bmd
Island in the stream.
Reno said:
Yeah, I agree. The whole bit about how he was left by his dad, that he would never leave Sean, the scene with Lol in his car and various others seemed to be setting him up for the end scene with Milky without really saying anything about anything.
I thought he was spot on when just exploring the rites of passage stuff and the gang interplay, the fact that they were skinheads just made them look good. But then, of course, you can't be a skinhead without some psycho-nazi coming along and attempting to lead you into racism and NF membership.
Great film though.
onenameshelley
is Major Morgan's bitch
great film saw it last night, spent most of it holding my face in horror waiting for it to kick off, but then again i felt the same way when i watched dead mans shoes i knew it was coming just had to sit and wait for it feeling mildly tense the whole way through. Not being funny but if you had been milky would you have gone off with Combo cos sure as fuck wouldn't have?
Dunno if i am the only one who felt a bit grim about Smell and her strange lust for a 12 year old? I assumed that she was 15-16 maybe a bit older i dunno it just made me feel a bit unsure, but i suppose its no different to a boy of 16 wanting to go out with a 12 year old girl i suppose? Dunno i though Smell was ace and man her make up rocked!
As for the wee man Turgoose (sp) he is ace and i hope that he gets the recognition for what thought was a class piece of acting! My only complaint not enough Roland Rat
It has how ever rekindled my love of skins fashion, I am off to get a pair of cherry red DM's for sure
Oh and i think i fell in love a little bit with Woody
also known as "Eli Dingle" 
Dunno if i am the only one who felt a bit grim about Smell and her strange lust for a 12 year old? I assumed that she was 15-16 maybe a bit older i dunno it just made me feel a bit unsure, but i suppose its no different to a boy of 16 wanting to go out with a 12 year old girl i suppose? Dunno i though Smell was ace and man her make up rocked!
As for the wee man Turgoose (sp) he is ace and i hope that he gets the recognition for what thought was a class piece of acting! My only complaint not enough Roland Rat
It has how ever rekindled my love of skins fashion, I am off to get a pair of cherry red DM's for sure
Oh and i think i fell in love a little bit with Woody
also known as "Eli Dingle"
onenameshelley
is Major Morgan's bitch
Oh and one more thing, the cross tattoos what do they mean again? I knew what most of the others meant/stood for but i am buggered if i can remember what the crosses are for? Any clues peeps?
onenameshelley said:
The first girls me and my mate went with at around the same age were a good four years older than us. It was top!
Heard Meadows, Graham and Turgoose on radio 1 this afternoon. SM was saying Smell was a real person, even called her by her name and said her boyfriend now is a right hard bastard. He also never knew SG was mixed race until after he'd done the audition. TT sounds like any young kid out there, he was saying everytime they wanted him to meet someone new to do with the film or go to a meeting he upped the amount they gave him, starting with a fiver and worked his way up to a mini moto, video camera and PS2 games. Sounded like they were best of mates and had a right laugh making the film.
It was on Edith Bowmans show. Okay she's a dick but the interviews worth listening to for the story about Meadow's dad alone. Just forward it to about 1hour 38 mins.
Chuff
Ako mula sa ibang planeta
I posted just before i went to see it and am just back. Well I had to sit in the emotional experience for a bit first. As we walked out someone said 'harrowing' and it felt a bit like that, I keep thinking i can smell glue.
The switching between being a mate and a victim was to fucking true and really made me uncomfortable, it was really like that you were always on edge wondering if one of the nutters was going to kick off and a bit glad when it wasn't you that got it, the whole belonging and feeling big and powerful and hard but really being afraid.
for all those posters talking about there being too many damaged people in the film
I know someone who robbed his fucking girlfriend when she went on holiday, people regularly kicked shit out of each other if there was no external target and a nerve got touched, there was a pecking order and juts like in the film the bottom person got all the shit (brains or Braun kept you off the bottom)
I came out of the film feeling shell shocked, but wanting to stay in that space for a while, I can still remember the first person i knew challenging a racist comment and really respecting the guy (my mum also used to piss the whole estate off by inviting black kids to my birthday parties) I can also remember black kids being part of skin gangs and joining in the racism, estate took precedence over genes.
A really accurate portrayal of my life as a teen in the early eighties
The switching between being a mate and a victim was to fucking true and really made me uncomfortable, it was really like that you were always on edge wondering if one of the nutters was going to kick off and a bit glad when it wasn't you that got it, the whole belonging and feeling big and powerful and hard but really being afraid.
for all those posters talking about there being too many damaged people in the film
I know someone who robbed his fucking girlfriend when she went on holiday, people regularly kicked shit out of each other if there was no external target and a nerve got touched, there was a pecking order and juts like in the film the bottom person got all the shit (brains or Braun kept you off the bottom)I came out of the film feeling shell shocked, but wanting to stay in that space for a while, I can still remember the first person i knew challenging a racist comment and really respecting the guy (my mum also used to piss the whole estate off by inviting black kids to my birthday parties) I can also remember black kids being part of skin gangs and joining in the racism, estate took precedence over genes.
A really accurate portrayal of my life as a teen in the early eighties
Mysterymonster
Jane's mystery
Fuckin ell. Just been to see this film and feel like I just took a time machine back to my teenage years. Intense.
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
saw it last night - fucking excellent - despite the anachronisms mentioned (group hugs in 1983 Nottingham FFS!). The emotional complexities were spot on - being in one gang, feeling you might have betrayed them, wanting to get back in with the old ones, not knowing if you've gone too far etc.
One thing pissed me off though - the cinema audience. There were a few groups laughing along at very much the wrong places - particularly when the racists were abusing the Asians in the films. Cunts.
One thing pissed me off though - the cinema audience. There were a few groups laughing along at very much the wrong places - particularly when the racists were abusing the Asians in the films. Cunts.
4thwrite said:One thing pissed me off though - the cinema audience. There were a few groups laughing along at very much the wrong places - particularly when the racists were abusing the Asians in the films. Cunts.
I went to see Schindler's List in Bangalore... the Indian audience all laughed every time someone Jewish was killed
this is england
I saw the film yesterday.I found myself clock watching.I found it boring.I just thought it was not well made.I was 16 in the falklands and whilst i did enjoy the cultural refs I thought it was a bit cliche.Everyone I know loves it-but me-no...the best film i have seen recently is that Pans Labyrinths.
The Shaun character was too young looking and i could not believe his mum did not seem bothered about what he was up to!he was 12!
I saw the film yesterday.I found myself clock watching.I found it boring.I just thought it was not well made.I was 16 in the falklands and whilst i did enjoy the cultural refs I thought it was a bit cliche.Everyone I know loves it-but me-no...the best film i have seen recently is that Pans Labyrinths.
The Shaun character was too young looking and i could not believe his mum did not seem bothered about what he was up to!he was 12!
onenameshelley
is Major Morgan's bitch
4thwrite said:One thing pissed me off though - the cinema audience. There were a few groups laughing along at very much the wrong places - particularly when the racists were abusing the Asians in the films. Cunts.
We saw it at the ritzy and there was dumbfounded silence most of the time, i suspect *if* they had bothered to show it where i grew up people would have been pissing themselves at the racist parts, then again its only a ten minute walk to where the BNP head quarters used to be so it wouldnt have been a shock to discover half the audience at Cineworld Bexleyheath are morons
I saw it last night, I enjoyed it very much. Laughed a lot and almost cried
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
We tried to watch this on Sunday night at the Rio - enjoyed what we did see but the sound kept breaking down. After the third mute with staff getting ready to rewind again, we had enough and walked out which was a shame cos i'd enjoyed what i had seen. Maybe try again tonight.
LDR
kiwitanga
I think that this film doesn't travel welll. I've seen it and while I think it's a ok film, I don't think it's a great one at all and I was initially surprised at how highly rated it's been by other posters. It's not a film I would have ever recommended others to watch.RenegadeDog said:
Many people have said it reminds them of their childhoods and what growing up was like for them in Thatchers Britain. I simply can't relate to that at all so the film doesn't resonate the same way for me and I expect the film reviewer had the same problem.
Reno
The In Kraut
RenegadeDog said:
I wouldn't call someone who struggles with basic grammar to this extend a journalist or worry too much about the opinions of another film geek with a blog. So far the film got excellent reviews from professional US film critics who have seen the film at festivals.
LD Rudeboy said:
I suppose.
But when I was a kid I had my head buried in a book, I was oblivious to music, etc, fashions, and the world around me, and it still resonated.
On a different, off-topic note, I finally watched In My Father's Den, which you recommended a while back. Good stuff.
Reno said:
Cool... have you got any links to other US reviews?
Reno
The In Kraut
RenegadeDog said:
http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/this_is_england/
Variety, Salon.com and Premiere all gave the film excellent reviews and they are among the most influential US magazines.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
onenameshelley said:We saw it at the ritzy and there was dumbfounded silence most of the time, i suspect *if* they had bothered to show it where i grew up people would have been pissing themselves at the racist parts, then again its only a ten minute walk to where the BNP head quarters used to be so it wouldnt have been a shock to discover half the audience at Cineworld Bexleyheath are morons
That was my experience as well.I did wonder whether it was an age difference.Most people there would have not been born or very small in the early 80s.Got the feeling that some people might not get it if they dont remember the period.Talked to a German I know and she seemed bemused by it.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Some of it is funny though, like when the BoSelecta bloke takes a shit4thwrite said:.
One thing pissed me off though - the cinema audience. There were a few groups laughing along at very much the wrong places - particularly when the racists were abusing the Asians in the films. Cunts.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
gaijingirl said:
I agree with Dubversion that not all the BNP characters were as damaged as Crombie.Though I agree it is the one weakness of the film.SM used the same type of mentally deranged character in Dead Mans Shoes-it worked in that film as it fitted in with the plot.
In the context of this film the most scary bits were for example the BNP meeting in the pub and Crombies first speech to the gang when he comes out of prison.The speech by the BNP leader wasnt mad.SM didnt just portray the BNP supporters as mentally deranged but has having a point.Even if u didnt agree with it.These were the best parts of the film.Instead of going down the Ken Loach worthy road(the working class would have learnt the error of there ways and joined the SWP) SM at certain points in the film presents the far rights arguments.
So it was also disapointing that in the end he is just another fucked up headcase.
I also liked the way that he put in footage of Thatcher and the Falklands.She helped foster nationalism.The BNP picked it up.SM also I think made the film relevant to today.Its really annoying it got an 18 certificate.Its an important part of our history -though not the one that Gordan Brown wants to discuss.
