This is England Flashcards
Who directed This is England and when did it come out?
Shane Meadows
2006
What are the themes in This is England?
Falklands Masculinity Poverty Racism Skinheads Thatcherism Violence War Working class
When was the film set and how does it portray the working classes?
1983
WC affected by Recession
Lead 🔝 discrimination - xenophobia
Fear - jobs
Context
When was the racial ➗ heightened ➕ why?
1981
Brixton riots
Climax to months of racial tension between local African Caribbean communities ➕ police
When was the second wave of the Skinhead movement, what was it a result of and how can associations like the Nation Front effect the movement?
80’s
Council estates 🔝 high unemployment
😡 system 👀 for solidarity
Soldier like appearance ➕ attitude = let down - looking for people to blame easy 🎯
What was the original Skinhead culture born out of?
Working class youths ➕ wide rush generation 💜 for music Reggae music 👀 looking for an identity Shaved head Ben Sherman shirt Blue jeans Braces Boots
Explain the political situation in 1983 + the conflictions?
Recession + mass unemployment = Conservative
Conservatives = re elected - Y - Falklands victory
First past the post
What resulted with the Conservatives re election?
De industrialisation Affected - steel industry + mining industry Conservatives benefit Londoners + middle classes Destroying - working class areas
Explain the narrative binary opposite with Shaun and the ending?
Shaun’s 1st run in with Mr. Sandhu’s corner shop + when he turns the shop over with Combo.
Surrogate father figures - Woody + Combo
Ambiguous ending - Milky survive? Combo punished?
How does the open ending link to the social real element of the film?
We don’t know whether Milky survives
Combo in prison?
Racial tensions still there
Unemployment
Explain the ideology?
Anti - Nationalist stance Spectator aligned with Shaun ❎ sympathise with Combo Combo = violent bully Fear for Shaun's morality y Combo Brutality of war - opening sequence Unflattering archive to Thatcher opening sequence
Another point on Ideology with Shaun looking at a picture of his father?
Graffiti?
Shrill voice of Thatcher coming out the radio
Graffiti ‘Maggie is a twat’.
What is the meaning and response of the film?
Social realism - social + racial injustice + economic hardship through pictures of life’s struggles
Meadows influenced by Ken Loach’s social realist style.
Working class, unknown actors, shooting locations
When was the New Wave iconography embedded in the film?
1980’s
Opening council estate
How is masculinity represented in the film?
Absent father died Falklands
Woody = supportive, nurturing takes Shaun under his wing.
Combo = violent,😡 aggressive
How is Woody’s influence on Shaun portrayed?
How is Combo’s influence on Shaun portrayed?
Woody = Shaun laughs at the bullies + becomes apart of the ‘family’
Combo = Celebrates Shaun standing up to him.
Turns Shaun’s anger about his father’s death into something that will suit his own racist ideology
How is Class represented in Shaun’s clothing particularly his Flares?
Working class = trend at time = tight jeans. = poor = hand me downs.
None of the main characters have jobs = Lol does.
Mr Sandhu corner shop
Explain the mise en scene in the opening scene Shaun’s bedroom, what are the implications?
Lacks identity Paint chipped Run down Basic furniture Most important prop = Picture of Shaun's dad. Army uniform = died Falklands
Explain the representation of age through Shaun, opening scene?
Shaun gets up like a man puts his head in his hands
= weary mind
Child been through alot
Explain the cinematography of when Shaun meets the Skinheads?
Wide established shot = location = underpass.
Shaun centre frame
Contrast 💡 shaun standing in 💡 shadowy bypass
Implies = recruited - underclass - pushed edge of society
What does the opening sequence of the gang first meeting Shaun portray? And camera being hand held?
Camera cuts between Woody and Shaun.
Immediate alliance - Woody + Shaun have.
Connected with the audience = social real element.
Describe the mise en scene in the opening sequence?
Graffiti - underpass, connotes - rough , working class estate
Stereotypical Skinheads
Doc Martins, braces, checked shirted shaved heads
How are the Skinheads represented in the opening of the film?
No education
No job = day under bypass
Gang smoking, drinking = lost nothing to do
Clear hierarchy - Woody = leader - invites Shaun + reprimands Gadget he bullies Shaun away
Explain the mise en scene in Combo’s speech?
White shirt = identity
Tattoos
Body language passionate = waves his arms around, punctuates - fingers.
Points to head + 💜 “This is England and This is England”
Groups body language = awkward, hunched, hands infront of them
Woody = 👀⬇
Combo prison mate only 1 in agreement = threatening body language constantly 👀 around challenge anyone who disagrees
Explain Sound in Combo’s speech This is England?
❎ non-diegetic 🔇
Just Combo’s speech + realism + ⬆ awkwardness
Powerful dialogue - swearing + racism = his point across “three and half million of us who can’t find fucking work”.
Audience understand Y + his influence
Explain the cinematography used in Combo’s speech?
Camera = uncomfortably close - Combo - difficult to detract from what he’s saying.
Wide shots = show Combo centre of the room
Emphasises distance between him + rest
Analyse the cinematography in Combo’s attack on Milky?
Close up shots - Milky smiling = spectator - uncomfortable. Shaun is begging him to 🚫
POV shot - Milky - spectator align = Milky ~ intensity.
Combo rage = intense ~ close ups, Shaun is being held down whilst the assault is happening = claustrophobic + helpless
Analyse the mise en scene - Combo attack on Milky?
England flag pinned - wall = National Front ideology.
Milky + Combo = dressed Skinhead - only difference = colour-skin
White pillow soaked with blood - destruction - innocence - red violent
Analyse the sound Combo’s attack on Milky?
Non-diegetic classical piano soundtrack = contrapuntal - Combo’s violent outbursts ‘stop smiling at me or I will knock that fucking smile off your face”🎹 intensifies attack.
Kicking, punching + screaming = sicking intense
Analyse the final scenes mise en scene?
England flag - patriotic -symbolise NF = racist
Shaun throws - flag - sea - disposing racist ideology
Flag - gift from Combo - disposing connection
Analyse the editing in the final scene?
Series of long takes = spectator connect with Shaun
Contrast to rapid pace montage editing title sequence
Analyse the sound in the final sequence?
Non diegetic cover of The Smith’s Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Lyrics “see, the luck that I’ve had, can make a good man turn bad”
Parallel soundtrack portrays all the character arcs
Analyse the cinematography in the final scene?
Tracking
Wide shots - Shaun’s isolation - lost again
Final shot of the film - close ups Shaun’s face 😢 determined - breaks 4th wall
