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Anthony McNicholas Mr Ravenscroft

What effect has this is Englands British cultural content had on its reception in Britain and

overseas?

This is England is a film directed by Shane Meadows in 2005. The film follows a 12 year old boy

Shaun whose father died in the Falklands war after which he gets involved with a gang

consisting of such characters like Woody, Smell, Lol and milky. The film is set during the Skin

head era toward the end of the 1980s. The skin head movement consisted of listening to bands

such as the pioneers and The Specials, the music era of the time was known as SKA which is a

mix of Rock and Early reggae.

Shane Meadows is said to have used his own life experiences whilst making this film. The social

realism in the film is captured by Meadows as gritty and realistic, internationally I believe that

this is England depicts the true essence of being British. American shows and sitcoms such as

the Simpsons and Two and a half men to name but a few depict the British people as upper

class tofts who drink warm beer and tea. This is England removes the cover of stereotypicBritain and gives a much more realistic image of the British people. Shane Meadows has

seemingly cast common people in the film, many of the cast have had little or no filming

experience prior to this is England. Thomas Turgoose had no prior filming experie nce and

therefore his acting came across far more naturally. Meadows also used this method so that

audiences would not be trying to work out which other films that the actors had been in and

could engage better with them, other films have been known to us e the same method such as

Zack Snyders Watchmen.

The lack of funding for the film also really reflects 1980s Britain, due to lack of funding sets

where found outside of studios. Many people in Britain could relate to what it was like living in

the houses shown on the set and what the streets and shops sold. Although seemingly cheap

and tacky the sets give this is England a more realistic feel and immerse the audience allot more

than what it would do had it been done by a major studio. However due to t he films lack of

funding which was about 1.5 million the film suffered severely due to lack of advertising. The

lack of advertising and marketing does explain as to why the film didnt do exceedingly well

internationally and only made around 300,000 in America. However interestingly the film only

opened in one cinema screen in the united states the film did however expand to 14 theatre

screens this shows that thee was some definite interest in the film in America and had it been

better marketed there may have been no reason it couldnt have been as big as say

Trainspotting.

There is one scene in the film showing Shaun eating a large sweet egg; this was put in by Shane

Meadows to show the audience What they dont do anymore. Meadows also shows T.V shows

in the opening montage of the film an excerpt from Rowland Rat and VCRs inventions new in

the 1980s. Meadows however also captures the dark times such as that of Thatchers rule in

Britain with the miners strikes and the Falklands war, Meadows shows the audience, the British

audience in particular what they should be missing and remembering from the 1980s.

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The skin head movement during the 1960s was that of extreme left wing ideology. Many skin

heads would seek t remove any southern Asians from Britain through stunts and actions such as

Paki Bashing. These skin heads supported the national front by the late 1970s the National

front and the Skin Head movement had been criticised by the media and recognized as a racist

organization and therefore saw its numbers decline. By the 1980s the skin head movement had

moved very much away from the extreme left wing views. The significance in the scene wherecombo is trying to recruit is significant in that it shows divide in the skin head movement.

Meadows shows Woody moving away from Combos influence and turning his back on the

1960s skinhead movement. Something else brought across by Shane meadows is the young lad

in the film questioning the methods of the national front, brought in by the appeal of being in a

gang he realises that it isnt all sunshine and rainbows. Shane Meadows shows the audience that

something like a gang that is appealing will eventually turn bad at one point or another, through

this I think that this is England represents a very signific ant message with the gang culture

emerging in the united kingdom in the present day.

This is England is made I believe to tell a message as opposed to a story, a message of what life

was like in the 1980s and how essentially we can learn from the past. Th is is England removes

the stereotypical view of England abroad and although really a film made for British people I

believe that any country can watch it and take something from it. This is England is essentially

A Timeless classic that capture the true essence of the 1980s.

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