This is England should be considered within the Social Realism genre. What is Social Realism? Watch on http://youtu.be/Wj9yvVDwhX0
Lets dig a little further.
The genre of any film can be analysed in a variety of ways. The most obvious way in which we might explain the genre of a movie is to describe the look or feel of the text. We might describe certain character types, or settings or more than likely the iconography of the genre.
Whilst these aesthetics may be an easy shortcut to understanding the genre of different movies it is not the only way. It has been argued that genre movies are not there to only entertain us but can tell us something about our own lives, in a way they hold a mirror up to our society through the themes and ideologies that they portray. In this way we can take a functional approach to analysing genre.
e.g. a science fiction movie may be instantly recognisable by it's visual iconographgy - settings of far off distant lands, props which include spaceships and advanced technology, there would be characters including aliens, robots and people from far away planets - these are all obvious aesthetic conventions - but it would be a mistake to write-off Sci-Fi as a purely visual spectacle. Many filmmakers will use the genre to explore themes and ideologies - some of them these are really quite philosophical such as the nature of the self and identity. Others will investigate our place in the universe and some use binary oppositions to explore themes such as Technology Vs Nature, Man Vs Machine or even Science Vs Religion.
In this way Genre movies can also be used to reflect the concerns and preoccupations of the society of the time. Of course, in this way genres will evolve over time - to use the example of Science Fiction again; the classic Sci-Fi movies of the 1950s were often metaphors for America's fear of Communism during the cold war. However since 9/11 we can see many Sci-Fi movies as representing the fight against global terrorism. The British Film Institute's website Screen Online is an excellent resource. You have been given a copy of the page about Social Realist films from the website.
Read it and make notes on the following elements of genre:
Aesthetic conventions Ideologies and functions Changes in the genre over time One of the key Social Realist directors discussed and without a doubt an influence on any British film maker is Ken Loach. Coincidentally, the director of our next film!
Look at the following slides about Loach and think about what you've decided about the conventions and functions of a Social Realist film. http://youtu.be/F_FYIzlRPZ4
Arguably Loach's best known film is Kes, about a young boy from a tough working class background. Analyse the following sequence and look for the conventions of a Social Realist film. Social Realism: Conventions Aesthetic conventions
Handheld camera - an almost documentary style Gritty settings Filmed on location Naturalistic lighting Improvised elements to script Long take - leaving actors to act through longer sequences Non-actors in roles Working class characters Narrative closure is not necessary Social Realism: Conventions Functional conventions
Real life issues tackled Serious in tone Harsh sense of reality - happy endings are far from guaranteed Raise difficult questions Characters with depth Usually have a political message - raising the concerns of the time Concerned with the theme of masculinity - men are often seen as flawed or violent
Social Realism: Conventions Significant development of the Genre
Not just considered for middle class audiences
Deal with character's emotions - not just the British stoicism
Since the 90s they have tended to incorporate more feel-good elements
Soundtrack significant
So, is This is England a social realist text?
Theres one more thing to consider "From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven (1997) through to the BAFTA-winning This Is England (2007) and hit television spin-off, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. This collection explores the full range of Meadows' work, from its origins in local D.I.Y. media through to international festival acclaim. It presents a comprehensive analysis of Meadows' oeuvre to date, situating it in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the nineties to now." Is Shane Meadows an auteur? Heres a summary of his films Here's a trailer for one of his early films - A Room for Romeo Brass http://youtu.be/QhuD5cF9bBs
So, is Shane Meadows an auteur? Well, one way to decide would be to watch all his movies and decide for yourself.
If you don't have time to do that then read the article youve been given (Shane Meadows: A Very British Auteur). Highlight anything you think might be useful for the exam.