Method 4- This is England Research

Case Study: This is England (2006) Shane Meadows

Certification: UK:18, Australia: 15, Ireland:18, USA: Unrated, Sweden:11, Finland:K-15, France: U, Germany:12, Netherlands:16.
Reasons for certification: Racism, Strong Language, Strong violence, extreme political views, mild sexual scenes and drugs/ alcohol content.
Locations: Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England, UK (ending credits) - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK- RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire, England, UK (abandoned Houses).


Company Credits:
Ÿ Big Arty Productions
Ÿ EM Media
Ÿ Film4
Ÿ Optimum Releasing
Ÿ Screen Yorkshire
Ÿ UK Film Council
Ÿ Warp Films.

Warp films is another project of Warp Records. It was set up in 1999, is based in Sheffield and has 3 full-time staff; including Shane Meadows.“Warp Films is an independent film production company which aims to mirror the ethos of its partner music label Warp Records. By keeping the creative process at the core of our approach to filmmaking, Warp Films aims to create fresh and innovative feature length and short films to be viewed by a wide audience. Our current priorities are nurturing and developing existing talent, as well as discovering new exciting filmmakers.”

The UK Film Council (UKFC) was set up in 2000 by the Labour Government as a Non-Departmental Public Body to develop and promote the film industry in the UK. It is constituted as a private company limited by guarantee governed by a board of 15 directors and is funded through sources including The National Lottery. John Woodward is the Chief Executive of the UK Film Council.
In its own words, the aim of UKFC is: To stimulate a competitive, successful and vibrant UK film industry and culture, and to promote the widest possible enjoyment and understanding of cinema throughout the nations and regions of the UK.
Film 4 productions are owned by channel 4 and create and show films which are displayed for audiences worldwide predominately in the UK. A large majority of the films they create are British.



Distribution:
This is England was distributed in the UK, by the British company Optimum Releasing (in 2006).
In the US, the film was distributed by IFC Films. An American film distribution company based in New York and owned by Rainbow Media. It distributes independent films and documentaries.The other Distributors were:
Madman Entertainment - Australia,
NonStop Entertainment - Sweden,
Sandrew Metronome Distribution - Finland.



Reviews:
Humor and an easy intimacy with actors have always been British director Shane Meadows’s hallmarks. Even as his defiantly regional material has threatened to clam up with sentiment (sometimes as thick as the Midlands accents), he sees it through to an appealing vulnerability, especially in his tough guys; his last feature, 2004’s revenger Dead Man’s Shoes, sharpened the storytelling to a stoic minimum. He will one day make an essential film, perhaps about a boxer.
If his latest, This Is England, doesn’t quite elevate Meadows to the next level, it still delivers everything we’ve grown accustomed to. Most notable are the excellent, unshowy performances, especially from young Thomas Turgoose as Shaun, an early-’80s teen looking for surrogate love—Daddy’s fallen in the Falklands—and finding it in two competing skinheads, one of them a foot soldier in the ugly National Front. (Meadows cops to an autobiographical impulse.) Against Nottingham’s gray, silty skies, we see Shaun grow into a pugnacious youngster, becoming vicious against his own better judgment.
Anyone who’s gone to the Walter Reade lately and tasted its Woodfall series—filled to bursting with angry young Brits swaddled in 1960s angst—will recognize such struggles as a hallowed tradition of U.K. cinema. Meadows is the real deal, and even though he lays on his period nostalgia a little too thick (clips of Duran Duran, Princess Diana and KITT, the talking car?), he knows to ground the proceedings in primo ska music: lilting, propulsive, a hair’s breadth from a sucker punch.
Author: Joshua Rothkopf (External USA Reviewer)
Time Out New York Issue 617: July 26–August 1, 2007




It's hard to describe Shane Meadows' latest film without making it appear a great deal less interesting than it actually is. It's a semi-autobiographical tale of a young boy adopted by a gang of skinheads in a grey seaside town. And on that basis, This Is England sounds, in short, like typical grimesville British filmmaking - concrete, rain and misery. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the film is fizzing with energy and humour, powered by brilliantly engaging performances.
Chief among these is newcomer Thomas Turgoose as Sean, a put-upon 12-year old who finds unexpected friendship with a group of local skinheads led by the sweet natured Woody (Joseph Gilgun, another stand-out performance). These skins are a far cry from the image of racist thuggery that the movement became known for in the 80s. It's all about the music, and of course the clothes - although Sean is too small for Doc Marten boots, he still gets the haircut, the plaid shirt and the braces. For a while, everything is sweet in Sean's world. He even shares his first kiss with a Boy George lookalike with the charming name of Smell.
"A FUNNY AND DEEPLY MOVING PORTRAIT"
But soon, conflict arrives in the form of Combo (Stephen Graham, also superb), an old mate of the gang whose time in prison has left him with a strong sympathy for the National Front. Combo's racist agenda splits the gang and Sean, tragically, finds himself turning to Combo as a substitute for the father he lost in the Falklands. Meadows is an exhilarating filmmaker and This Is England is his best film to date - an honest, emotional, funny and deeply moving portrait of growing up. Don't miss it.
Reviewed by Paul Adrent (British Reviewer) BBC - 27 April 2007



User comments:
Best film of the Berlin Film Festival 2007, 14 February 2007Author: dePaoli from Berlin, Germany
I just saw "This Is England" at the Berlin Film Festival where it was screened in the section "Generation 14P". This section is an extension of the former "Kinderfilmfest" for teenagers between 14 and 18 - dealing with more mature issues.
I had no clue about it, just that it would be about skinheads in England and that it takes place in the 80s. I wasn't expecting much, hoping for something like a British version of "American History X" - I got a lot more.When I left the theater I was absolutely stunned! Cast and script were outstanding. I loved the rough editing and grainy camera style that made the movie look a real 80s flick! And last but not least: the soundtrack is a blast! And coming from a director who used to be part of the real scene, it might be the most authentic picture about skinheads ever made.Although it didn't get as much attention as the Hollywood films that had their premiere at the Berlinale Palast, it's a lot stronger than almost all the films in competition.I hope it will make its way the movies and not end up as a direct-to-video-flick... 10/10

This is England - The very best British cinema has to offer., 5 November 2006 Author: just_hamish from United Kingdom
Fellow Midlander Shane Meadows has produced not only his finest work to date but one of the very best films to come out of Britain that I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. Just as the effectively chilling, bloody (yet arguably flawed) "Dead Man's Shoes" showcased a passionate return to low budget, focused film making, "This Is England" sees him perfect his technique. It is a seemingly effortless achievement that matches a warm, humorous portrayal of a young lad growing up with his experience of the cold brutality that came with the 80s skinhead culture. The way in which Shane blends these two aspects together without compromising on either is most impressive.Delivering a surprising, enchanting performance in the lead role as Shaun, Thomas Turgoose portrays a youngster of incredible warmth and charisma. He is befriended by a relatively harmless gang skirting with the skinhead culture rife at the time. His strength of character in the face of the adversity life throws his way is truly unforgettable, a credit to both Shane as the writer and Thomas as the performer. As Shaun discovers the joy of "belonging" in the gang, the viewer takes a similar journey. Through sublime use of another excellent soundtrack (an ear for music in relation to visuals is one of Shane's most loved and respected trademarks) the joy of youth and life literally springs from the screen.What is particularly successful is Shane's restraint where it comes to grounding the film in reality. It would have been all too easy to escalate these events above and beyond the core group of characters, creating a power struggle on a much bigger, thrill friendly scale. Instead the film remains focused and convincing, not once do you doubt the likelihood of events. The canvas may be smaller but emotionally "This Is England" resonates more powerfully than ever before, taking the harsh, greys of a story like "Dead Man's Shoes" and enlightening it with a central character full of warmth and honesty. In the end this serves to engage the viewer on a much greater level.It is in comedy that "This Is England" truly surprises, not the usual splash of dark humour but humour of much broader appeal. Thomas' performance brings the sharp dialogue to life with a wonderful physical range, the first half the film is crammed with delightful comic moments that really draw you in to the character, making future events all the more affecting. Much is made of Shaun's romance with a much older girl, the scenes are tear-jerking in their tender, wonderfully observed realism. There is much in the film that will trigger moments of recognition in the viewer, especially (but not exclusively) those who were young in the 80s.As big time skinhead Combo (the other stand out performance of the piece from Scouser Stephen Graham) comes out of jail the film takes a U-Turn, presenting a troubling, unrestrained view on racism through extreme nationalism, getting deep under the skin to question the source and nature of such hatred. It is in this that we realise this is a study of human nature as Shaun is presented with more extreme acts that drive him to question the moral behind such irrational prejudices.Book ending the film is real news footage of the political climate surrounding the events depicted, prominent among which is Maggie Thatcher's invasion of the Falklands (a conflict that's consequences prove key to the central narrative) When asked "Will we ever talk to the Argentines again?" on a radio interview Thatcher purrs "No… I don't think so" The parallels are fitting and thoroughly engaging. Inspired, shaped and formed by Shane's own childhood, "This Is England" is ultimately an honest, confident piece of film making right from the heart. The film is a wonderful example of what British cinema has to offer the world. The film may be grounded in period authenticity, but the narrative is ultimately applicable to all of us, having experienced the inescapable process of growing up. Shaun's quality shines through, his experienced may be unique but the messages conveyed are most certainly universal.

Just seen it at the 50th BFI festival, 2 November 2006Author: stevegogger from Hampshire,United Kingdom
Congratulations to Shane Meadows for capturing the sights, sounds and smells of the 1980's. It was spellbinding to watch the audience reaction as the set up of the film had its share of laughs for the youthful abandonment and micky taking that made up being a teenager during these times. Switching gear, trouble arrives like a boot to the face, in the shape of Combo. Releasd from prison and seeped in nationalist rhetoric. I found the film made an important distinction between the clans of traditional and neo-nazi skinheads. A point that has been long overdue in film. Focusing on a northern seaside town the setting could be anywhere in the UK, such is the power of the mirror of gang life. a great soundtrack and poignant dialogue when reflecting on the various characters lot...good luck at the awards!


Awards:
Won:
BAFTA Awards 2008- Best British Film, British Independent Film Awards 2006- Best British Independent film and most promising newcomer (Thomas Turgoose), Mons International Festival of love films 2008- Best European Film, Young European Jury award, Newport International Film Festival 2007- Best director Award.
Nominated:
BAFTA Awards 2008, Bangkok International Film Festival 2007, British Independent film awards 2006, Empire Awards 2008, Flanders International Film Festival 2007, London Critics Circle Film awards.


Other Films directed by Shane meadows:
Somers Town (2008) This Is England (2006) The Stairwell (2005) Northern Soul (2004) Dead Man's Shoes (2004) Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002) A Room for Romeo Brass (1999) 24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997) Small Time (1996) Where's the Money, Ronnie? (1996)