This is England Flashcards
(34 cards)
what year is the film set?
1983
in what war did Shaun’s father die fighting in?
the falklands war
what do we see in the opening scene?
A montage of clips from the 80s (useful to understand the films context)
what ideology do we see in the opening scene?
social, political and cultural contexts of the film including an introduction to thatcher government
what do we see in the first scene of Shaun that introduce the working class of Britain?
- peeling walls
- sleeping in pants (no PJ’s)
- don’t see a parent suggests the child has to look after himself
what representations do we see of woody the first time wee meet him?
going against what is expected of him - stereo-typically (skinheads) arrogant, aggressive and violent, but Woody is approachable
(“I feel bad now”)
explain how the editing adds an affect in the scene where Combo attacks Milky.
frantic editing - causes a rise in concern for Milky
music is also layered on top of the clip which adds to the emotion of the event
what makes a film british?
cultural elements, predominantly British cast, set in the UK/focus on British people
what is the BFI cultural test?
it is a points based test which determines whether a film is British and qualifies for tax reliefs
what is social realism in film?
draws attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class to critique the power structures behind these conditions
which character do we see racial divide?
Combo - strong feelings about ethnic minorities taking jobs and homes ‘away from him’
how is England representing?
an undesirable place to live (violence, poverty and politics making it unappealing)
how is poverty represented?
high at the time - Thatcher introduced the “right to buy” policy for council tenants, allowing people to buy houses at a discounted price to reduce the available housing stock for those on low pay
how is Shaun’s character represented?
innocent, naive, angry (at his dad’s death), easily manipulated
how is Woody’s character represented?
caring, sees the good in people
how is Milky represented?
loving, influenced by Combo (puts him before the girl he’s seeing), privileged
how is combo represented?
unhinged, troubled (childhood & lack of relationships - Lol), influenced easily by others & easily influences others (fuels Shauns anger in the direction of racism), jealous (of milky/family unit), unloved
what is Shaun’s relationship like with Woody?
Father-son like relationship - he has rebuilt something he lost (father died in the Falklands War)
how is youth represented in the bullying scene? (Shaun’s trousers are made fun of)
– Highlights the importance of fashion to youth subcultures
– The idea of working class Britain is clear here as Shaun uses violence to sort his problems out (which could be due to the fact he is grieving the loss of his father and simply loses his temper), violence and aggression as a way of solving problems is a stereotypical feature of the working classes.
how is youth represented when Shaun meets Woody’s gang for the first time?
– Representations of this group are immediately favourable, despite our stereotype of the youth hanging around, possibly waiting to ‘start’ on passers by e.g Shaun
– The youth are just ‘hanging around’, therefore going against the British stereotype of the working class being ‘grafters’ - could be because of high levels of unemployment at the time, or that they’re avoiding the responsibility that comes with employment
how is youth represented when Gadget gets Shaun to smash up houses?
– Representations are that skinhead youths were all hooligans, running around and smashing things up - showing that they are aggressive
– This shows how the working class were the worst affected within this period as many places were being closed down and left for nothing - abandoned buildings that would have been family homes
– They were unemployed and in their spare time they would cause destruction (may be because of boredom), most likely acting out the Falklands war - fake guns and weapons
how is youth represented when Cynthia goes to the cafe to confront Woody and his gang?
– They believe that adults are above them and that what they say is in fact right (different to today’s youths who would have answered back)
– Represents the disposable income that the teens within this decade had (cafes/shops)
– When confronted with an adult figure the teens are tamed (signifiers - Lol stuttering when answering, the whole group going quiet)
– Woody is shown as a respectful and caring characters - saying ‘Love’ and being very apologetic.
how is youth represented in the scene where Shaun gets his head shaved and gets dressed up?
– Woody within this scene is signified again as the new father figure for Shaun - Woody is acting like a proud father when Shaun is all dressed up and looking like a skinhead
– Lol in this scene is showed to try and act responsible - she keeps asking Shaun whether he is sure and if his mum would be okay with this
– Warming to gadget - shown us his vulnerability and now he is accepting of Shaun
– To be able to fit in within society you have to dress in the right and look the part (skinhead subculture - need doc martens, shaved head and ben sherman shirt)
what are the factors that form a part of Shaun’s identity in the film in terms of masculinity?
– His relationship to his father – lost his father at a young age to a brutal war
– His relationship to the various members of the gang – heavily influenced by these
– This takes control over his life and determines his confidence
