Case Study: This Is England

Screening Notes:

• Royalty, patriotic, terrorism, protests, violent video games, music, clubbing, partying, war, army, military.  
• Set in July 1983. 
• Fighting 
• Underprivileged  child/ disadvantaged background 
• Headmaster = posh accent
• Harvey is the bully - say he has a posh name
• New social group - accents contrasted. 
• Church of Christ next to their house.
• Music slow when walking around after sling shot bought.
• Older kids hunting - playing in war gear.
• Wrecking a derelict house. 
• Skin head, Doc Martins, Ben Sherman shirt, Jeans, Braces
• Football and smoking are social practises.
• Party fuelled by music, alcohol, cigarettes, drugs (weed). 
• "Not one of you stood up for that man and that was wrong" - Combo.
• Made Milky choose between nationalities - "That's what this nation is built on; proud men".
• "200 years we've been pillaged so we can stick our flag in the ground and say this is England". 
• Combo talks about immigrants taking houses and jobs away
• Racism + talk about Thatcher
• Shaun's Dad died in the Falkland War.
• Convinced Shaun that fighting will "make his Dad proud". 
• All the men going out to fight.
• 'England' - once flaunted in the face of the world. It stood for power, freedom and respect. But today we're barely allowed to speak that word.
• "We are nationalists ... they fear us because we're the voice of the people in our country ... these are the people in our country ... these are the people that need to go back ... gentlemen it's time to stand up and be counted". 
• "Gentlemen join our band of brothers sign up today"
• National anthem playing - flags in background to reinforce.
• British flag overlay - patriotic.
• Negative stereotypes of immigrants - intimidation.
• Religious cross tattoos - claims they're doing it for country/church - "we need to fly them [flags] with pride". 
• "Are you finally legal? Not that it made a difference".
• Don't abide by the law.
• Close up shots - when talking about something personal/emotional.
• Music is important through their youth culture.
• Shaun's shirt = red, white and blue. 
• Contrast between music and silence.
• Throwing the flag in the water - end to patriotism and life as part of the sub-culture. 

• Social realist film.
• The group - all males and fulfils Dad role for Shaun.
• Similar to Jip in Human Traffic
• Similar to Jim in Quadrophenia
• Opinion leader changes from Woody to Combo - Combo is less influential.