British Film Industry

[Spoon boy]

Mr. Ritchie? Good scripts?

[Kev Owens]

I partly agree with Souljacker. In the 30's and 40's this country had a law that meant a certain percentage of films made and distributed in this country had to be British. This led to American studios funding what they thought would always be flops for the sake of meeting the legal requirements to get their main features in. These 'quota quickies' however allowed British talents to cut their teeth on and lots of the films done really well. From the many that were made lots of them were great and gave once unknown British talent notification and the British Film industry seems credible and people will invest. A steady flow of decent British films NOW is needed for the industry to atain any type of credibility.

Where I disagree is that for the genre films churnned out there MUST be some that stand out from the rest- really great films. That's the problem, this country is slowly churnning out films- but as mentioned previously most are sub-standard genre cr4p. There simply aren't enough great pure British films coming out of here.

[redlum]

Word, Souljacker.

Gangster **** : Lock Stock > Essex Boys
Death of a Steel/Mining Industry: Brassed Off > Full Monty > Billy Elliot

Sweet Sixteen was last really good UK film I saw, and Shane Meadows does some good stuff (Room for Romeo Brass). We need people like Chris Morris to do some foreground stuff. None of this tiresome horror/zombie stuff so we can hark but to the 'good old days' when this country was notorious for trashy B movies. (Even Christopher Lee will admit that most of those movies he's been in aren't exactly cream of the crop).

It seems to me that our recent movies that seem to be apparently aimed at a niche market (thats fashionable at the time) always seem to be much better recieved in America. Bend it like Beckham and 28 Days Later for example.

At the end of the day though, the whole **** country is pretty bland. A mish-mash of the latest fad, fashion, trend or brand thats going around. How can we expect to have our own voice in this situation. Reflected in constantly making mild variations on a typical set up because we've found an idea that will sell. Where's our 'Y Tu Mama Tambien' or 'Amores perros'. As I said, something like Sweet Sixteen is all I can think of and 'Dirty Pretty Things' which I'm yet to see sounds like a candidate.

I think a part of the problem is that the films that get made are are always trying to hard to please a large enough audience. Yes, okay its a business but as you say Soul Jacker make some more Genre **** and think about what you can do with the money. Re-strategise. I know its America but look at A Band Apart production company - from Resevoir Dogs to Kill Bill. Thats acomplishment. Danny Boyle...

[redlum]

Originally posted by Kev Owens:
I partly agree with Souljacker. In the 30's and 40's this country had a law that meant a certain percentage of films made and distributed in this country had to be British.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thats like the french limiting the amount of america/english songs played on the radio to maintain some cultural identity.

We dont have an identity anymore. Interesting watching the 'Live Forever' documentary. Cool Britania. Gone.

Where I disagree is that for the genre films churnned out there MUST be some that stand out from the rest- really great films. That's the problem, this country is slowly churnning out films- but as mentioned previously most are sub-standard genre cr4p. There simply aren't enough great pure British films coming out of here.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">High expectations dont you think? Look at how many films America make every year. How many of them are great? Do our recent hit movies really stand out that much?

[Generic Skinhead]

Originally posted by belovedmonster:

theres alot of British directors doing mutimillion pound budget movies in Hollywood, theres a British actors such as that Colin Farrel going into the A list.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Now...I'm gonna take exception to this. (Deep Breath)

Please note: The Republic of Ireland is not part of the British Empire. Therefore Colin Farrel is not "British." Sorry if I seem touchy, but I am so sick of english people claiming Irish talent as they're own.

Right on to the actual thread topic. The Irish film industry is very similar to the british one in that we make a lot of of comedies...and little else.

Thats always made me feel kinda good, because I believe that if my first feature is even COMPETENT, it'll do very well over here, because I wont be competeing with much.

Some of my favourite films are non american, Crouching tiger, Amelie, Breathless...but it'll always be about money men taking a gamble.

[Kev Owens]

Originally posted by redlum:
Thats like the french limiting the amount of america/english songs played on the radio to maintain some cultural identity.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, of course it was like that- WWII was the main reason behind the law so that's exactly why it was happening- propaganda. My point was that it was a time that Britain was actually trying to compete with Hollywood and making a lot of films at the time, therefore allowing new talent to emerge.

You say we have no 'cultural identity' anymore so we shouldn't make films? Absolute rubbish!

At the end of the day though, the whole **** country is pretty bland. A mish-mash of the latest fad, fashion, trend or brand thats going around. How can we expect to have our own voice in this situation.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So America's different?!?! Cultural identity is a fad in itself anyway- it's an illusion- in it's lowest form it's stereotyping entire countries! Why place so much emphasis on it? It is possible to make a film that doesn't completely focus in the settings and culture of the place it's set!

There's a big problem- when you say British film lots of people immediately think it has to be full of funny c0ck-er-ny gangsters walking around in long coats driving minis with Union Jacks painted on the roof! It doesn't have to be that way! A British film could be about anything.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 04, 2003 10:38 AM: Message edited by: Kev Owens ]</font>

[redlum]

I was just making a connection between the types of films we have that get made and the UK's personality of the past (stereotype or not). Gangster films, comedies (Ealing, Carry On), Horror (Hammer horror).

I'm saying, because of lack of an industry presence its hard to break the mould. In fact there is no mould, it just tends to be the shadow of previous successes. This is why a brittish film can be ostensibly about anything but you cant deny the links between Brassed Off, Full Monty, and Billy Elliot. On the surface you have a brass band, some strippers and a ballet dancer, but they are all the SAME. Good films, but the same things, just repackaged.

I dont think many places have a cultural identity anymore, and yes - America included. You cant deny the identity of the works of Woody Allen and Spike Lee, though. I mean racial conflicts in the hands of our production companies results in East is East, while Spike does Do the Right Thing. Make it light hearted. Drugs and Violence, a few cockney geezers in a gangster movie, while Aronofsky does Requiem and Soderburgh does Traffic (developed from an english tv show for chrisake!). There are exceptions of course but I dont think people want to watch them (there after all has to be a genuine marketting reason why a handful of cinemas will show something like Sweet Sixteen, where as every cinema in the country will show Daredevil).

[Kev Owens]

Hey, I agree; and I'm no fan of Billy Eliiot and all the rest. That's what I was saying; the films you listed is the sub-standard films I was on about that are being churned out with nothing really unique, original or innovative. Simply the same old safe 'hilarious' British comedies that will do well in America.

[miker]

ah yes, the much promised rebirth of the british film industry which never seems to actually happen.

the british film industry, for the most part, revolves around making films for the americans.

the last excellent british film?

Withnail and I

i think we make comedies because they are cheap and it allows our eccentricity to come through.

[Xendar]

I'm surprised 28 days later was only mentioned once already in this thread. Although I'm not sure where the investment came from. But it was an excellent film.

I never knew Dog Soldiers was shot in Germany. Why?