British Article

Danny Boyle

When analyzing a British film we look at British traits, themes, and mise en scene that  help us recognize a British film at heart

What Matters? Director? Funding? British Accents?

I believe in some cases it’s hard to define what makes a film British. Is it the raw nature of old English/slang used in the 80s? Or something more that we don’t recognize or don’t see clearly because of big Hollywood blockbuster movies with a British director or producer. That keeps the British audience at ease with the thought in mind that this film is British because of the occasional traditional British auteur such as Shane meadows that brings British themes to the big stage. Or does it matter where the location of the movie is shot, the actors used, Certain traits used in the sense of following a specific guideline to make a film?Or is it the funding, the pillar that allows the film to progress into something that American directors jump at the chance to create, pilling on the youthful talents that edges the story into a blockbuster movie?But there is more to it then that. Is it an anglophile that wants to celebrate British culture at its best, show the word the magnificence and unbreakable traditional culture that’s been lost over the years?

Shane Meadows

The Football? The Gang Life? The rift between the Skinheads & the rest of society? The Immigrants that they tried to keep away?

“This is England” is the perfect example of the traditional Skinheads trying to save their country of immigrants but in hindsight, they were as lost as each other. Fathers were lost, sons were buried and it was the heart of England that tried to fight for what was left? He later went on to turn his heartbreak drama “this is England” into a mini series, which prolonged the life of the old school drama subsequently giving lovers of the old England life, belief and hope of it once returning again its as if the his work of old England has been put on a life support machine but Shane Meadows himself is bringing home the bacon in style.

But it’s the sweet essence of the dying language that brings a British film to life; the mother tongue that we don’t naturally embrace anymore gives us the audience the feel of old England that we used to know, but could never understand.It is a mystery why people outside of Britain relate to our culture on custom drama on a deeper level as Americans might see it as a contemporary docudrama that feeds their minds.One British film director that we all seen to keep close to our hearts is the one who brought us the film “ Trainspotting & Slumdog Millionaire “ is no other than Danny Boyle The reason for that is he doesn’t show his shyness to exploit his constructed idea about life in Britain as a drug addict and as we see in Trainspotting the full lengths the main character goes through to get his life back on track subjecting that the typical lost causes around him kept him influenced in power of the drug after on more than one occasion they bring him face to face with temptation forcing his inner demon to live once more.

Boyle lives through his artistic revelation and since completing the hard-hitting drama “Trainspotting” he’s gone on to construct blockbuster pictures that went thriving around the world. “28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours” films that audiences wouldn’t expect from a traditional British director that celebrates the inventive view of British culture. In spite of the fact that he’s showed the world his multicultural talented outlook on the world, having the supernatural ability to compose and merge his work into outstanding world renowned films he also Has found a way to keep his distinctiveness close to heart finding a way to keep the life of British genred films breathing with him not forgetting the pure revelation that jump started his career the announcement of the sequel to the spine-breaking British thriller “Trainspotting” “Porno”

So in conclusion what a British film consists of is a countless magnitude of different traits and characteristics that allows the British film director to incorporate his own peculiarity into the larger depiction of his idea many don’t fully understand the concept and meaning behind a British film but it has been foreseen that many have been successful at doing so. Or has the life of British cinema died? Many have seen and witnessed the birth of British cinema but did they foresee the end? Its no surprise at the response level blockbusters films have received and of the destruction of British cinema it has caused but is there any room left for British films to flourish and rise? Immense Improvements will have to be made if it has any chance of keeping up the big dogs. but in any life anything is achievable, maybe through the youths of our generations we’ll witness the rebirth of British cinema.