Opening EG1: This Is England

DVD cover

This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2006)
PRODUCED BY: Warp Films, Film4, UK Film Council, EM Media, Screen Yorkshire, Big Arty Productions, Optimum Releasing.

DISTRIBUTED BY: Optimum Releasing, NetFlix, Canal Film (click here to see the full list).
BUDGET: £1.5m.
BOX OFFICE: $328k (USA), £1.3m (UK).
RATINGS: 7.7 (IMDb)

Roland Rat

Shots:

1 - The very first scene we see is of Roland Rat, who appeared on the television network TV-am in 1983. Music begins to play. Credits appear in relatively small font, which appears rough and 'dirty'.

2 - We then get medium close up footage of Margaret Thatcher in a digger of some sort, wearing a hat and shouting. This suggests Shane Meadows dislikes her, as it is not a very nice or glamorous representation of her.

3 - We then get more footage of an old fashioned version of space invaders.

(The way in which the shots are set out, there is footage then a credit, then more footage and another credit etc.)

Credits

4 - There is a car from a film.

5 - At this point, the scene changes. There is an unsteady tracking shot, suggesting the camera is hand held and possibly driving past in a car. The mise-en-scene selected shows council housing, graffiti, a vintage car and a run down neighborhood.

6 - When the title 'This Is England' appears, the camera shows a tower block, which is very different to what you would expect to see in a Hollywood film. The mise-en-scene is a stereo typical old fashioned Britain, and from this we can tell the film is going to be a social-realist.



Title appearance

7 - The next scene is of a group of skin heads walking up a flight of stairs. These skin heads are a major part of the film, and have a special significance.

8 - From this point, the footage continuously changes. It is all footage that is significant to Britain, such as Princess Diana's and Prince Charles' wedding, which was global news. There is a lot of footage on this event, as it was a special moment for the British nation. There is also a lot of footage on women campaigning for women's rights. The footage is very mixed, with concerts, rememberence days, advancing technologies, racist attacks and riots. After all this, there is a lot of footage on the Faulklands war, as this was a major part of British history, and Britain is well known for it. After this comes more footage of Margaret Thatcher.



Princess Diana and Prince Charles

9 - There is then a fade out into the film.

Soldiers