The term 'Z movies' arose in the mid 1960's and involves issues which are very serious yet producers have 'glossed' over reality and use politics too give the illusion that they are dealing with the problem seriously. I feel that Hidden Agenda does deserve too be labelled this way through quoes that are said throughout the film such as 'sure,nobody gives a shit what happens to Northern Ireland' and 'Ireland would be a nice place if it wasnt for the Irish'.
Hidden Agenda's structure has been criticized for portraying certain groups within the film wrongly; it shows the british government too be heroic and the convervative party too be power hungry and ruthless.Hidden Agenda suggests that the wrong people are in power.Loach never wonders what might of happend in Northern Ireland if the Labour party had remained in power.Loach seems too have a problem with the conservative party as who seem too act well as the 'bad guys' in this film.Hidden Agenda doesnt ask the audience too replace the system it criticises but too be patient and hope that democracy corrects itself.
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Monday, 8 March 2010
Task 4
Im going too compare two British films, This is England (Shane Medows) and Bridget Jones diary ( Richard Curtis). Although both these films are British, their contrast in representing Britian is huge. This is England features a much more un-known cast than Bridget, Renee zellwager,Hugh Grant and Collin Firth have all got big names for themself in Hollywood compared too the cast of This is England.However controversy was caused as Rennee Zellwagger is an American Actress playing a British woman in a British production and there was worries she wouldn't be able too pull it off, yet she succeeded in this as she was nominated for several awards.The funding of these two films will have also been a difference due to the three big stars that are involved in Bridget Jones, at the same time this film will have had more international appeal and therefore may have made a bigger profit. This is England like many other British productions (Full Monty) was funded by Film four, UK film council and the national lottery; it was produced by Warp X which is an independent film company and wouldn't be able too get links in with the Big conglamerates (there are 6 of these) therefore the reason it doesnt have any big stars. Yet in addition too this Bridget jones was produced by working title which is under the conglomerate of Universal.Universal studios was founded in 1912 and is one of the oldest American movie studios still in business. Universal pictures has many outlets of media and a large amount of money behind it therefore more money will have gone into the advertising and marketing of Bridget Jones than This Is England.Bridget Jones produced two trailers; An American voice over and a English one, this was too appeal to a wider audience yet This Is England wouldn't have the budget too re-edit the trailler.
Being under the conglomerate of Universal ment that Bridget Jones was able too promotional partner up with The Body Shop, MSN, Virgin Megastores and Virgin Atlantic. Bridget Jone's commonly known weight worries were at the centre of this with this line 'Does this ' 2 for 1' offer to London make my bum look big?'. London was used as in the film its the home of Renee's character (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_15_42/ai_73409406/). Bridget Jones also has well known soundtracks in the film from famous artists; this contrasts This Is England and is caused by the budget and funding. Bridget Jones features songs From Amy Winehouse, Barry White,Marvin Gaye and Mary J Blige all these artists come under productions that are part of the Universal music group which being part of Working Title which is Part of Universal will make it easier and cheaper too include these songs. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317198/soundtrack)
Bridget Jones fits into the star system well as its a higher budget film than This Is England it can afford bigger stars, Hugh Grant is associated with Rom-coms such as Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral,Love Actually and About A Boy.Coincidentally Hugh Grant has worked with Colin Firth before in Love Actually and has also done many Rom-coms previous too this such as My accidental husband.
Both films represent Britian in a different way.This is England is a social realist film and focus's on Britain from a working class point of view.They follow the stereotypes of Yorkshire/Lancashire; all of the cast have skinheads and broad accents. Many of the locations are in council houses which represent the working class background and the area that the cast live in. This Is England is representing a time of trouble in Britian, centred around Margaret Thatcher and the closing of mines it means that the people who will be affected the most are similar too the characters. It also covers the effect of the Falklands war as the main characters dad died during it. As this film is representing troubling times it has a much duller representation of Britian than Bridget Jones does. In contrast too this Bridget Jones represents a totally different side of Britain.Its set in London and too international audiences, southerns are the stereotypical Britain.All the characters have middles class accents, the locations are in a much richer area than This Is England along with the costumes aswell. All the cast in Bridget have jobs, the male ones a highly paid where as in This Is England it is represented that everyone is on benefits. The two male characters are Hugh Grant and Colin Firth; neither of these characters represent someone from the North of England and Hugh Grant too a US audience a well known highly paid actor.As Bridget is a rom-com and covers lighter issues than This is England, there is less 'gritty' language used. Bridget goes out too a posh London bar with friends, a contrasting scene too this is when the This is England characters are sat in a scruffy, smokey cafe.Overall Bridget represents the average Britain too be 'wealthy and in empoyment' and This is England represent Britain too be 'poor an stingy'. However these representations are down too the difference in budgets of the films.
Being under the conglomerate of Universal ment that Bridget Jones was able too promotional partner up with The Body Shop, MSN, Virgin Megastores and Virgin Atlantic. Bridget Jone's commonly known weight worries were at the centre of this with this line 'Does this ' 2 for 1' offer to London make my bum look big?'. London was used as in the film its the home of Renee's character (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BDW/is_15_42/ai_73409406/). Bridget Jones also has well known soundtracks in the film from famous artists; this contrasts This Is England and is caused by the budget and funding. Bridget Jones features songs From Amy Winehouse, Barry White,Marvin Gaye and Mary J Blige all these artists come under productions that are part of the Universal music group which being part of Working Title which is Part of Universal will make it easier and cheaper too include these songs. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317198/soundtrack)
Bridget Jones fits into the star system well as its a higher budget film than This Is England it can afford bigger stars, Hugh Grant is associated with Rom-coms such as Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral,Love Actually and About A Boy.Coincidentally Hugh Grant has worked with Colin Firth before in Love Actually and has also done many Rom-coms previous too this such as My accidental husband.
Both films represent Britian in a different way.This is England is a social realist film and focus's on Britain from a working class point of view.They follow the stereotypes of Yorkshire/Lancashire; all of the cast have skinheads and broad accents. Many of the locations are in council houses which represent the working class background and the area that the cast live in. This Is England is representing a time of trouble in Britian, centred around Margaret Thatcher and the closing of mines it means that the people who will be affected the most are similar too the characters. It also covers the effect of the Falklands war as the main characters dad died during it. As this film is representing troubling times it has a much duller representation of Britian than Bridget Jones does. In contrast too this Bridget Jones represents a totally different side of Britain.Its set in London and too international audiences, southerns are the stereotypical Britain.All the characters have middles class accents, the locations are in a much richer area than This Is England along with the costumes aswell. All the cast in Bridget have jobs, the male ones a highly paid where as in This Is England it is represented that everyone is on benefits. The two male characters are Hugh Grant and Colin Firth; neither of these characters represent someone from the North of England and Hugh Grant too a US audience a well known highly paid actor.As Bridget is a rom-com and covers lighter issues than This is England, there is less 'gritty' language used. Bridget goes out too a posh London bar with friends, a contrasting scene too this is when the This is England characters are sat in a scruffy, smokey cafe.Overall Bridget represents the average Britain too be 'wealthy and in empoyment' and This is England represent Britain too be 'poor an stingy'. However these representations are down too the difference in budgets of the films.
I dont think that it can be called British cinema. As my two examples show two different British films that have represented Britian in a completely different ways and show the different stereotypes between the North and South. Neither films really represent anyone from the celtic nations, or cover
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