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Posted

Kes is a good film, it's not my cup of tea - but writer Hines and helmer Loach made a brilliant film. It made me think of other Great British films, Brit Flicks that stood out for their snapshot of an era - and brilliant social analysis. Not unlike Kes...

 

Here's five truly incredible British Films that managed to tick the boxes...

 

1. Scum (1979)

Dir: Alan Clarke

Written By: Roy Minton

Ray Winstone, Phil Daniels, Mick Ford

 

>>>> YOUTUBE CLIP <<<<

 

2. The Firm (1988)

Dir: Alan Clarke

Written By: Al Ashton

Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Philip Davis

 

>>>> YOUTUBE CLIP <<<<

 

3. Made in Britain (1982)

Dir: Alan Clarke

Written By: David Leland

Tim Roth

 

>>>> YOUTUBE CLIP <<<<

 

4. Get Carter (1971)

Dir: Mike Hodges

Written By: Ted Lewis, Mike Hodges

Michael Caine, Brit Ekland

 

>>>> YOUTUBE CLIP <<<<

 

5. Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986)

Dir: Alan Clarke (! - Bit of a trend developing)

Written By: Andrea Dunbar

Michelle Holmes, Siobhan Finneran, George Costigan

 

Posted (edited)

how about in my lifetime

 

 

The life of brian(1979) monty python etc

The Long Good Friday(1980) - Starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren

gregorys girl(1980) j john gordon sinclair

Chariots of fire(1981) - , Ben Cross, Nigel Havers, Ian Charleson

withnail and I(1986/7) richard e grant

mona lisa(1986) bob hoskins

the commitments(1991) ANDREW STRONG

Four Weddings and a Funeral(1994) starring Hugh Grant, Simon Callow

Trainspotting(1996) - starring - ewan Mcgregor, robert carlysle,

The full Monty(1997) Robert carlysle and tom wilkinson

 

others tho

 

my sporting life , goodbye mr chips(love that one) , billy liar, clockwork orange,

 

tons more tho

Edited by neiladamsheadband
Posted

The Family Way

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

A Taste of Honey

Raining Stones

Dead Man's Shoes

Odd Man Out

Trainspotting

Alfie

Whistle Down the Wind

Spring and Port Wine

Posted

While all these films are in many ways very good, do you think they are a decent portrayal of an era in British life? I'll give you Trainspotting and Withnail and I, amongst some others.

 

However, I doubt Life of Brian qualifies.

 

This is England isn't as good as Made in Britain, and due to MiB's closeness to the era it portrays - Made in Britain beats This is England hands down for accuracy.

Posted
5. Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986)

Dir: Alan Clarke (! - Bit of a trend developing)

Written By: Andrea Dunbar

Michelle Holmes, Siobhan Finneran, George Costigan

 

 

Siobhan Finneran was in my Year at School. Her parents owned the Newsagents in Grotton.

 

Do I win a prize? :unsure:

 

Back on subject, Get Carter would win my vote. One of the greatest films of all time IMO.

Posted
2. The Firm (1988)

Dir: Alan Clarke

Written By: Al Ashton

Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Philip Davis

 

>>>> YOUTUBE CLIP <<<<

I'm not a fan of the ending personally. Spoilt it a bit for me.

 

Made in Britain is a good film.

 

Others of note.

 

Goodbye Charlie Bright. There is also a film called "Too End All Wars" about a Japanese POW Camp, about a group of captured Scottish Soldiers who are forced to build a rail road which stars Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle. It also has the token yank in Keifar Sutherland. Not sure if it's Scottish directed or American though

 

I cant believe no one has mentioned arguably the greatest british film of all time. ZULU

Quadrophenia as well.

 

Surely Angela's Ashes would be up there if you added Ireland.

Posted

I'm really into the kitchen sink dramas from the 60's of late.

 

Poor Cow (1967)

 

One of Ken Loach's early efforts showing the dark, seedy side to swinging London in the 60's. Absolutely stunning turn by Carol White and also John Bindon, as a mobster (who he was in real life, dying of a drug overdose in poverty during the 80's).

 

Also, another which hasn't been mentioned here is Billy Liar (1963).

 

If ever a film wasn't better casted it is surely this one. Every character in it is simply perfect but it's really Tom Courteney that steals the show with a brilliant turn as a daydreaming boy trying to turn his ridiculous thoughts into a reality which is a joy to watch. Julie Christie is really foxy in it and it has a wonderfully thought-provoking ending. Very much an influence on Morrissey and it's easy to tell.

 

Also, honoury mentions for:

 

A Room For Romeo Brass, TwentyFourSeven, Dead Mans Shoes, This Is England (all by Shane Meadows. Stunning.)

Rita, Sue & Bob Too (Absolute genius, but this was WELL naughty when it came out!)

The Long Good Friday (There simply isn't a better mobster film IMO)

Get Carter (heh Alf Roberts; car park! Not quite as good as TLGF, but still genius)

The Wicker Man (One of the most downbeat endings in a film ever)

Gregory's Girl (Every schoolboy can relate to this!)

A Kind Of Loving (More great Kitchen Sink)

Georgie Girl (ditto)

Small Faces (Underrated Glasgow-set coming of age film)

Trainspotting (Don't tell me you've never seen it?)

Nil By Mouth (A film version of a smack between the eyes! Amazed this was actually acted!)

Straw Dogs (Deliverence if it were in Cornwall!)

Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz (Great fun)

Regeneration (One of the most impacting films for WW1)

Made In England (This Is England but actually made at the time. A great modern history example)

Brighton Rock (One of the first ever British Gangster films)

Ice Cold In Alex (Personally, the best british war film ever made)

Meantime (Mike Leigh at his best with an all star 'before they were famous' cast)

My Summer Of Love (Very absorbing with Paddy Considine shining)

Sexy Beast (Rare you'll see a more powerful performance than Ben Kingsley in this)

Withnail And I (A student classic!)

The Italian Job (Institutional)

Posted
I recommend to you Saturday Night and Sunday Morning from 1960.

 

This Sporting Life - 1963 - Lindsay Anderson/David Storey. With Richard Harris and Wakefield Trinity!

 

Both are on my 'to get' list, along with a couple of others. Amazon's lists are quite good!

Posted
Both are on my 'to get' list, along with a couple of others. Amazon's lists are quite good!

 

Up the Junction (1968) is well worth tracking down, as well.

Posted
Up the Junction (1968) is well worth tracking down, as well.

 

No one has yet mentioned Notting Hill, or Love, Actually or, indeed, About a boy. How the academy can look at themselves in the mirror after denying Hugh Grant the Best Actor for any one of his roles in those films is totally beyond me. And none of those films troubled the Best Picture Oscar judges. Scandalous. :grin:

Posted (edited)
Ice Cold In Alex (Personally, the best british war film ever made)

 

Excuse me, what about "The Cockleshell Heros" (just picked up in Asda for £3) or better still "In Which We Serve" or or or "The Dam Busters", no "The Battle of Britain" noooooo "633 Squadron" ........ and also

 

Brief Encounter

Chariots of Fire

If

Whisky Galore

39 Steps

Goodbye Mr Chips (both with Robert Donat)

Remains Of The Day

Long Good Friday

Any of the Python films? edit:(ooopps last two already on list), but

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, isn't.

Edited by StipeTripe
Posted
Excuse me, what about "The Cockleshell Heros" (just picked up in Asda for £3) or better still "In Which We Serve" or or or "The Dam Busters", no "The Battle of Britain" noooooo "633 Squadron" ........ and also

 

Nah. Still Ice Cold In Alex. Every time I watch it it MAKES me go and get a beer at the end. No other film does that.

Posted (edited)

A more modern British classic is 'Brassed Off', which is the subject of Movie Connections on BBC 1 at 10.35 pm tonight.

 

Pete Postlethwaite's speech in the Albert Hall had me in tears!

Edited by Diego_Sideburns
Posted

What about that one with Samantha Janus playing rugby ?

 

Oh and I forgot to mention yesterday that Mr J lists "Raining Stones", which contains in my umble containes one of the singularly most powerful scenes in the history of film, where the debt collector terrorises the wife. Think I read they did it in one take and the actress didn't know what was going to happen so the shock and emotions are real. Its a great film anyway, and set against the Hollywood like backdrop of early 90's Miggleton.

Posted
Siobhan Finneran was in my Year at School. Her parents owned the Newsagents in Grotton.

 

Do I win a prize? :unsure:

 

Back on subject, Get Carter would win my vote. One of the greatest films of all time IMO.

She worked with the current wife in a Jewellers in Oldham and was there when she got the part in Rita Sue etc.... You've just come second. Well I only win by default coz it was the wife who knew her. So I suppose you win really...

Posted (edited)

Reach For the Sky.

 

An unashamedly patriotic film made about the life of Douglas Bader. RAF Pilot in WW II who lost both legs in a flying accident. Refused to be pensioned off and went on to become an ace during the Battle of Britain until being captured by the Germans after bailing out. They had to take his artificial legs off him to try and stop him repeatedly escaping. My hero above all others.

Edited by happyterryb
Posted
A more modern British classic is 'Brassed Off', which is the subject of Movie Connections on BBC 1 at 10.35 pm tonight.

 

Pete Postlethwaite's speech in the Albert Hall had me in tears!

what about THE RAILWAY CHILDREN 1970. made on location around the bronte parsonage and the keighley and worth valley railway.

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