British Social Realism Themes

Shank

Violence

Violence is a key theme highlighted throughout this film, firstly, at 0:20, there is a close up denoting a young boy's face covered in blood, connoting he has been beaten up. This is really effective because as an audience we can see the pain he is in through his facial expression, we also have a clear view of the injury he has experienced.




There is then a shot of the same boy being beaten up on video, this connotes that the people do it are happy slappers, gangs who beat up strangers just to film and put on the internet. This gives a huge hint to the story line and gives us an idea of the type of characters the film will include.





In this low angle shot, it denotes the antagonist kicking someone in a very aggressive manner, this shot is really effective as we do not see the person he is beating up. This makes the audience imagine the pain he is going through, making us feel empathy for the character even though we do not know who it is. 

I could use this theme in my film by having elements of violence in there, I think the shot of not being able to see what the person is experiencing is really effective and would definitely include a similar shot in my film.

This is England

Childhood

At 0:14, there is a close up of two young boys with the voice over "I've been picked on three times this week". This connotes that his childhood is not great, he is bullied at school, he doesn't have anything to look forward to each day. This makes us feel empathy for the character.

At 0:39 there is a close up denoting the young boy looking really upset because he misses his Dad, his Mum then tells him "Dad's gone now" connoting that he has grown up without a father figure in his life, this gives us a hint to the story line that he has not had authority in his life so will grow up to rebel.

Throughout the film, the young boy is only denoted hanging around with much older people than him. This connotes that he is looking for a replacement of a father, he needs that role model that he never got to have in his life.

At 1:28 there is a shot denoting the young boy going into the shop asking for a "bottle of whisky and ten cans of larger" this connotes that his childhood has been wrecked, he is being forced to grow up much quicker than children should, he is drinking away his pains.

I could use this theme in my film by having a child who does not have good role models for parents, they are struggling to supply, so instead he finds a family elsewhere, but they are not the type of people a child should be around.

Kidulthood

Drug Abuse

At 0:08, there is a close up denoting the man sniffing cocaine, an illegal class A drug. This connotes that drugs are a main theme in the film, and it very casual for them to take them as they are doing it in a living room, not a location that no one can find them.

At 0:12, the guy says "I thought she was pregnant", the girl is doing cocaine even though she has a baby inside her, this connotes she does not care for the baby at all, she is a young mother using abortion as her escape from becoming a mum, this also highlights the theme of sexuality because she has had sex but doesn't want to face the consequences, drugs is her escape.

At 1:28 there is a two shot denoting him saying she is only 15, this gives the audience a more realistic view of how young people start to take drugs where they are, connoting the area she has been brought up in is very urban, rough, people take drugs very casually starting from as young as 15.

I could explore this theme in my film by the characters taking drugs from an extremely young age no matter the consequences, I could use the idea of peer pressure from friends because that is a very realistic thing that happens daily to teenagers.

Yasmin

Religion/Rebellion

At 2:08, Yasmin's father says "In this house you will show respect", he expects his daughter to follow the rules set by him and their religion. But at  2:58 there is a long shot of Yasmin and her brother smoking upstairs in her bedroom, connoting that they are rebelling against their religion, they do not follow the rules like their Father does.

At 4:48 there is a long shot denoting 2 girls asking for weed, Yasmin's brother not only smokes, but he deals drugs to customers, connoting he has no respect for his religion at all, he just does what he wants with out taking into consideration what his Dad would think of his actions.

 At 6:39 there is a long shot denoting Yasmin getting changed from her religious clothes into 'normal' clothes, this connotes that she lives two lives, one to please her Father at home, and her everyday normal life, she does not care for her religion, she just does it to please her father.
At 6:56 there is a mid shot of Yasmin at a bar drinking alcohol, alcohol is again something her religion does not allow.

I could explore the theme of religion into my film by having a character who, the same as Yasmin rebels against their religion and lives two lives to please their family. Or someone who falls in love, but because their religions are different, they cannot be together as their families would not approve, so they have to keep it a secret from them.

My Beautiful Laundrette

Sexuality

At 0:53 there is a close up denoting the boy's father telling someone to 'fix him up with a nice girl" but at 1:33 there is a two shot denoting the two men about to kiss. This connotes that his father does not know of his sexuality, he wants him to be with a girl, he doesn't take into consideration that maybe the reason he isn't in a relationship is because he is homosexual but doesn't know how he would take it.

At 0:57 there is a close up denoting the same guy kissing a girl, connoting that maybe he is confused of his sexuality, he does not know what he is. Or, he is being with this girl just to please his father, he knows he would not agree to his chosen sexuality so agrees to see this girl to make him happy.

I could explore the theme of sexuality in my film by maybe the character being homosexual, but cannot come out because their parents do not agree, or their friends are against it, so they have to keep it a secret from everyone.