This is England revision

Woody – father figure to Shaun / original skin head listens to different music / isn’t racist


Combo – father figure to Shaun / late skin head white supremist / racist
Combos anger come from his lack love growing up / lack of father figure / jealousy


Outline the use of –

* Cultural codes – society character relationships 1980s massive different between rich and poor. Large numbers of boys with nothing to do no money and skinhead culture gave an identity to those kids 60s music 70s subculture heavy metal skin head sense of belonging gangs poor young people it is again that back ground that the film is set. No set narrative. Makes sense to us. Through are understanding of cultural. Boys finding life difficult. Poor standard of education subculture that is what we understand. Single partner Shaun and combo make sense of what we see. For example, it is set in 1980 poor place with hangs to spend time together back drop we engage with that culture.


* Action codes – how actors act and how their emotions are shown. Action tell us everything. Friction between woody and combo. First meet combo at the party woody and him are friends then at Michelle’s party the atmosphere changes and they avoid each other and woody makes and excuse to leave the party since combo and the gang have turned up.


* Enigma codes – what happens at the end with Milky / does Shaun leave the skinhead culture no answer to the 80s problems there was no happy ever after for the working-class people who were struggle with money and poverty there was no solution for these problems. Realistic film like life is this film which is very uncertain. Reflect the nature of real life.

How are binary opposites used to show the film’s story, its themes and political and social messages? Use examples.


Ideological areas –
1. Binary opposites (good and evil)
2. Political perspectives – Thatcherism and the racist and intolerant politics of the “extreme right”
3. Spectatorship and responses – ways the film maker evokes responses (camerawork, characters, dialogue, language and Mise-en-scene) and spectator responses (dominant, negotiated and oppositional) and factors that affect how you have this.