I saw this movie when it first came out and haven't watched it again until today.  It was on the idiot box and I'm an idiot.

I think it's a great movie, the actors were decent all round and the directing was tip top, but it's just so morbid.

It's something I could say I liked, but I could quite easily go another few years without watching it.

Cool story, huh?

If we're talking about the same thing, and there's been a few with this title, it was made in 2005 or maybe 06.

It has a few punks in it, a mod, maybe a girl into Ska music, a young kid and Stephen Graham, who didn't work for a while afterwards as his role is harsh and unforgiving and nobody would cast him. But he's made up for it since, doing a pretty good turn as Capone in Boardwalk Empire, amongst much else.

It is bleak, it's set oop north. I'm allowed to say that as I'm from there. I was around in the time when this was set too.

That said, I knew people like that, the characters and settings were very familiar to me and I bought it. Not all of it, but get what I mean.

You say morbid, and you're not wrong. Not a word I'd use myself about it, but I know what you mean.

I do remember the follow up - This is England '86 is much brighter in parts. It too is dark and horrible in parts, but I seem to recall it was not quite as harrowing as the first.

I rate both the original and the sequel. It was a start in films and TV for many of the cast and I still feel both are good. I won't be watching either again soon, but if they are on the telly in a few months I may watch them again.

R

The film, This is England, spawned three TV mini-series, TIE 86, 88 and 90, following the same characters more or less throguhout.

They are gritty, slice of life drama's that really effectively capture the social and politcal landscapes of the time in the UK, they can be a harrowing watch at times but they feel authentic to me, and like Ren I grew up during the period they are set and in a similarly Northern part of the UK.

If you've not seen them then I suggest you track them down, definitely worth a watch.

I really enjoyed the film and 3 series. I believe when they made the film most of the actors were complete novices and a lot of the dialogue was ad libbed, which added to the gritty realism.

I’m a fan of This is England -- if not all of Meadow’s work in general.  He has a way of capturing a tone -- not least of all through the soundtrack he uses.  In a lot of ways the music seems as much a part of his films as the characters themselves.  I wonder if Dead Man’s Shoes would have been half as effective without it?  Pretty sure I tracked down the soundtrack before I bought the DVD...

I always wanted to get a look at one of his scripts -- though as I understand he works more from an outline preferring to let the actors improvise.  Which, like Alffy says lends his films that touch of realism.

Anyone know what he’s working on now?  Looks like he’s been trying to get a few different projects off the ground for a while, but I can’t seem to find anything concrete.

Hey Steve & Alffy,

Forgot all about the third one. Bit of an arse me sometimes. I'm pretty sure I watched it in full as well, as it had a few episodes, like the second it was made for TV type stuff. That in no way implies they lack quality, as they don't.

Meadows has not done much it seems since he made the last one, but there is...

http://www.shanemeadows.co.uk/

Which has a bit of stuff about what he's been up to, although not a lot. He's done TiE number four, which I will no doubt watch twice then promptly forget about when someone mentions it, like an auld fella.

R

Dead Man's Shoes is one of my favourite movies.  Paddy Considine is awesome in it, as is Toby Kebbell.

I get the impression a number of Shane's projects get hampered by funding -- good on him for sticking with the TIE series, hopefully it allows him to secure financing for future projects.

You can get a sense of what he's up against in the documentary 'The Living Room' where he followed late musician Gavin Clark not long before his death -- well worth watching if you can find it.

I'd happily watch Paddy Considine act out the Yellow Pages...  Looking forward to seeing his new film 'The Girl With All the Gifts'.  

Quoted from alffy Paddy Considine is awesome in it, as is...

For this alone biscuits are available at my house. Obviously you'll have to bring some milk for the tea, as the feckin' shop is shut. I threw stones at the window above and they said something like 'Oi! Sexy! Don't you know what day it is you feckin' crazy bosom?

I said yes, of course, it's Thu... Ooh hang on, it might be. If you sell me a newspaper I'll soon tell you. I was not expecting the bucket of water to cascade down upon me. Seems a bit strong for not knowing what day it is. There's a whole warehouse of stuff I don't know. I could list it all by subject, but I'm not either of us have that much time. I suppose I could search online.

But for that you need milk, to go in the tea for the biscuits, you see. No sign of Alffy yet. Barstard's probably not gonna show until tomorrow. Feck's sake. I'll have to get the bike out. That is not some broad down the pub. It has two tyres, at least I bloody well hope so.

Erm. This coat smells a bit funny now. I really do hope it was a bucket of water. Funky. My hair needed a rinse anyway.

Oh. I've ran out of space. No, words. Just going to get a pump. Yes.

One more thing - Tyrannosaur. No, I mean the film, not the big thing in the park.

Hell of a movie. Dark, often extremely. But that's Paddy for you. Considine, not the Irish in general.

I knew I could bring it back. Now, if only I could think of some wittism to add regarding biscuits. Oh shit.

R