PoTraits: This Is England

If like me you liked the 80's and wish more than anything that you were a teenager in the height of the best decade for fashion and music, then you will love this film. This Is England is gritty, realistic and truthful, something that is recognisable in all of Shane Meadows films, and something I think is not appreciated enough in todays big budget franchise cinematic industry.

The film begins with a montage of archival footage showing positive things from the 80's such as Roland Rat and Top of the pops but then goes on to show the nationwide miners strike and the effects of Margaret Thatchers ruling as prime minister and other political, ethical and moral issues of the 80's. I think Shane Meadows chose to show the good going to the bad to reflect how the film goes from a positive group of people to a negative controversial storyline.

As a big fan of the skinhead culture it's hard to see this film in a positive light as Meadows has chosen to concentrate on looking at the racist side of the culture of them times. From just a small cast you can really see the divide of the nation. Looking at this film in the times we live in now we view it as disgusting behaviour, something that would be highly frowned upon, but then it was more common.
I don't want to paint this film in a negative light in any way though, it is a fantastically truthful film that is more a lesson than anything, a sign of what life could be if we were to not be so open to the change in time. An amazing soundtrack, the best skinhead haircuts and doc martens and genuine charismatic characters such as Woody and Shaun (played by never before acted Thomas Turgoose) brings it all to life and is the heart of this film that balances it all out.

As a photographer I like the clothes, the Fred Perry, Ben Sherman, loafers with white socks, skinhead haircuts, braces, the lot. I always want to take photos of people if I see them wearing stuff like that, I want to be able to pull off clothes and style like that as well. The use of natural light, muted colours and grain of the film makes the fact that its set in the 80's believable and its something I use in my more documentary style photos, to add a sense of seriousness to them.

'ive been picked on three times today, all because of my trousers!!"- Shaun Field

Running theme… The divide of the skinhead culture.

Favourite cinematic still…