Greetings from the bunker, had a busy week getting re-acquainted with some of my fave Brit flicks- hate that expression and promise never to use it again.The past seven days have been spent laughing, getting a bit teary eyed- us Northern Brits don’t actually cry (honest), getting nostalgic and being thrilled as I’ve watched the finest films British cinema has to offer.
To be blatantly honest I didn’t really need to watch any of my favourite British films to write my top ten, as I pretty much know them all word for word – some call it sad, I prefer the term ‘dedicated’ – but any excuse to see the delights that everyone from Monty Python to Ken Loach has to offer. There are thousands of British films and obviously some I have yet to see, so if you see any glaring omissions feel free to write them on a brick and throw them through the usual window.
Just to clarify this top ten isn’t in any particular order, which may come as something of a disappointment to the pedantic among you – I am sorry, but it was hard enough for me to narrow my selection down to ten without trying to work out which one was best. It’s safe to say they’re all stunning in their own way and a couple of days sat on the sofa watching this lot is arguably the best way to spend the weekend – yes I will try and get out more.
10. Kes. By ‘eck it’s grim up North. Ken Loach’s film adapted from Barry Hines’s book ‘A Kestrel for a Knave’ paints a somewhat hopeless picture of 1960’s northern England. Watching the film I thank my lucky stars I wasn’t born in Barnsley in the 60s -or anytime after that for that matter.
The story follows a young lad Billy Casper played by David Bradley who finds and rears a young kestrel as a pet, helping him to find some brightness in his otherwise dull life at home with his mum and thuggish older brother.
The film may be gritty and a tad on the sombre side but there are moments of humour- not least Brian Glover’s turn as the P.E teacher from hell.
9. The Third Man. Carol Reed -who’s actually a bloke- directs Graham Greene’s script from his own novel in one of the greatest films of all time. Joseph Cotten is the pulp fiction writer who visits post-war Vienna to see his friend racketeer Harry Lime only to discover he’s dead- or is he? I watched this film as part of a British cinema course at Uni’ – they enticed us in with this then the subsequent 11 films were awful. Worth watching for Orson Welles’s apparently improvised ‘cuckoo clocks’ speech. Genius.
8. Monty Python’s The Life of Brian. “He’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!” “Welease Woger” “Blessed are the meek, aww that’s nice, they never get anything,” “One more word out of you and I’ll take you to the facking cleaners” “No. Freedom, they said I could go and live on an island, only joking crucifixion really,” “I’m Brian and so is my wife.” I could go on, but thankfully I won’t. This film is arguably packed with more laughs than any other in history. The plot revolves around Brian Cohen living in Jerusalem at the time of Christ, who’s accidentally mistaken for the messiah- upon release it was banned in many countries for being blasphemous- but what I’ll mostly remember are the laughs.
7. 24 Hour Party People. Michael Winterbottom’s story of the Manchester, sorry Madchester music scene of the 70’s 80’s and 90’s gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘hedonistic.’ Steve Coogan plays real-life Factory Records ‘boss’ Anthony Wilson, who when he’s not signing bands using his own blood as ink, or hang-gliding on the moors is opening one of the most famous clubs in history -the Hacienda. Along the way he encounters such bands as Joy Division, New Order, The Happy Mondays and A Certain Ratio.
The film charts the rise and fall of Wilson’s Factory empire which was run as you’d expect a bunch of drug induced Mancunians to run anything- not very well. Lord Of The Rings’ Gollum, aka Andy Serkis steals the film as legendary insane producer Martin Hannett. Also boasts the best soundtrack of any film. Ever.
6. Nil By Mouth. You can imagine Gary Oldman pitching his directorial debut to Hollywood execs. “Right so there’s this bloke who lives on a council estate in South London, who’s a borderline alcoholic. He beats up his missus and her junkie brother and the film just follows them as they got about their sad existence.” Exec: “Can we get Hugh Grant to play the lead? And maybe Kate Winslet as the wife? Orlando Bloom could play the brother.”
Fortunately Oldman convinced Luc Besson to help him produce the film, who let one of Britain’s finest actors go about making one of Britain’s finest films. Yes it’s violent and uncompromising and there are times when you wonder why these people bother living, but it’s also a gritty slice of realism directed and acted in such a way that you find yourself caring about these characters more than you want to. When Kathy Burke tells Ray she deserves somebody kind and nice to lover her, you cannot help but share the feeling that she, like so many of these characters are worth so much more.
5. Get Carter. Michael Caine had to make the list simply because he’s made over 45 million British films alone. Of all of Maurice Mickelwhite’s efforts this tale of revenge is arguably his finest. Mike Hodges directs Caine as Jack Carter a London gangster who returns to his native Newcastle to investigate his brother’s death and seek revenge on those responsible. The film’s brilliance lies not just in Caine’s performance- for me the greatest of his career, but also in the twists and turns of the clever plot. Some ambiguous scenes make far more sense as the film develops.
Caine’s Carter exacts revenge on his brother’s killers with such brutality and lack of remorse, it makes you glad that you haven’t killed anyone recently. A Sylvester Stallone remake was made ten years ago which obviously was a massive improvement on the original- note to self: stop smoking crack.
4. Naked. Mike Leigh has been churning out brilliant British films for the past four decades now and the only problem with this list was whether to include just one his works and if so which one. His best effort, for me at least, has been Naked, which tells the story of a twenty-something man who leaves Manchester following a rape to visit an old girlfriend in London- not exactly Merchant Ivory stuff, I know.
Like all of Leigh’s films, the drama and humour are so real it could almost be a documentary, it’s the subtle moments in the conversations the characters have that elevate his films above many other British directors. David Thewlis gives a memorable performance as the protagonist- Johnny, who’s clever dialogue and observations could be considered remarkably intelligent- if he weren’t such a know-it-all smug git.
3. Dead Man’s Shoes. Shane Meadows is probably most famous for his film and subsequent television series This is England, which is something of a shame as neither is anywhere near his best work. His earlier films are for me his finest and while Small Time and A Room for Romeo Brass are also well worth a look, Dead Man’s Shoes is my personal fave.
The plot centres around Richard, played by the superb Paddy Considine, who returns from the army to his small northern town to exact revenge on the small time drug dealers who bullied his younger brother, who suffers from learning difficulties.
Forget Kill Bill this is the ultimate revenge flick as Richard makes even Jack Carter seem like a bit of a softie, his brutality is matched only be his inventiveness as the flashback nature of the film eventually reveals that these bastards basically had it coming.
2. Slumdog Millionaire. If at the end of Danny Boyle’s romantic tale of an Indian lad’s pursuit of the love of his life- you are not jumping up punching the air- then check your pulse you may be dead. A real rags to riches feel-good movie, there’s enough here to keep both lads and lasses alike more than happy.
Jamal is born in a slum where he suffers one heart-breaking set back after another, all the while being protected-sort of- by his violent more street savvy older brother. They are joined by a girl Latika who becomes the ‘third musketeer’ of the three. Jamal falls in love with Latika but nothing runs smoothly and she ends up as a gangster’s -reluctant- moll.
Knowing she’s a fan of Who Wants to be a Millionaire Jamal manages to get on the show, hoping to win the girl rather than the cash.
The film was a worldwide smash and won Boyle a deserved Oscar and although that doesn’t always translate to a great film, in this instance it does as you cannot help but root for Jamal played with a likable innocence by Dev Patel. Forget Brief Encounter, this is the ultimate British romantic film.
1. Shaun of the Dead. Edgar Wright’s film from a script he wrote with Simon Pegg, was a much needed shot in the arm for the British film industry following several years of below-par gangster films and Hollywood ‘rom-coms.’
The plot revolves around the recently dumped Shaun, played by the brilliant Pegg, who tries to rescue his ex-girlfriend- although she didn’t actually need it- from a world where all of a sudden everyone’s started turning into zombies. The film contains some of the funniest scenes in recent memory and gave birth to a whole new genre the ‘zombie comedy.’
Great article, many films in the list I haven’t yet seen so will definitely be watching them soon!