an inspiration and memories of the past
May 6, 2007 11:37:15 GMT
Post by sergioleone on May 6, 2007 11:37:15 GMT
Hi there,
I just wanted to say how much I liked This is England. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. I'm sure it will be a classic in a few years time.
Not only was I totally blown away by the fantastic acting, writing, directing, music, cinematography and basically everything, but was also totally convinced by the representation of the time. Even though I was a child in the 80's and grew up in Germany I could absolutely identify with the film and remembered my own childhood vividly- the political upheaval, the pop music, etc. Most importantly, I was grateful how the film explains the roots of the skinheads and that the original skins weren't right wing at all. My brother is 7 years older than I am (he was born in 1974) and he went though all the phases of adapting British Youth Culture, which used to be common in Germany. So he went from being a Punk to a left wing skin at the beginning of the 90's, listening to crazy British Ska Bands who were touring Germany with a dedicated following. I remember vividly how one day his best mate came around our house- a proper skinhead, wearing Doc Martens, etc- and me and my mates not older than 10 or12 back then, called him a NeoNazi because we didn't know better (secretly we admired him for walking around like that, not giving a shit). Well, he wasn't at all pleased with that and gave as an educating lesson of the origins of the skins and that they weren't right wing at all. From that day onward we respected him even more for not having been too cool to explain everything to us. As I've always copied my older brother I soon started to wear doc martens boots and short jeans, 12 years of age. At my school the older kids laughed at me and asked why I'd walk around in army boots. Two years later, when doc martens were fashionable again during the grunge era, they were all wearing them.
In a way the film made me very sad, in terms of how special times once were, when people were special, dressed special, had special believes. Today, I'm not impressed by youth culture anymore. The fashion, the music- it bores me.
It doesn't come from the heart anymore but is dictated by the media. Rebellious youth? Why rebel if you are complaisant as long as you are like everone else and satisfied as long as you got your I-Pod, your X-Box, flat screen TV etc. The young are like the old. Where are those who are really themselves without being afraid to stick out of the crowd? I think we need a bit more courage to be ourselves. 
Anyway, I'm very grateful for this film and would like to congratulate Shane and his cast and crew for this masterpiece.
I just wanted to say how much I liked This is England. It's one of the best films I've ever seen. I'm sure it will be a classic in a few years time.
Not only was I totally blown away by the fantastic acting, writing, directing, music, cinematography and basically everything, but was also totally convinced by the representation of the time. Even though I was a child in the 80's and grew up in Germany I could absolutely identify with the film and remembered my own childhood vividly- the political upheaval, the pop music, etc. Most importantly, I was grateful how the film explains the roots of the skinheads and that the original skins weren't right wing at all. My brother is 7 years older than I am (he was born in 1974) and he went though all the phases of adapting British Youth Culture, which used to be common in Germany. So he went from being a Punk to a left wing skin at the beginning of the 90's, listening to crazy British Ska Bands who were touring Germany with a dedicated following. I remember vividly how one day his best mate came around our house- a proper skinhead, wearing Doc Martens, etc- and me and my mates not older than 10 or12 back then, called him a NeoNazi because we didn't know better (secretly we admired him for walking around like that, not giving a shit). Well, he wasn't at all pleased with that and gave as an educating lesson of the origins of the skins and that they weren't right wing at all. From that day onward we respected him even more for not having been too cool to explain everything to us. As I've always copied my older brother I soon started to wear doc martens boots and short jeans, 12 years of age. At my school the older kids laughed at me and asked why I'd walk around in army boots. Two years later, when doc martens were fashionable again during the grunge era, they were all wearing them.
In a way the film made me very sad, in terms of how special times once were, when people were special, dressed special, had special believes. Today, I'm not impressed by youth culture anymore. The fashion, the music- it bores me.
It doesn't come from the heart anymore but is dictated by the media. Rebellious youth? Why rebel if you are complaisant as long as you are like everone else and satisfied as long as you got your I-Pod, your X-Box, flat screen TV etc. The young are like the old. Where are those who are really themselves without being afraid to stick out of the crowd? I think we need a bit more courage to be ourselves. 
Anyway, I'm very grateful for this film and would like to congratulate Shane and his cast and crew for this masterpiece.
