My take on TIE *Spoilers*
Jun 19, 2007 23:43:48 GMT
Post by wheatabeat on Jun 19, 2007 23:43:48 GMT
Managed to see this last week. Sorta mixed feelings about it in a way.
Firstly, it is a tremendous piece, and brought a lot of nostalgia back being a kid who would have been just slightly younger than Shaun at about that time. I'm sure without reading every thread that people will have noted the amazing attention to detail to things, whether it be Shaun chewing on one of those gigantic fried egg sweets (That was when a "10p mix-up" was a fucking bagful of sweets as big as those!) or how grimy, grim and grey he made the estate look - Yes, Britain really was like that 25 years ago before the millions upon millions of points spent on development in urban areas. Reminded me of Hulme, Manchester before the swanky flats appeared.
Secondly, some absolutely spellbinding performances from the cast. I think Tommo steals the show, and rightly so but it's definitely worth mentioning Woody, Combo and Milky's performances. Especially the latter in what must have been some extremely tough, uncomfortable filmmaking for him given the grim subject matter. A good showing by Shaun's mum too, although she was kinda reminding me of the girl that Brian Potter pulls at the singles night during series 1 of The Phoenix Club.
So I did say mixed feelings didn't I?
Well, It just felt that even though it was my first viewing, it felt as if I'd seen it before. I have purposely avoided this thread, and people talking about it until I'd seen it myself but even so, the ending sort of felt predictable in a way. I have given this some thought and the way I see it is TIE is slightly blueprinted from both Romeo Brass and Dead Mans Shoes. I don't mean to say that it's the same thing, but Shane turns up the tension in the same way, and at the same part of the film. The way the characters were all sorta bonding well in TIE, it was seemingly as if the 'quiet before the storm' was a bit too loud, if you know warramean.
My other teeny, weeny bugbear was the mixture of accents within the group. Given the sublime attention to detail with everything else, this to me felt wrong. Whether it was Woody with his broad Lancastrian brogue, the scouser combo or the bloke who floats about with the gang speaking quite fluent Landan, it just doesn't feel right. The film does seemingly seem set on a Lincolnshire estate, so for me should have kept with local accents. Perhaps it was ok for one person to have a differing accent, but too many different ones just didn't feel real for me. Mind you, I loved Woody's accent!
But the criticisms I have are relatively minor quibbles. It is a seminal period piece and it's obviously quite personal to Shane which I give due respect to. I'm sure it will serve to be a really authentic snapshot and insight to what times were really like a generation ago - more different that you think.
My favourite bits then:
Shaun's retort to the Bauhaus fan in the playground. "You look like a fucking vampire".
The trip to buy the cherry reds
An emotionally volatile Combo sat in the car after being snubbed by Lol; the touchpaper just about lit.
Shaun walking through the fields reflecting at the end after combo's finale. Isn't it funny how there was always some waste ground near you with all manner of things discarded?
Great film all the same, which I'm very much looking forward to buying the DVD.
Firstly, it is a tremendous piece, and brought a lot of nostalgia back being a kid who would have been just slightly younger than Shaun at about that time. I'm sure without reading every thread that people will have noted the amazing attention to detail to things, whether it be Shaun chewing on one of those gigantic fried egg sweets (That was when a "10p mix-up" was a fucking bagful of sweets as big as those!) or how grimy, grim and grey he made the estate look - Yes, Britain really was like that 25 years ago before the millions upon millions of points spent on development in urban areas. Reminded me of Hulme, Manchester before the swanky flats appeared.
Secondly, some absolutely spellbinding performances from the cast. I think Tommo steals the show, and rightly so but it's definitely worth mentioning Woody, Combo and Milky's performances. Especially the latter in what must have been some extremely tough, uncomfortable filmmaking for him given the grim subject matter. A good showing by Shaun's mum too, although she was kinda reminding me of the girl that Brian Potter pulls at the singles night during series 1 of The Phoenix Club.
So I did say mixed feelings didn't I?
Well, It just felt that even though it was my first viewing, it felt as if I'd seen it before. I have purposely avoided this thread, and people talking about it until I'd seen it myself but even so, the ending sort of felt predictable in a way. I have given this some thought and the way I see it is TIE is slightly blueprinted from both Romeo Brass and Dead Mans Shoes. I don't mean to say that it's the same thing, but Shane turns up the tension in the same way, and at the same part of the film. The way the characters were all sorta bonding well in TIE, it was seemingly as if the 'quiet before the storm' was a bit too loud, if you know warramean.
My other teeny, weeny bugbear was the mixture of accents within the group. Given the sublime attention to detail with everything else, this to me felt wrong. Whether it was Woody with his broad Lancastrian brogue, the scouser combo or the bloke who floats about with the gang speaking quite fluent Landan, it just doesn't feel right. The film does seemingly seem set on a Lincolnshire estate, so for me should have kept with local accents. Perhaps it was ok for one person to have a differing accent, but too many different ones just didn't feel real for me. Mind you, I loved Woody's accent!
But the criticisms I have are relatively minor quibbles. It is a seminal period piece and it's obviously quite personal to Shane which I give due respect to. I'm sure it will serve to be a really authentic snapshot and insight to what times were really like a generation ago - more different that you think.
My favourite bits then:
Shaun's retort to the Bauhaus fan in the playground. "You look like a fucking vampire".
The trip to buy the cherry reds
An emotionally volatile Combo sat in the car after being snubbed by Lol; the touchpaper just about lit.
Shaun walking through the fields reflecting at the end after combo's finale. Isn't it funny how there was always some waste ground near you with all manner of things discarded?
Great film all the same, which I'm very much looking forward to buying the DVD.