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Post by mattress on May 7, 2007 21:59:02 GMT
This is going to sound so corny, but anyway... I was 20 years old, it was a sunny afternoon and I wandered into a small West London cinema to see a film made a year after I was born. I had been turned on to Scorsese and De Niro by seeing some of their other more mainstream films but had never heard of Mean Streets. The cinema had at most 10 people in and when I came out blinking into the busy sunlight I knew I had seen something special.
Maybe it was the sun, maybe the time in my life but I had never been touched by a film the same way before. I now knew without conviction what I would say if I was asked the "So, what's your favourite film?" question (mind you, I don't think anyone has actually asked me this since).
I eventually got a copy taped from TV, replaced by a bargain bin VHS find in HMV finally replaced by a DVD from the internet. Whenever I got in from the pub I'd stick it on, my favourite scene being Johnny entering Tony's club to the sounds of Jumping Jack Flash.
I don't go to the cinema much, but a few months ago I bought a PVR - eager to use it I saw a write up of a film on Film 4 that sounded a bit interesting - some brotherly revenge plot. When I finally got round to watching Dead Man's Shoes it completely belw me away. After that single viewing I knew it had taken place over Mean Streets as my new favourite film, and Shane and Paddy were now big time on my radar.
It's still sitting on my PVR - this may sound weird but I've not been able to watch it again since, worried that knowing the plot will somehow remove the magic of this film. Anyway I took note of the director and caught the recent South Bank Show regarding This Is England. It freaked me out a bit when it was revelaed the Shane had seen Mean Streets so many times - I somehow felt even more in awe of DMS.
Anyway, to anybody who has stuck through this rambling post, you are probably a big fan of Shanes, and may even rate one of his films as your favourite, but what was your favourite film before you became aware of any of Shane's films?
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Post by RydCook on May 7, 2007 22:17:55 GMT
Thats a great story man, nicely written! I'd highly recommend you watch DMS again mate, repeat viewings only make the film better in my opinion. Pardon my ignorance, is a PVR one of those projector things?
In answer to your question I don't really know, I guess I'd say Shallow Grave cos I've always been a fan of brit films that weren't about Vinnie Jones beating people up. But i dislike the question "What is you favourite film" I hate having to single one out!
Anyway mate, welcome to the forums, and well done for a cool first post.
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Post by Bill Edwards on May 7, 2007 23:32:53 GMT
Great story mattress.
I love hearing how others get into Shane's films and like you it was DMS that blew me away. Like RyD22 says, it bares up to multiple repeat viewings believe us. I understand where you're coming from though. I've been unable to bring myself to watch The Usual Suspects again. Should I be listening to my own advice?
DMS is no tricksy exercise in film making. It's a powerful, soulful and moving fantasy about revenge and how it can really screw everyone up.
DMS is in my top twenty and Shane Meadows sits in my head with Kubrick, Leone, Scorsese and other exceptional film makers as one of the great directors of all time.
You've got a great journey of discovery ahead of you. I wish sometimes I could repeat mine!
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Post by mattress on May 8, 2007 20:38:03 GMT
RyD22 - PVR is a personal video recorder, one of those hard disk videos - very handy. Thanks for your responses - you've convinced me to watch DMS again. I'll pay Shane his dues and buy the DVD  (especially as I see it has Shane & Paddy commentaries). It's a bit irrational, but the thing I've found is that my views on films can depend upon the circumstances in which I first saw them. If I stumble across films without knowing anything about them they can feel greatly personal, and you get a great feeling of discovery. This happened to me with Mean Streets, and also DMS. It elevates great films into real personal favourites. Unfortunately I've been unable to resist and have been lapping up all the "This Is England" pre-release coverage by Mark Kermode and South Bank Show, more to find out more about Shane and views on DMS that anything else. From what I've seen I think it's going to be great but I think I've seen too much already  |
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Post by Bill Edwards on May 8, 2007 20:56:39 GMT
If I stumble across films without knowing anything about them they can feel greatly personal, and you get a great feeling of discovery. Totally agree! So many of my all time favourite films are my all time favourites for that very reason. They have to be excellent films too of course and when they are very excellent the impact they make on me can be overwhelming and lasts for a very long time. Three examples: Once Upon A Time In The WestGet Carter
Picnic At Hanging RockI sympathise with your concerns that you feel you're exposing yourself to too much TIE hype. It's like trying to avoid the football results until you see the game yourself. My advice is to avoid the reviews and, indeed, the TIE thread on this forum. Maybe the entire site!  Watch the film and come back and tell us what you thought. Later dude. |
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Post by RydCook on May 9, 2007 12:25:14 GMT
RyD22 - PVR is a personal video recorder, one of those hard disk videos - very handy. Thanks for your responses - you've convinced me to watch DMS again. I'll pay Shane his dues and buy the DVD (especially as I see it has Shane & Paddy commentaries). It's a bit irrational, but the thing I've found is that my views on films can depend upon the circumstances in which I first saw them. If I stumble across films without knowing anything about them they can feel greatly personal, and you get a great feeling of discovery. This happened to me with Mean Streets, and also DMS. It elevates great films into real personal favourites. Unfortunately I've been unable to resist and have been lapping up all the "This Is England" pre-release coverage by Mark Kermode and South Bank Show, more to find out more about Shane and views on DMS that anything else. From what I've seen I think it's going to be great but I think I've seen too much already Ahh they sound cool! In my house we still have VHS tape recorders! Oh yeah! I agree with the whole discovery thing, reminds me of when i first saw 24/7. Oh and seeing too much before the film, always a bigger that isn't it? I just avoided a lot of stuff before i saw TIE, but i was lucky enough to see TIE early before all this media crazy boom happened. I remember when Hot Fuzz came out though, i avoided trailers and clips on TV for maximum funny-ness in the cinema, worked nicely. I think you'll still love TIE though, theres so much in there that won't be spoiled by press etc. |
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Post by billywizz on May 9, 2007 12:40:19 GMT
Unfortunately I've been unable to resist and have been lapping up all the "This Is England" pre-release coverage by Mark Kermode and South Bank Show, more to find out more about Shane and views on DMS that anything else. From what I've seen I think it's going to be great but I think I've seen too much already I was in exactly the same boat mate - didn't want to miss any of the programs/interviews leading up to the film, but didn't want to ruin it by seeing too much - I personally tried to avoid any of the posts on here marked 'spoiler' but the south bank show etc didn't give all that much away.....once you've read one or two reviews you've pretty much been told the bare bones of the story.....I finally got to see it on monday night and in no way did I think to myself 'I wish I didn't already know that was gonna happen' - in a way it made the tension even greater knowing roughly what was coming..... the general plot in any film is obviously very important - but in my mind with shane's films, the way it's done is even more important, and is what sets them apart.....and no review or feature is ever gonna spoil that.... that said, be careful when you get round to watching it because the film itself contains some massive SPOILERS..... |
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Post by jtrodreigez on May 9, 2007 13:10:34 GMT
Maybe slight spoiler?
Its strange as i kept away from all spoilers but still had a very good idea what was going to happen in some way, i think after been scared to death by ARFRB and reduced to tears by DMS i spent the final half hour of TIE just waiting for something to happen.
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Post by large michael on May 9, 2007 22:14:30 GMT
aye, that sense of creeping dread.i just couldnt figure who rather than what, if you see what i mean, JT.
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(especially as I see it has Shane & Paddy commentaries).
Watch the film and come back and tell us what you thought.
