Was Shane ever considered "cultish" ...

[carolyn]

I was talking about Shane's films earlier on the phone when asked how often I go to the cinema which I said was rare and I only go when I really want to see something. I was saying then that Shane was probably considered "cultish" before his mainstream release of This is England (although I know Dead Man's Shoes had mainstream release too). I just wondered what others think. I imagine that Shane was considered "cultish" with his shorts etc (I haven't seen any of them but know of them through this forum). I then guess that he went mainstream with Dead Man's Shoes, or would others say earlier with Romeo Brass, Once Upon a Time in the Midlands and 24/7? When I say mainstream I mean distribution in high street cinemas but not all of them like a film like, Titanic, for instance would have been put into upon release. Hope that this is making sense and to summarise, was Shane ever considered "cultish", is he now considered "mainstream" and, if so, when did the transformation take place? I would be interested in Shane's views on this too if he isn't too busy.

Thanks,


Carolyn x

[Dave]

I don't think 'cultish' is the right word. Maybe more 'indie'.

Also, Dead Man's Shoes was not a mainstream release at all. It opened in cinemas on a small scale and didn't do great at the cinema. It got its big following on DVD... or so I believe anyway.
I might agree that Dead Man's Shoes has a cult following, but I don't think Shane himself can be said to have had a cult following.

[marksherbert]

Yeah, I think 'cultish' and 'mainstream' are far too vague words really. His popularity (in terms of how well known he is) increased slightly with DMS and then rapidly with TIE, I'd say.

[carolyn]

Thanks for that both, yes the language I have used is vague, I was not sure of the right words to use. Dave, "indie" is better.

I'd be interested to find out how others found out about Shane. I had not heard of him and only learnt of him through myspace and this was because someone had a photo of a scene out of DMS on their profile. From that I learnt about DMS and then found this forum.

Outside of this forum I do not know of many people at all who know about Shane's films. Maybe he is well known now but a couple of years ago I don't think this was so. I don't know how well DMS did at the cinema, I have only seen it on DVD, but I think it became popular on DVD didn't it?

When I have mentioned Shane to people and said "you know that film This is England" some people had heard of that but they hadn't heard of his other films (although in saying that they someone knew 24/7 but didn't know it was Shane and that was the case with me too as I had heard of 24/7 but because Bob Hopkins was in it and not because Shane had directed it). But I hadn't either until I joined this forum and I have lent a couple of people my Shane DVDs so they can see the films.

Just wondered how others found out about him because it seems like some of you have known about him for ages and I have probably only know about him for the last three years.

[carolyn]

Also, so what exactly does "cult" mean, does anyone know? Also, the same with "indie", is that when music and film is not signed to mainstream labels?

"Contemporary" is another term that gets me, I thought it meant "alternative", like kind of "edgy" or "urban" etc. I was told the other day that "contemporary art" simply means that the artist is alive!!! Oh well, whatever.

[Dave]

Jan 31, 2009 21:28:10 GMT carolyn said:

Also, so what exactly does "cult" mean, does anyone know? Also, the same with "indie", is that when music and film is not signed to mainstream labels?

"Contemporary" is another term that gets me, I thought it meant "alternative", like kind of "edgy" or "urban" etc. I was told the other day that "contemporary art" simply means that the artist is alive!!! Oh well, whatever.

Contemporary just means modern really. If something is contemporary then it is of the present era. If an artist creates a piece of art today, then dies tomorrow, the art is still contemporary, so what you have been told is kind of misleading.
Heath Ledger's performance in the Dark Knight is definitely still contemporary.

Cult when used to describe films is kind of misleading to. It's literal meaning relates to a small, but very devout religious following. So with films, it translates to a small, but fanatical fan-base.
It's hard to judge whether Shane's films have a cult following, but on second thoughts perhaps they do. Like you say, people may have heard of some of Shane's films, but not many realise they are by the same director.
Maybe this website is proof there is a cult following?!

Indie is just short for independent. In his methods of writing and creating, I would Shane is definitely indie. He makes independent films. They are independent of commercial interference and they are not aimed at demographics on a pie-chart.

[carolyn]

I was also on a walking weekend a couple of years ago in a small place in Derbyshire and not too far from Buxton and I had seen Matlock signposted. I was talking about DMS in the pub one night and the locals hadn't heard of it and that surprised me too as I thought that people in the area would have heard of it. So how did people find out about the stuff in the early days?

[Dave]

Dead Man's Shoes was the reason why I finally got my arse in gear to make a Shane Meadows website.
The reason was because I had no idea that Dead Man's Shoes was being made, and I suddenly saw a brief clip of the film on Film2004 (or whenever it was). The clip was shown in the very brief "Also released this week" section but there was no mention of it being a Shane Meadows film. I saw the clip, saw Paddy Considine and thought, "Hang-on, this looks like a Meadows film, and I've not heard about him for a while".
Afterwards I was straight on iMDB and lo and behold, it was a new Shane Meadows film! "Hoorah" I thought, but also thought, "There should be a website about the Meadows, because surely other people are interested in his work too?"

Then I just had to find a cinema showing the film! Which was harder than it should have been!

[RydCook]

I thought this thread read "Was Shane ever considered "cuntish"....."

That is all.

[Tom]

I picked up on Shane when I sent my screenplay to the BBC some million odd years ago... They told me that I should follow the example of this new filmmaker who had shot a bunch of shorts and hustled some funding for his film, 24/7. Of course, I then happened across a newspaper article in which Bob Hoskins was talking about his upcoming film, 24/7... I took an interest in the man from then, and yeah, have kept tabs with his work ever since...

[baz1701]

I had heard of OUATIM through Empire. I wanted to watch it but for one reason or another, never got around to seeing it. I was checking out Matlock on Wikipedia of all things, and there was mention of Dead Man's Shoes ebing filmed there. I checked the page on Wikipedia, and my mate Will said I absolutely had to watch it, as it was right up my street.

The rest is history.

[paulblackpool]

Though Shane is more commercialy recognised now in the begining i would say Shane's films had a cult following, being not really advertised you had to really go out looking for them, now Shane is well known and his films have more mainstream audience, but still independant filmaking and being better distributed now, that you can buy them in your local ASDA while buying the bread.

I first heard about Shane Meadows unknowingly watching a Bob hoskins interview on TFI friday talking about 24-7, which i rented from the video shop a few months later after spotting on the shelf and thought it was one of the best british films i had seen in years.
Then a couple of years later heard on the radio about a new film Romeo Brass from the maker 24-7, then that was it, i couldnt find it anywhere till i came across on the tele round at a mates house and both became fans of Shanes work. With the wonders of new technology found this very good site looking for news on King of the Gypsies, which i cant wait to see!!

[shanemeadows]

Smalltime had a cult following, It had no choice really considering it only ever came out on one print! Dead Man's Shoes certainly has a dedicated fanbase and seems to be the one that people watch over many times, dress up in gas masks for and recommend to their pals the most.

So, I don't think I have ever been a 'cult', maybe one or two of my films have....