This is England - Applying theories

This is England - Todorov's theory:

Equilibrium - Shaun has no friends and gets bullied, he lives with
his Mother.

Disruption - Shaun meets Woody and his gang and becomes good
friends with them.

Recognition - Shaun gets his hair shaved, new clothes and becomes
a part of Woody's (skinhead) gang.

Attempt to repair - Shaun's Mum confront's Woody and his gang

Disruption - Combo turns up (changes mood of Woody's gang and
splits them up)

Recognition - Combo changes Shaun (trains him - as one of his
troops)

New equilibrium - Milky gets beaten up by Combo (almost dead)


Vladimir Propp's theory:
The roles which occur in "This Is England follow Propp's theory of a
villian, which in this case i think is Combo, because he seems to be the
one that everyone is afraid of and also because he controls everyone.
The hero which could be seen as Woody because he goes against
Combo and tries to act like a authoritarian figure towards the rest of
the group, such as Shaun, the donor who provides something to help
the hero in this film he helps Woody by giving Woody the chance to be
a father figure to Shaun. There is also the helper which is Lol who acts
like Woody's girlfriend she helps him and sticks by him through the
tough times against Combo. The donor and the helper could be
switched either way as they both do the same job. Lol could also be
seen as the Princess because we soon find out that Lol has had a past
with Combo but now realises it shouldn't of happened. Even though
Lol is Woody's girlfriend, Combo still tries to win her over by having a
heart to heart conversation with her in his car.


realism/stylised


-AFTER THE MONTAGE- The first shot of the film shows Shaun
waking up; the camera tracks away from a picture of Shauns dad on
the table to show Shaun rising from bed in his underwear pausing to
look at the photograph. This illustrates on of the main themes of the
film: the loss of Shauns dad. Thatcher can be heard on the radio
depicting the 80s era and the ripped wallpaper and rough, dirty
surroundings in Shauns room suggests to the audience that he comes
from a poor, working class family. These shots arent stylised and
instead depict the film immediately to be of the Realist genre, through
the working class setting and the theme of real life problems;
illustrated through the loss of Shauns dad.

The long shot of Shaun walking out the house reinforces his working
class background, by including views of the council estate around him.
Shaun appears small within his environment as though hes being
swallowed up by the surroundings, bringing emphasis on his
vulnerability in the world and showing the audience how alone he is.

A static wide shot is used to show Shaun walking towards the shop.
The unmoving camera could be said to depict the unchanging average
lifestyle that Shaun lives. This is confirmed when the shop keeper says
I know you, I know your mum further suggesting that Shaun visits
this shop every day within his boring, unchanging, lonely routine.

In the school Cuts between shots of friends; children playing together
in school grounds and Shaun on his own. The era is further depicted
through fashion and hair styles. Shaun is picked on for wearing flares,
further emphasising how secluded he is from the crowd. Hes
presented as a social reject and a bully victim with no friends, Shaun is
aware of this yet hardly appears affected; thus evoking the idea that
its always been this way and Shaun is used to being alone. Importance
of dad is reinforced when Shaun takes a swing at a boy who makes
reference to his dad in a joke.

After Shaun chooses Combo, the camera shows them both in the car
together. Extreme close ups are used to show how similar they are in
both looks; skinheads, shape, face, and attitude. The close ups also
evoke an intimate atmosphere between them, illustrating the growth
of their relationship to the audience and appearing almost as a father-
son bond. The close up on eyes reveals how Shaun looks up to Combo
as a role model; his eyes show trust and belief in Combo. Additionally,
the extreme close-ups disallow the audience from seeing any
surroundings beyond Shaun and Combos faces, there is also no non-
diagetic music playing or even diagetic background noise: only Shaun
and Combos voices can be heard. These elements within this scene
could be said to reflect the idea of Sean and Combo being alone in the
world; almost as though its them as a team against the world.

Punk music fades in towards the end of the scene, depicting rebellion
against society and taking action. This then cuts to a wide shot of the
car driving alone down a country lane with the non-diagetic punk
music still playing. This could be said to further illustrate how alone
Combos group are and could also be seen as a literal depiction of
them driving onwards; moving on and making a change. Here the
characters are shown as alone in society; driving away from society.


MONTAGE - Backward tracking shot showing combos group walking
towards the camera in a council estate. St Georges flag fades up over
the shot, along with slow and emotional piano music; this illustrates
the seriousness of their beliefs further shown through their almost
angry, blank facial expressions. Theyre shown walking straight
towards the camera with strong and aggressive body language creating
the idea that theyre on a mission/have a motive and thus appearing
very intimidating.
The group turn to look at each other and smile which reflects how they
respect each other, yet when they turn back towards the camera, their
blank expressions return. Again this illustrates how its them against
everyone else.
The montage continues showing combos gang graffiti-ing in the
tunnel. The tunnel is relevant in this scene as it was the place where
Shaun first met woody. Here the tunnel is presented as dark and
threatening, emphasised through a group of men graffitying racist
phrases on the walls and scaring women who pass by. Inevitably, this
juxtaposes with the once bright and cheerful atmosphere where
Woody and his friends were relaxing. Later in the montage, Shaun
comes back to the tunnel alone, however this time he doesnt appear
weak or vulnerable; his body language presents him as independent
and careless, a different boy. However his apparent strength appears a
little unsettling rather than positive due to Shaun being such a young
boy, yet presenting the characteristics of an older, threatening
character. This could be seen as a literal change/ growth from the
young boy in the flares who were at first presented with to the skin
head he has become.

The use of music In This Is England
Throughout the film This Is England, it is easy to recognise the use of
ska music. This genre of music symbolises the skinhead culture which
the film is based around. Ska music is influenced by Jamaican/Reggae
music. Ska music is usually used around the characters of Woody and
his group of friends. The ska music used here is usually fun and
upbeat, representing the happiness and more fun tone of this group.
The song is "Louie Louie" by the Toots & The Maytals.
This is juxtaposed against the music used when Combo turns up, and
is with Shaun and his own group. The music used around these scenes
is a score, and is much slower and seriously toned. This is to represent
the darker side of Combo (who can be seen as the second half of the
same person with Woody). The music used within the film clearly
reflects the era in which it is set - songs such as Come On Eileen and
Tainted Love are used. Another song which is heard in the film is
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want by Clayhill. The use of
this song during the final scenes symbolises Shaun's loneliness and
sadness. This is done via the use of the slow paced, dreary voice of the
lead singer of Clayhill during this song. The lyris 'Please Please Please,
let me get what I want' can symbolise Shauns longing for normality,
and a normal life. Music used during the scene of Milky's beating, is
made by the same composer (Ludovico Einaudi) who made Dietro
Casa (used earlier in the movie). The score is only made using piano,
giving that sense of sadness and emotion at the same time without
being overwhelmingly loud. This was played in the background of the
juxtaposing shouting of Combo and the crying of Shaun. It gives the
scene an uncomfortable and sad feeling.

Story rooted in a real context
There is many elements that put you in the moment in England in the
1980s. Including Costume, Issues and Ideologies, Skinheads and
Reggae music. The opening montage sequence in the film sets the
setting. At first we are shown images of rubix cubes, arcade machines
and other cliched things associated with the 80's. However later in the
montage we are shown images of rioting, impoverished housing
estates, Margaret Thatcher, falklands war, skinheads and racial
attacks which tell us that this is a film which will challenge the
perception of Britain in the 80's. The whole mise en scene of the film
tells us it is set in the 1980s. The film deals with racism and skinhead
Culture, most specifally the scene in the Combos flat when he makes
the speech about the falklands and immigration. The title 'This is
England' is going to challenge peoples perception of England it offers
a different perspective of English culture in the 80s. The film is often
considered a costume drama. This is perhaps because it projects a
message from 1980's England which is relevant in todays society. Also,
perhaps because the setting is so important to the film. Skinhead
culture is also explored in the film. It was a sub-culture which was
especially prevalent in 1980's Britain. This is explored throughout the
film but also in the scene in which Shaun first meets Woody and is
introduced to the culture. Reggae music which was also popular in this
time and was associated with the skinhead movement is also used in
the film. The costumes worn in the film is also reflect 1980's England.
We also see clothes worn which would have been worn by skinheads at
the time.

There is also many aspects of 1980's Britain in the film which have
textual significance as well. For example, the falklands war is
referenced in the film and we learn about Shaun's dad who was killed
in the conflict. There are also many references to Margaret Thatcher
who would have been prime minister at the time. Thatcher who was
seen as a figure of hate by many working class people in the 1980's is
reinstated in this way in This Is England. Margaret Thatcher was seen
as in the film the main reason why a lot of the working class was poor
and why there was over 3 and a half million people unemployed which
directly affects the characters in the film. As we have said, Skinhead
culture and racial tensions are also explored in the film and these
things were prevalent in 1980's Britain. This is something which
affects the characters directly in the film. Take for example the scene
in which Combo brutally attacks Milky. And also the scene where
Combo and Shaun attend a National Front meeting or the scene in
which they threaten young muslims. These two scenes show how
racial tensions were high and how much racism was present in Britain
at this time. It also affects Shaun's story as these are key moments in
his journey.


One symmetrical narrative - one choice that
makes two stories
During a scene in This Is England set in Combo's flat, Shaun has to
choose whether he wants to carry on hanging around with Woody's
gang or whether he wants to join Combo's violent and racist group.
Combo literally draws a line on the floor of the apartment which
signifies the split in the film and also turning one group into two. This
scene is pivotal because it forces the film into reverse and
simultaneously splits the narrative in two, replaying many of the film's
earlier scenes but altering them to reflect how Shaun has become a
vicious thug at the manipulative hands of Combo.

Shane Meadows emphasises the idea of two stories repeating
themselves by showing us similar scenes from different perspectives.
When Shaun originally enters Sandhu's shop he is rude and
mischievous but the second time he visits the shop he aggravates
Sandhu before Combo enters and threatens him with a machete. This
is a stark contrast between the two scenes as the difference is clear for
all to see that Shaun has gone through a dramatic change since siding
with Combo. He has become an anti-social racist who takes part in
shoplifting and gang violence. Another scene in the second half of the
film's narrative which reflects the film's first half is the scene taking
place in Smell's house on her birthday. The first time Shaun visits
Smell he is with Woody's gang and the atmosphere is pleasant, but the
second time Shaun goes with Combo's gang the mood is far more
tense since the splitting of the groups which causes Woody and the
others to leave before long.

There is a montage in the first half of the film which shows Shaun,
Woody and the rest of the gang hanging around together playing
football and vandalising houses. The music in the scene is joyful and
represents how Shaun now feels accepted into the group. However,
there is a contrasting scene in the second half of the narrative as
Shaun becomes accepted into Combo's group and the atmosphere has
turned more serious. The music used is now soft and uses a piano
whilst the montage shows Shaun committing acts of racism and
violence against innocent adults and children. This shows Shaun's
transition from being a happy 13 year old boy who has finally found
his place to a troubled teenager who has fell in with a dangerous and
destructive crowd.

When we first see Shaun, he is wandering around a beach on his own,
playing with a catapult and eating sweets. This symbolises Shaun's
isolation from any friends or familiars due to the emptiness of the
beach and the long shots that accompany the scene. At the very end of
the film we see Shaun visit this beach again, only this time his image
has drastically changed from innocent child to teenage skinhead. His
mood has become brooding and depressed whilst his body language
appears more adult and experienced. Shaun throws a St. George's flag
into the sea which represents a political statement that the director
wishes to pass onto the audience, followed by Shaun addressing the
audience directly by staring into the camera before cutting to credits.
This scene could represent a metaphorical escape for Shaun, a retreat
into a peaceful place in his mind where he can collect his thoughts. By
breaking conventions of the social realism drama, the director wants
the audience to consider the issues raised in the film and how it has
affected the lives of the characters.

Symmetrical Narratives - This is England

Equilibrium Sean lives with his mother in a flat, Sean has no friends
and gets bullied at school
Disruption Sean meets Woody and the rest of the skinheads.
Becomes friends with them.
Recognition - Sean gets his own skinhead and starts to become what
hes associating himself with.

The disruption soon becomes the equilibrium for Sean

Disruption Combo appears
Recognition The training of Sean
New Equilibrium Milky nearly gets killed by Combo

Firstly we can see mirrors in both narratives in both recognitions of the
disruption. In the first one, Sean is accepting this new culture being
brought into his life and embraces it by getting his head shaved and
dressing like all the other skinheads; we then see the slow motion
montage of the group walking through the street together, playing
football and enjoying past times. This is then mirrored by the other
recognition where Combo trains Sean to be racist, again Sean is
embracing this new attitude, we also see mirror images of the slow
motion montages of the group walking through the street being almost
identical to the previous shots, they also play football, the way of
obtaining the football is unique of this second narrative as they
threaten a group of young Asians for the football.

We can tell where the film draws the line between the two narratives,
this is actually more apparent than we think. The scene in Combos
flat is very significant of this as we can count this as the halfway point
of the whole film and pretty much where we draw the line between the
narrative, the original group led by Woody is now divided by Combos
views and where the second disruption really takes effect. This is also
signified by the visual motif of Combo drawing the line and dropping
the ultimatum to the characters, this could be Combos way of
welcoming the audience into his narrative and leaving Woodys
narrative behind.

In subject of Woody and Combo, these characters mirror each other
however, they are very much different. They both act as father figures
towards Sean in their narratives however, they are opposites in the
way they treat Sean

Time and Space Narrative

Seeing the narrative follow Shaun day-by-day is getting he
audience a lot more involved with him and connects us to his
actions and as we sympathise with him we dont realise the
things he is doing as we see him as a young boy who just does
not understand.

The caption at the beginning of the film shows us the time
scale of the film which is the film is set during the summer
holidays as the caption is the last day of term this shows
that the story and narrative is going to be centred around
Shaun and his escapade during the holiday season. This also
emphasises the fact this is a Youth Film, being a youth film
it constricts the audience as there is not much to show in
Shauns life, making the time periods closer together than if
he was 45.

The first scene and the last scene only differ in a few ways,
one of them being his haircut. This is a signifier that shows
us the passing of time.

There is no clear significant time for any of the characters
relationships and there history, from Combo's time he spent in
time in prison we are able to determine the age of some of the
characters including 'Lol' who was 16 where her one night
stand with Combo occurred over three years ago meaning the
relationship between her