Somers Town - 'After Viewing' [Part 1 - Genre]

(This part will be covering Genre)

4. How would you categorise this film in terms of genre? does it remind you of any other films you have seen?
 -  I would categorise Somers Town and a comedy, Drama because there are some parts where Tomo (Thomas Turgoose) shows his cheeky Nottingham side, he does this when him and Marek ( Piotr Jagiello)are discussing the pictures of Maria (Elisa Lasowski) and how that Tomo would be better as Maria's boyfriend than Marek would be. Also then Tomo first meets Marek, he nicks his pictures and runs off with them, and Marek hastily follows wanting his pictures back, Tomo runs to what i think is a housing estate. Another example is when Tomo swears are people, he swears a Marek in the cafe, the man who tells him to get off the estate etc. Somers Town  reminds me of  This is England because how Thomas Turgoose plays both characters in both films, they are very similar in different ways because of how the cheekiness and how daring both the character Thomas Turgoose. This is England and Somers Town is quite similar as in both lead roles in both films Thomas Turgoose  plays boys who are trying to find their way in life and and and who are lonely at the beginning at the the films but then they find their way and by the end of both films they have new friends who were originally strangers at the beginning.


5. What do you think the film's appeal for audiences?
-  I think that the film's appeal for the audiences is that how it can connect to the realistic things, by how that there is a lost boy who is trying to make it by himself by running away from a broken home, and he thinks he can make it in London, but he does really think it over. By the film being shot in black and white helps the effect of the emotions that can come across, also the violence that is in the film, but then the comedy side comes in and it helps ease the hard facts of the realistic side of things. Overall i think most people would like watching this film as they could relate to it, by from there own experiences, what they have seen on the news etc.


6. As well as being in black and white, the film subtitled during the conversations in polish between Marek and his father; there are also sections in French. In what ways do these factors affect your responses to the film, the situation and the characters
-   Using the subtitles in the film help make it more as if you were there because, when Marek & his father, Mariuz  are at home cooking tea, they are speaking in polish, this add the effect to what it would really be like if this wasn't a film but also it is nice how it they are speaking some English which they are learning so it does help mix the film abit, so it not all in English etc. Another section is where Mariuz finds Marek and Tomo drunk at is house, when he is shouting at Marek in Polish, you can feel the emotion between them and the tension which is built up. Also the section in French adds the feel to the film and  how it effect the feel and emotion feel. It also shows the connection between characters, and therefore makes it feel more realistic.



7. Shane Meadows' 2006 release, 'This is England', won a number of awards. Research and explore the film's critical reception and suggest what similarities and differences you can identify between 'Somers Town' and 'This is England'.
-  Well i haven't seen This is England but i can say that from i have read and seen trailers etc etc, that both films are about teenage boys trying to find their way in life and their own independence, which i have pointed out above questions. The Film  This is England  has won a number of including 'Best Film' & 'Most Promising Newcomer' at the Independent Film Awards and 'Special Jury Award' at Rome Film Festival, also 'Best British Film' at the British Academy of Film Awards.

Somers Town - 'After Viewing' [Part 2 - Representation]

(This part will be covering Representation)

8. To what extent  do you think audience is expected to be 'comfortable' with this portrait of two teenagers?
-  From watching the film, I feel that the audience shouldn't be 'Comfortable' with the portrait of the two teenagers as in the film when Tomo first arrives to Somers Town he get beaten up by the 3 boys from around the area, this makes Tomo venerable and makes you feel for him. Also the film makes you feel uncomfortable because of both the boys were lonely until they befriended each other and were each others company it was if they were little lost sheep until they met. Although Marek has a farther, he is out at work all day, he comes home and has tea and then goes out drinking with friends, or stays in, invite friends over and drinks, so basically he is never there and is always drunk in the evening, therefore making Marek having to grow up faster than he should. But with Tomo it is a case of he needs to grow up fast because he has no family about, to help him or provide. This is what makes the audience uncomfortable. Yet there are some parts of the film for example when the boys are talking and having a laugh with each other make you, the audience feel comfortable with the teenage boys.

9. A sign on the estate reads 'children on these grounds is prohibited' in what different ways do Tomo and Marek seek to amuse themselves in this environment?
-  Tomo and Marek find different ways to amuse themselves, one is by going to the cafe but this is earlier on in the film when Maria was still in England, they go to surprise her but she had to leave for Paris all of a sudden , so they went to the local park is and started drinking alcohol they had brought. they then go back to Marek's flat later on and have a party between themselves playing loud music, getting  drunk, drinking  their selves stupid, like they were trying to forget about her. 'drowning their sorrows' would be the term to use. When watching this scene in the film you can see the two teenage boys being teenage boys, having fun, being immature, letting their hair down and being kids. it is quite amusing to watch. Another thing they do in the film is when Tomo and Marek go to still the clothes form the dry cleaners because Tomo wanted to some new clothes as the only things he has left after his bag was stolen was the items he had on. but his amuses the boys.

10. What messages about childhood and adolescence do you. or could you, take away from the film?
-  The messages that you could take away from the film is that children are made to grow up faster, and that children don't really have that much of a childhood any more. Also  you could say that the boys have had to adapt to what ever happens. Therefore you could say that you have to Grit your teeth and get on with life.

11. Do your reactions towards the boys  change at different points in the film?
      Which moments in particular:

a) Encourage you to sympathise with the boys;
    -  Is when Marek's farther comes home from work and he comes home to find that Marek is drunk and he had a brought a friend over, which his father does not like Marek doing, but this doesn't help they are bother drunk but Marek's father completely loses his temper with Marek and Tomo and shouts and hits Marek, demanding him what is going on. Also when Marius shouts at Tomo to get out of his house chucking his clothes and saying never ever to come back, this makes you feel sorry for the boys as they were only out to have a good time. Also another part of the film where you would sympathise, is when Tomo first comes to Somers Town, and he gets beaten up by three other teenage boys. Also for Marek, for when his father leaves him to go drinking, most night, you feel sorry for him as he is left at home all day while his father works and then he is left at home all night  while his father goes and drinks.


b) Make you unsympathetic towards them?
    - The Time where you  would be unsympathetic towards them is when they steal the laundry from the dry cleaners as  it was someone else clothes of which they will have to replace no expense to Tomo and Marek. Also i think why we would feel unsympathetic towards what they done is because stealing is wrong and that most people think it should be punished for and it doesn't help that they were someone else's clothes they stole.

12. Some of the other characters include Marek's farther, Mariusz, Graham the cockney neighbour, and the French waitress, Maria. To what extent would you agree that Meadows is playing with stereotypes in his representation of these characters?
 -  This film is fairly stereotypical because  of how Meadows presents some of the characters for example Mariuz, Marek's father, who has come to England to work and his boss is saying how well he works and that he is the best worker that he has seen in a long time, etc etc. Another is the French waitress, and how Paris, France is related to the place of love and how the French are meant to be very charming and flirty of which Maria shows to the boys when she kisses both of them on the lips after they brought her home in the wheel chair. This shows Meadows is playing with the stereotypes.

Notes From Somers Town Screening (15-10-2009)

Class & Identity in British

    
     What is a British film?
           - Not normally a block Buster
           - Not normally a Musical
           - It is pretty low budget
           - About ordinary People
           - Intimate/ domestic detail
           - Focus class

 
 
 
British new wave 1939-1963 ... (British new wave focused on the north)

         - Tony Richardson
         - Lindsay Anderson
         - Jack Clayton
         - John Schlesinger



 
 
• Working class

                                            = Jules & Jim (1902)
• A comic relief Criminal

Working Class Heroes’ - (Room at The top)

- Broke Taboos

Getting Ideas

- Look Back in Anger (1958) – Tony Richardson


A Scene of Place
- The Loneliness of the long distance runner (1962) – Tony Richardson


Displacement
- Billy Liar (1963) – John Schlesinger


Outsiders

- A Taste of honey (1961) – Tony Richardson

Coronation Street first started in the 1960s

Eastenders first started in the 1980s

Brit Grit/Brit Film

      - Mike Leigh

      - Ken Loach

      - Shane Meadows

    Films They have Produced...

• Mike Leigh - Vera Drake

• Ken Loach - Looking For Eric & Full Monty

 About Shane Meadows & Somers Town

Shane Meadows Self taught himself he is also a working class man. He started filming etc in 1999.

Shane Meadows also got the funding for Somers Town From Euro Star.

The Lady who was speaking to us at the lecture told us to watch out for Tomo wearing the Apron at the then. To be honest I didn’t really understand this but I did note down that he was cleaning brasses in an apron which had a ladies body on it in a Biniki.





 More may be posted at a later date ....  Enjoy :)

Somers Town - 'Before Viewing'

Somers Town is a Black and white film we are going to go watch it at Cinema City on Thursday 15th October. The director, Shane Meadows may have chosen to produce this film in black and white because it could add affect to where the film is set, to show that it is not a great place to grow up or even live, to show the harshness, or how Meadows wants to create the mood and feel of the film.

3 FILMS I CHOSEN TO BRIEFY RESEARCH AS THEY ARE SHOT IN BLACK AND WHITE...
   
Film: Rumble Fish
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Release Date: 21 October 1983
Genre: Drama
Directors Reputation: Francis Ford Coppola studied film at UCLA and while there, he made numerous short films, including some pornography. In the late 1960s, he started his professional career making low-budget films with Roger Corman and writing screenplays. In 1986 Francis Ford Coppola, with George Lucas, directed the Michael Jackson film for Disney theme parks, Captain Eo, which at the time was the most expensive film per minute ever made. Also in 1990 Francis Ford Coppola completed the Godfather series with The Godfather Part III, which while not as critically acclaimed as the first two movies, was still a box office success.
Critical Reaction to the film: The film was nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination



Film: In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Director: Alex Holdridge
Release Date: 2007
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Directors Reputation: He won 4 awards in his career. He is famous because he directed the movie "Sexless". Alex's previous film, "Sexless," is the only film to have won both the jury and audience award at the South by Southwest Film Festival. It is a sex comedy about twenty-something couples' last month in Austin, Texas.
Critical Reaction to the film: It is listed on the National Board of Review's Top 10 Independent Films of 2008, won the Independent Spirit's John Cassavetes Award in 2009 as well as having earned awards at festivals around the world. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007 and since has played at festivals around the world from Mill Valley, Chicago and Los Angeles in the U.S. to London, Edinburgh and many more places.



Film: Raging Bull
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: 10 April 1981
Genre: Biography, Drama , Sport
Directors Reputation: Won Oscar. Another 82 wins & 61 nominations.
Critical Reaction to the film: Won 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 16 nominations. After receiving mixed initial reviews, (and criticism due to its disturbing level of violence, and upsetting material) it went on to garner a high critical reputation and is now widely regarded among the greatest movies ever made. It is one of five films that has been named to the National Film Registry in its first year of eligibility


 

(The Reason for Choosing these 3 Films is beacuse the title drew me to interest and i wanted to find out more)

 
 

 

 

 

About the Filming and the Area of Somers Town

 
In Somers Town, the Iconographic sights and sounds i would expect from the film are:

      • people fighting

      • traffic e.g. buses, cars, lorries
      • alarms from buildings/cars

      • people chatting

      • people doing washing

The expectations of the character and narrative based on the setting of the film is, I think that the film will be about the child trying to fit and with everything around him and being new to everything doesn’t help his situation very well, and he will find it difficult settling in, making new friends, people to trust, just living in general.

Labels? .. help?

G322A TV drama, G322B Film industry, Induction unit, G321 Preliminary task, Exam