A timeline of British Social Realism:
Post WW1:
After WW1, many people believed that the key to the cinema was realism. The working class maintained that their favourable movie making idea was through the Hollywood film making. As a result of this, social realism plots were largely based around the middle-class and high education.
1930's
During the 1930's, the state sponsored documentary film making, this enhanced the British interest in realism because ordinary things were the things that could get funding. Sourcing funding from elsewhere was usually risky and tiresome.
1940's
After the state funded documentary film making, it became the mainstream. A mix of documentary movement, the stars and the resources of studio film making made films appeal to a mass audience. At this point, WW2 was happening which meant most films were based around it.
1944
'The Happy Breed' smoothed away tensions of class bound society by depicting it in films. It showed a family between 1924-1944 and ended up being the most successful film of 1944. It also has excellent use of contrapuntal sound against some bad news.
1950's
'Free Cinema' documentary movement, which was created by Lindsay Anderson. These films were free from box office demands as the film industry did not help to make them - they were often self funded or funded through a small experimental film grant. It rejected the usual cinema conventions and also the documentary making of post war. They focused on realist portrayal and the constraints in technology define its style. Hand held shots were used, often filmed using 16mm short shots.
1957
'Every Day Except Christmas' was directed by Lindsay Anderson. There was a rough script but it was mostly based off on improvisation in a 4 week filming period. It celebrated the dignities of ordinary people at work and it is argued as one of the most ambitious of Free Cinema and the most representative of movement.
1960's
Saw in the Hippies and the 'New Wave' movement evolving from the cinema, a documentary style with a fictional plot. These films showed the struggles and conflicts for the working class rather than the higher educated middle class, these were described as kitchen sick dramas. The relaxation of censorship meant that real topics, such sex and abortion. were freely discussed. Usually, they showed a male protagonist feeling alienated from society while traditional industry and culture was in decline. This challenged mainstream cinema aesthetics and challenged issues regarding social class and masculinity. The New Wave movement defined British Realism into what it is today.
1969
The New Wave movement saw really talented directors such as Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, who depicted the impact of a consumer society on family life. Loach directed 'Kes', showed a working boy up a kestrel and was Loach's second feature film. It was based on the book by Barry Hines 'The Kestrel for a Knave'. Showing how education blots out young peoples talents from education when they come from a working class background. The father in this film was the only professional actor within the cast.
1980's
In 1982 Film Four Productions produced its first ever film, Walters by Steven Frears. It attempted to cultivate the a cinema audience for realism by funding British realism cinema. A lot of realist films made during the 80's showed what it was like to live through the Thatcher years. 'My Beautiful Laundrette' showed what it was like to live on the edges of society while trying to stake a claim in the new orders of things.
1990's
1990's the funding for films became more risky especially niche realist films, this meant that realist films had to become more formulaic. Formulaic appeals to a wider audience making them more commercial, because big audiences like to stick with what they know. The films had the narrative of 'triumph over adversity' and also had the feel-good factor of Hollywood.
1997
Full Monty Trainspotting is one film in the director, Danny Boyle's prolific career, adapted from the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. In the mid-1990's drugs had become a part of everyone's lives, not just those in impoverished or socially excluded backgrounds. Trainspotting explores the problems involved in people's lives who are addicted to heroine, and showing how the main character Renton wants to escape it. It in no way glamourises the use of heroine and makes the viewer see the reasons behind it showing the devastation it can leave, but still in a comedic way. 1996 Trainspotting Social realism today is raw and gritty, and it seen as Britain's main style of film, it's what Britian is famous for. Americans, generally, are the Hollywood types who like happy endings or over simplified emotions. British social realism today is hard hitting and reflect what is happening at the moment.
Today
Kidulthood is a great example of the British social realist films available today, it tells the story of a group of 15 year olds living in West London. Trife the main character faces the problem of his 'bad news' uncle, who shows him the troubled life of drugs and guns, which he knows is wrong. The script written by Noel Clarke who also plays a part in the film and stars in, writes, and directs the squeal Adulthood. He said that a lot of the scenes from the film are created out of real life situations and that the characters are based on real people in his life.
Post WW1:
After WW1, many people believed that the key to the cinema was realism. The working class maintained that their favourable movie making idea was through the Hollywood film making. As a result of this, social realism plots were largely based around the middle-class and high education. 1930's
During the 1930's, the state sponsored documentary film making, this enhanced the British interest in realism because ordinary things were the things that could get funding. Sourcing funding from elsewhere was usually risky and tiresome.
1940's
After the state funded documentary film making, it became the mainstream. A mix of documentary movement, the stars and the resources of studio film making made films appeal to a mass audience. At this point, WW2 was happening which meant most films were based around it.
1944
'The Happy Breed' smoothed away tensions of class bound society by depicting it in films. It showed a family between 1924-1944 and ended up being the most successful film of 1944. It also has excellent use of contrapuntal sound against some bad news.
1950's
'Free Cinema' documentary movement, which was created by Lindsay Anderson. These films were free from box office demands as the film industry did not help to make them - they were often self funded or funded through a small experimental film grant. It rejected the usual cinema conventions and also the documentary making of post war. They focused on realist portrayal and the constraints in technology define its style. Hand held shots were used, often filmed using 16mm short shots. 1957
'Every Day Except Christmas' was directed by Lindsay Anderson. There was a rough script but it was mostly based off on improvisation in a 4 week filming period. It celebrated the dignities of ordinary people at work and it is argued as one of the most ambitious of Free Cinema and the most representative of movement.
1960's
Saw in the Hippies and the 'New Wave' movement evolving from the cinema, a documentary style with a fictional plot. These films showed the struggles and conflicts for the working class rather than the higher educated middle class, these were described as kitchen sick dramas. The relaxation of censorship meant that real topics, such sex and abortion. were freely discussed. Usually, they showed a male protagonist feeling alienated from society while traditional industry and culture was in decline. This challenged mainstream cinema aesthetics and challenged issues regarding social class and masculinity. The New Wave movement defined British Realism into what it is today.
1969
The New Wave movement saw really talented directors such as Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, who depicted the impact of a consumer society on family life. Loach directed 'Kes', showed a working boy up a kestrel and was Loach's second feature film. It was based on the book by Barry Hines 'The Kestrel for a Knave'. Showing how education blots out young peoples talents from education when they come from a working class background. The father in this film was the only professional actor within the cast.
1980's
In 1982 Film Four Productions produced its first ever film, Walters by Steven Frears. It attempted to cultivate the a cinema audience for realism by funding British realism cinema. A lot of realist films made during the 80's showed what it was like to live through the Thatcher years. 'My Beautiful Laundrette' showed what it was like to live on the edges of society while trying to stake a claim in the new orders of things.
1990's
1990's the funding for films became more risky especially niche realist films, this meant that realist films had to become more formulaic. Formulaic appeals to a wider audience making them more commercial, because big audiences like to stick with what they know. The films had the narrative of 'triumph over adversity' and also had the feel-good factor of Hollywood.
1997
Full Monty Trainspotting is one film in the director, Danny Boyle's prolific career, adapted from the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. In the mid-1990's drugs had become a part of everyone's lives, not just those in impoverished or socially excluded backgrounds. Trainspotting explores the problems involved in people's lives who are addicted to heroine, and showing how the main character Renton wants to escape it. It in no way glamourises the use of heroine and makes the viewer see the reasons behind it showing the devastation it can leave, but still in a comedic way. 1996 Trainspotting Social realism today is raw and gritty, and it seen as Britain's main style of film, it's what Britian is famous for. Americans, generally, are the Hollywood types who like happy endings or over simplified emotions. British social realism today is hard hitting and reflect what is happening at the moment.
Today
Kidulthood is a great example of the British social realist films available today, it tells the story of a group of 15 year olds living in West London. Trife the main character faces the problem of his 'bad news' uncle, who shows him the troubled life of drugs and guns, which he knows is wrong. The script written by Noel Clarke who also plays a part in the film and stars in, writes, and directs the squeal Adulthood. He said that a lot of the scenes from the film are created out of real life situations and that the characters are based on real people in his life.
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