It's a vibrant, exciting time for British cinema, with a hugely varied selection of new films being produced, and a celebrated history to enjoy and be inspired by.
Not Only But Also - The Costume Drama Makes Way
Just a few years ago the only sort of films achieving success were the costume dramas of Merchant Ivory. Britain does, undeniably, do cinematic justice to period dramas, but they are no longer the only types of films being funded. We also have the phenomenal revival of James Bond, with Daniel Craig's debut in Casino Royale taking the character in a dark, dangerous new direction. We have Michael Winterbottom's recent forays into docu-drama with In This World, The Road To Guantanamo and A Mighty Heart, and we have the uniquely British humor of Simon Pegg and pals in Edgar Wright's blockbusters Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz.
British Film Genres
UK Movies today encompass films of almost every genre imaginable, but there are a few traditions that have become deeply embedded in the British psyche; social realism, documentaries, period dramas, films about gangsters, and comedies. Social realism is probably the dominant form, typified in the kitchen sink dramas of the sixties. The genre peaked again with Alan Clarke's biting portraits of the underbelly of society during the Thatcher years, and remains the standard model for British cinema. Two of our finest contemporary film-makers, Mike Leigh and Ken Loach, have quite famously always worked within the framework of social realism, whilst newer directors such as Shane Meadows (A Room For Romeo Brass, This Is England), Lynne Ramsey (Ratcatcher, Movern Callar) and Peter Mullan (Orphans, The Magdalene Sisters) uphold it with aplomb.
Comedy In British Films
Humor in British movies can often be what lifts a film out of social realism and into a world of surreality. From Kind Hearts and Coronets to the mega success of Monty Python's Life of Brian, British films revel in the comedy of the absurd. The real beauty of contemporary British film, however, is the myriad of features that defy simple categorization. Jonathan Glazer's superb gangster movie Sexy Beast swims off on tangents of metaphorical delight, much as a Coen brothers film might, whereas Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later gives us a completely new and very British take on the zombie flick. UK movies have finally reached the point where directors are free to go anywhere and do anything. The possibilities have become truly endless.
Further articles of interest to fans of British films:
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - A Review of the Classic Kitchen Sink Drama
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