film - this is England

1.    What is the function of the iconography used in the title sequence of the film? How might it help you understand the film?
At the beginning of the film 'this is England', there is a series of images that represent different parts of the film and different parts of skinhead culture. We see lots of concrete in the first images and run down estates, which could suggest poverty or unemployment. There are images of computer games and children's TV shows, that could show the innocence of Shaun before he joins the skinhead gang. We are shown real footage of royalty, people carrying the English flag and Margaret Thatcher , which are all very traditional 'English' things and demonstrates skinhead's belief in keeping England English !! We also see images of war, suggesting that the skinheads will fight for their country and are prepared to go to war for England. There are images of death and destruction, representing the chaos in Shaun's life after the death of his dad. We are shown an image of a sheep being herded, which shows how the people in the skinhead gang are like sheep, in that they do what the are told and don't fight back; the very much follow the crowd.

 

2.    How is Shaun represented at the very beginning of the film? How does his representation contribute to your understanding of him as the protagonist of the film?

  He comes across as a young boy who is being bullied at school, with not many friends, who needs some friends for support. he is quite aggressive and angry, but underneath is just struggling with the loss of his dad, who recently died at war.

3.    What do you think about the depiction of the skinhead gang? What are their defining features? Does the director glamorize the gang? Does he demonize it? Give your reasons.

I don't think the gang are glamorized or demonized by the director. I think the view on the skinhead gang is left very much up to the audience. We are allowed to form our own views in them. The gang have been dressed like traditional skinheads and at first the could come across as threatening, but after we are introduced to them, they reveal them selves as ordinary young men, who are well meaning towards Shaun. 
The character, Combo, who comes in later in the film is more demonized. He is extremely violent and racist. He is a more typical skinhead, who  more people would generalize a skinhead to be like. I think the difference between Combo and the rest of the group, outlines how some skinheads do live up to their generalization, but others are very different to who we may think they are.  

4.    What is the function of Milky in the story? What does his name suggest?

  The function of milky is to show that  the first skinheads were not racist. Milky is mixed race, but the others except him and he is as much part of the group as any of the others are. The name Milky is ironic, because it suggests that he is white. I think the fact that he calls himself milky and so do the rest of the group, shows that he is trying to fit in and that the others are in slight denial about the fact that he is half Jamaican.  

5.    What does the gang mean to Shaun? What does Shaun mean to the gang?

The gang is very important to Shaun, they are welcoming and excepting towards him, which is something he hasn't experienced with friends before. He is being bullied, so when a group of older boys are kind to him, he feels safe and better about himself. 
The gang are happy to have Shaun as a new friend. They take him in and tell him about their beliefs as skinheads. Later on in the film, it is almost as if shaun has been recruited by the gang to be part of the violence and racism that they believe in.