Shane Meadows : Critical Essays / Edited by Martin Fradley, Sarah Godfrey and Melanie Williams

From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven (1997) through to the BAFTA-winning This Is England (2007) and hit television spin-off, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. __Shane Meadows: Critical Essays__ is the first book on this widely admired filmmaker, and explores the full range of his work, from its origins in local no-budget D.I.Y. media through to international festival acclaim and multiple award wins. Through a range of essays, it presents a comprehensive analysis of Shane Meadows' oeuvre to date, situating his work in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the nineties to now. An essential read for students and scholars working in the field of British cinema, this in-depth examination of Shane Meadow's work is also invaluable to those studying British directors, British television and auteurism. Explores the full range of Meadows' work, from local D.I.Y. media to international festival acclaim. From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven (1997) through to the BAFTA-winning This Is England (2007) and hit television spin-off, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. Shane Meadows: Critical Essays is the first book on this widely admired filmmaker, and explores the full range of his work, from its origins in local no-budget D.I.Y. media through to international festival acclaim and multiple award wins. Through a range of essays, it presents a comprehensive analysis of Shane Meadows' oeuvre to date, situating his work in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the nineties to now. An essential read for students and scholars working in the field of British cinema, this in-depth examination of Shane Meadow's work is also invaluable to those studying British directors, British television and auteurism. Key Features. The first book-length study of the work of Shane Meadows, a film-maker who has a devoted and passionate fan-base as well as a high standing among scholars of recent British film. Covers the full range of his work from its origins in the 1990s to its latest developments. The format of edited collection enables the book to contain a variety of perspectives and approaches to the film-maker's work. A substantial introduction will be provided by the co-editors of the book, offering an overview of Meadows and his place within British cinema culture. Equal attention paid to the formal qualities and themes of Meadows' individual films and the social/historical context of his films COVER 1 TITLE PAGE 2 COPYRIGHT PAGE 3 CONTENTS 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6 NOTES ON THE CONTRIBUTORS 7 1. INTRODUCTION: SHANE'S WORLD 10 2. STRUCTURE AND AGENCY: SHANE MEADOWS AND THE NEW REGIONAL PRODUCTION SECTORS 30 3. TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY SOCIAL REALISM: SHANE MEADOWS AND NEW BRITISH REALISM 44 4. 'AL FRESCO? THAT'S UP YER ANUS, INNIT?' SHANE MEADOWS AND THE POLITICS OF ABJECTION 59 5. NO MORE HEROES: THE POLITICS OF MARGINALITY AND DISENCHANTMENT IN TWENTYFOURSEVEN AND THIS IS ENGLAND 77 6. 'NOW I'M THE MONSTER': REMEMBERING, REPEATING AND WORKING THROUGH IN DEAD MAN'S SHOES AND TWENTYFOURSEVEN 92 7. 'AN OBJECT OF INDECIPHERABLE BASTARDRY – A TRUE MONSTER': HOMOSOCIALITY, HOMOEROTICISM AND GENERIC HYBRIDITY IN DEAD MAN'S SHOES 104 8. A MESSAGE TO YOU, MAGGIE: 1980S SKINHEAD SUBCULTURE AND MUSIC IN THIS IS ENGLAND 120 9. CHANGING SPACES OF 'ENGLISHNESS': PSYCHOGEOGRAPHY AND SPATIAL PRACTICES IN THIS IS ENGLAND AND SOMERS TOWN 136 10. 'SHANE, DON'T FILM THIS BIT': COMEDY AND PERFORMANCE IN LE DONK AND SCOR-ZAY-ZEE 151 11. 'THEM OVER THERE': MOTHERHOOD AND MARGINALITY IN SHANE MEADOWS' FILMS 164 12. 'WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A BAD DAD?' SHANE MEADOWS AND FATHERHOOD 180 13. IS THIS ENGLAND '86 AND '88? MEMORY, HAUNTING AND RETURN THROUGH TELEVISION SERIALITY 195 14. AFTER LAUGHTER COMES TEARS: PASSION AND REDEMPTION IN THIS IS ENGLAND '88 212 INDEX 219 From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven, through to the BAFTA-winning coming-of-age drama This Is England and its hit television spin-offs, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. Shane Meadows: Critical Essays is the first book on this widely admired filmmaker, and explores the full range of his work, from its origins in local no-budget DIY media to multiple award wins and international festival acclaim. Through a range of essays, it presents a comprehensive analysis of Shane Meadows' oeuvre to date, situating his work in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the '90s to now. An essential read for students and scholars working in the field of British cinema, this in-depth examination of Shane Meadows' work is also invaluable to those studying British directors, British television and auteurism. Book jacket From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven (1997) through to the BAFTA-winning This Is England (2007) and hit television spin-off, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. Danny Perkins, CEO of StudioCanal UK, credits Meadows as the key figure in British films contemporary renaissance, with This Is England "doing more than any other [film] to change British audiences' attitudes" to home-grown cinema. This book will explore the full range of Meadows work, from its origins in local D.I.Y. media through to international festival acclaim. Over the course of its 15 chapters, it will present a comprehensive analysis of Meadows oeuvre to date, situating it in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the nineties to now. From his breakthrough short films in the early 1990s and feature debut TwentyFourSeven (1997) through to the BAFTA-winning This Is England (2007) and hit television spin-off, director Shane Meadows has emerged as one of the most distinctive and influential voices in contemporary British cinema. Shane Meadows: Critical Essays is the first book on this widely admired filmmaker, and explores the full range of his work, from its origins in local no-budget D.I.Y. media through to international festival acclaim and multiple award wins. Through a range of essays, it presents a comprehensive analysis of Shane Meadowsʹ œuvre to date, situating his work in the context of British cinema history as well as wider cultural changes from the nineties to now. -- Publisher description.