Historical Examples
Case Study: Quadrophenia (1979)
Quadrophenia is a 1979 British Drama film based on The Who's rock opera of the same name.
Directed by Franc Roddam as his directorial debut, the film stars: Phil Daniels as Jimmy Leslie Ash as Steph Phil Davis as Chalky Sting as Ace Face The film was written by Franc Roddam, David Humphries and Martin Stellman. Synopsis - "Jimmy, a young 1960s London-based Mod who escapes from his dead-end job as a mailroom boy by dancing, partying, taking amphetamines, riding his scooter and brawling with motor-cycle-riding Rockers. After he and his friends participate in a huge brawl with the Rockers at the seaside town of Brighton, he is arrested and his life starts to spiral out of control; he loses his girlfriend and discovers that his idol, the popular Mod nicknamed "Ace Face" is actually a bell boy at a hotel." |
Key Themes and Context
Both the Mod and Rockers Subculture sprung from the previous generation: Teddy Boys. They were a youth subculture that began in the mid/late 1950s. Characterised by loosely inspired fashion from the Edwardian Era (1901 - 1910) they are commonly abbreviated as the 'Teds'.
The Teds were the first real high profile rebel teenagers that were often seen by the media as menacing and violent based of numerous incidents. One main incident that stood out for them was the 1953 murder of John Beckley committed by the Teddy Boys. The following newspaper report headlined the case as "Flick Knives, Dance Music and Edwardian Suits" proving as a testament to their violent reputation across the media. |
Although numerous violent activities followed shortly after, headlines regarding their violent acts were commonly exaggerated and luridly reported. The teddy boys constantly clashed with Punks - these clashes were commonly a result of jealousy as the Punk youth group were making more headlines and being portrayed as the "new gang in town". The Teddy Boys sought to make a name for themselves and prove a statement within the media through large volumes of violence.
|
The Mods are commonly cited as having "ancestry" with the Teddy Boys. In a similar fashion, they constantly clashed with the rockers
Case Study: Trainspotting (1996)
Trainspotting is a 1996 British Drama/Black Comedy film that depicts lives of young heroin addicts.
Directed by Danny Boyle, the film stars: Ewan McGregor as Renton Ewan Bremner as Spud Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy Kevin McKidd as Tommy Robert Carlyle as Begbie Kelly Macdonald as Diane The film was written by Irvine Welsh and John Hodge. Synopsis - "Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lam, and a scheming Sick Boy follows." |
Case Study: Kidulthood (2006)
Trainspotting is a 2006 British Crime/Drama/Romance film that portrays the lives of a group of troubled 15-year-olds growing up in west London.
Directed by Menhaj Huda, the film stars: Aml Ameen as Trife Red Madrell as Alisa Adam Deacon as Jay Jaime Winston as Becky Femi Oyeniran as Moony Madeleine Fairley as Claire Cornell John as Uncle Curtis Kate Magowan as Stella Piere Mascollo as Andreas Rafe Spall as Lenny Noel Clarke as Sam The film was written by Noel Clarke. |
Contemporary Examples
Case Study: Ill Manors (2012)
Ill Manors is a 2012 British Crime/Drama film about the lives of four drug dealers, one user and two prostitutes.
Directed by Ben Drew, the film stars: Riz Ahmed as Aaron Ed Skrein as Ed Keith Coggins as Kirby Lee Allen as Chris Nick Sagar as Marcel Ryan De La Cruz as Jake Anouska Mond as Michelle Natalie Press as Katya The film was written by Ben Drew. Synopsis - "A unique crime thriller set in the unforgiving streets of London, iLL Manors follows six desperate lives, all struggling to survive the circles of violence that engulfs them. There is ex-dealer, Kirby, who has just been released from prison, thug Ed who will stop at nothing to find his missing phone, troubled Michelle who is just looking for her next hit, young Jake who finds himself drawn to the local gang, Chris, who seeks revenge, Katya, who is desperately trying to escape this foreign land, and Aaron, our main protagonist who is just trying to do the right thing. |
Case Study: The Selfish Giant (2013)
The Selfish giant is a 2013 British Drama film inspired by Oscar Wilde's short story of the same name.
Directed by Clio Bernard, the film stars: Connor Chapman as Arbor Shaun Thomas as Swifty Ralph Ineson as Johnny Jones Ian Burfield as Mick Brazil Everal Walsh as Railway Man Sean Gilder as Kitten Lorraine Ashbourne as Mary Elliot Tittensor as Martin Fenton Rebecca Manley as Michelle 'Shelly' Fenton John Wall as School Nurse Mohammed Ali as Mo Jamie Michie as Teacher Steve Evets as 'Prince Drop' Swift Bailey Clapham as Swift Child The film was written by Clio Bernard. Synopsis - "The Selfish Giant is a contemporary fable about 13 year old Arbor and his best friend Swifty. Excluded from school and outsiders in their own neighbourhood, the two boys meet Kitten, a local scrap dealer. Wandering their town with just a horse and a cart, they begin collecting scrap metal for him. Swift has a natural gift with horses while Arbor emulates Kitten - keen to impress him and make some money. However, Kitten favours Swifty, leaving Arbor feeling hurt and excluded, driving a wedge between the boys. Arbor becomes increasingly greedy and exploitative, becoming more like Kitten. Tensions build, leading to a tragic event, which transforms them all." |
Case Study: Urban Hymn (2015)
Urban Hymn is a 2015 British Crime/Coming-Od-Age Drama film that follows troubled teenager, Jamie, who possesses an amazing singing voice, and an inspiring and unconventional social worker, Kate, who encourages her to use it.
Directed by Michael Caton-Jones, the film stars: Letitia Wright as Jamie Harrison Shirley Henderson as Kate Linton Keith Coggins as Kirby Isabella Laughland as Leanne Dixon Ian Heart as Ian Wilson Steven Mackintosh as David Linton The film was written by Nick Moorcroft. Synopsis - "A redemptive coming of age story of a wayward teen, Jamie, who is encouraged by an inspiring and unconventional social worker, Kate, to use singing as an escape from her troubled background. Jamie's loyalties soon become torn between Kate and her possessive and volatile bestfriend, Leanne." |
Case Study: My Brother the Devil (2012)
My Brother the Devil is a 2012 British Crime/Drama/Romance film that tells the story of two sons of Egyptian immigrants coming of age in east London.
Directed by Sally El Hosaini, the film stars: James Floyd as Rashid Fady Elsayed as Mo Said Taghmaoui as Sayyid The film was written by Sally El Hosaini. Synopsis - "A young man from a traditional Arab family who runs a gang gang that rules the streets of Hackney, one of London's most ethnically-mixed and historically volatile neighbourhoods. Rashid's younger brother, Mo, idolises his handsome, charismatic older brother and dreams of following his footsteps, but Rashid envisions a different life for Mo and insists that he stays away from gang life and stick to his studies. When Rashid forms a bond with Sayyid, and older man of a similar background who is now a successful photographer, he is introduced to a world he never knew existed. But, just as he decides he wants out of his dead-end life on the streets, Mo decides he wants in, and he starts doing drug runs behind Rashid's back. Headed on a collision course of conflicted desires, each young man is forced to face himself and confront the brother he thought he knew." |