British Social Realism films take inspiration from the real world and apply it in their films as a theme. They do this to portray to the audience what life is really like. For example, in Fish Tank Mia aspires to be a dancer. However, her lifestyle restricts her from escaping and achieving her dreams. Her mother is a bad single parent that parties and doesn't care for her children. This has led to the children being corrupted as they smoke, alcohol and Mia experiences under age sex. So, this film deals with many themes, that occur in the real world, such as aspirations/ escape, corruption of youth, parenthood, class and many more. Therefore their films hold truths of our society unlike Hollywood films that concentrate on providing entertainment, that lets the audience escape away from the real world. In addition proof that themes of british social realism link with the real world, are evident through the successful british director Shane Meadows. Many of his films are based for experiences and situations that have occurred in his real life. For example Dead Man's Shoes (2004), was inspired by a close friend of his, that had been bullied, therefore developed a drugs problem and later killed himself. He used this situation as themes and re created them through his film. This shows how themes are inspired by real subject matters that occur in our world.
What is unique about how themes are explored in British social realism films?
Themes in British Social films are explored in such a unique because they are represented as very raw and truthful to the audience, unlike Hollywood who portray their films in a glamorous manner. Themes are established through many ways, one of which is mise en scene. An example of this is Looking For Eric. His costume is rough, connoting he does not look after himself. His house is messy and his family is dysfunctional, signifying that he is out of touch with his children and is incapable of being a good parent. The lighting is natural, therefore creating to a gritty atmosphere. Overall the mise en scene comes together to portray themes, such as poverty and dysfunctional families.
Is there any themes which are essential to all British social realist films? What are they? Why are they essential?
The themes poverty, childhood, petty crimes, aspirations/escape, corruption of youth, sex, class, religion and politics, I think are the most important themes British Social Realism films contain because they are contemporary to our modern society and the audience can understand and relate to them as they are popular and we are bombarded by these in the news. For example, A baby died after receiving methadone as a substitute for Calpol by his heroin addicted parents and died due this. Similarly the film Trainspotting touches on these themes. The characters are heroin addicts and take heroin with a baby next door. Themes are essential because they portray the honest truth to the audience of the type of world we live in. Furthermore, taboo themes are what make a british social realism films the way the are.
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