The British Isles - Bloody Marvellous!
If we’re to believe the stereotypes from the British Isles, the red-haired Catholic Irish eat potatoes and fight all the time, kilt-wearing Scots drink whisky with their haggis after a round of golf and English worship the Queen with a stiff upper lip while drinking a cup of tea following the cricket match. And of course they ALL love football and beer and contend with “shite” weather. While our selection of films may hint at a few of these stereotypes, it also embodies an identity of cinema that is an integral part of the multi-faceted culture of two large, northwestern European islands which have, in their history, created an enormous impact on the world.
Featured in our series are charming musicians and their charming music (A Hard Day’s Night, Once), thrilling action and classic characters (Snatch), macabre, brutally dark and hysterically surreal comedy (An American Werewolf in London, Shallow Grave, And Now For Something Completely Different), a spellbinding investigation of a secret Scottish society and a shocking result (The Wicker Man), and searches for identity within potentially hostile social structures (This Is England, Breakfast On Pluto). We are also proud to presenta lesser-known selection from the very English and very classic Monty Python (And Now For Something Completely Different) series of films as well as arguably the finest film from renowned director Mike Leigh (Naked). Our group of shorts comprises several animated films, to include some from the whimsically amusing Creature Comforts series, which superimpose serious human concerns on a variety of stop-motion animated animals.
While elements of the character of Ireland, Scotland and England emerge through the language, human interaction and settings of the movies we have chosen, above all, they simply compose a wide stylistic array of excellent films from two well-known islands. So bring your umbrella, order up a pint and enjoy these cinematic faves from Britannia.
Cheers!
Doug Robinson
