THIS IS ENGLAND
THIS IS ENGLAND
Before skinheads became synonymous with neo-Nazism, they were a subculture open to diversity, pulsating to the rhythm of ska and boasting a distinctive ethos and cool chic. In this semi-autobiographical film, the director revisits the 1980s, illustrating the moment when nationalist discourse destroyed and consumed this subculture.
Before skinheads moved towards nationalism and neo-Nazism, they were a subculture open to diversity - white and black had equal value, and the prevailing rhythm was the pulse of ska music, brought to the UK by migrants from the West Indies.
THIS IS ENGLAND reveals just that pivotal moment when skinhead culture is moving to the side of racism and ultra-right-wing prejudice. It's 1983, 12-year-old Shaun, whose father was killed during the notorious Falklands War, wanders around a working-class housing estate. He has no friends, often gets into fights, and school is not his favourite place. When he comes under the wing of a group of skinheads, he finds his place on earth. Woody, Lol, Smell, Milky, and others become his new family.
The idyllic scenario shatters with the arrival of Combo, an elder statesman skinhead fresh out of prison and back on the block. The nationalist views he has brought with him and his violent, dictatorial inclinations divide the group and lead to tragedy.
Shane Meadows, a filmmaker from the heart of England who excels in depicting the familial Midlands like no other, looks back at the 80s and skinheads with a sense of nostalgia, partly autobiographical.
THIS IS ENGLAND is a tribute and an attempt to paint a picture of the world through the subculture's lens; the editing syncs with the ska beat, each frame accentuates the style and coolness of the characters, and the gestures and words of the characters - a specific ethos of skinheads that Meadows aims to preserve from oblivion. It's an expression of pride yet also a bittersweet portrayal of the destruction of what was communal and precious. Its iconic status is evidenced by the creation of subsequent parts, showcasing the characters' fates in serial form over the following years.
Karolina Kosińska