Monotype Brief.

Monotype_Brief

Looking for a director whose back catalogue of film I could work with for this brief was relatively easy. Director and producer Ridley Scott has produced several of my favourite films, including my all time favourite Blade Runner. I did think about including a piece of his early work, an advert for Hovis Bread (remember? "It was like taking bread to the top of the  world"), but as it is an advert and not a film I thought better of it.
Instead I've chosen Blade Runner (of course), Alien and Prometheus. Three films that are drawn together by their science fiction them, but also with their underlying them of birth and creation, the mix of hi-tech science combined with decay and the wetness or dampness.

Some of my favourite quotes:-

Blade Runner. 1982. Rated R

"Time to die" both Roy batty And Leon Kowalski say this to Deckard at different points in the film, Batty finishes one of the most iconic speeches in film with those words, below.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die."
"It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does?" Gaff says this about Rachel to Deckard, he has a point. Gaff thinks she has only 4 years max, in truth she might have more or less. Life and death is recurring theme through out the film.
"Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave." Another line from Roy Batty.
"It's artificial?" Rick Dekard talking to Rachel Rosen about a very lifelike owl replicant she has as a pet. It's a simple quote, but actually it could be said to the main theme of the film. The replicants are artificial, but have developed and are becoming more human the longer they live, that's why they have an inbuilt termination date.

Alien. 1979. Rated R

"It's got a wonderful defense mechanism. You don't dare kill it."  Nostromo crewman Parker talking about the alien's acid blood.
"I think it's safe to assume it isn't a zombie." Science officer Ash's reply to Ripley saying "Who knows what it will do after it's dead"

Prometheus. 2012. Rated R

"Big things have small beginnings"  David (the artificial life form)
"How far would you go to get your answers?"  David, again.
"Sometimes to create, one must first destroy." and again,
"It must feel like your God abandoned you." and again,
"I like rocks, I love rock""Wait, we don't know what's on the other side" Elizabeth Shaw to David who "accidentally" opens a sealed door
"We call them engineers" Elizabeth Shaw

A Rethink.

I've been wondering if Ridley Scott isn't a little bit of an obvious choice, the hi-tech lo-tech present in these film is dragging me screaming towards Photoshop and Illustrator from the start.  James Whale was a second choice of director for this project, I'm only familiar with his horror films and that kind of influences the way I think about the project.
In the end I decided to go with Shane Meadows, I'm familiar with a wider range his work and like the way he often handles the violence in his movies in a realistic and gloss free manner. I also like way he can make unusual, but touching relationships work.

This Is England.

Original cinema poster for This Is England

In This Is England Shane Meadows explores the subjects of alienation and inclusion, through the eyes of the young protagonist Sean. At the start of the film Sean is an outsider and loner, troubled by the recent death of his father in the Falklands Conflict/War, until he meets a mixed race gang of skinheads who take him under their wing. The gang become like a family to Sean, buying him clothes in the skinhead fashion, in particular a pair of Dr. Martens boots. Earlier in the movie Sean had argued with his mother over a new pair of boots, he'd wanted Doc Martens, his  cash strapped mother wanted to buy him a cheaper and less fashionable alternative. Woody the gang leader becomes like an older brother to Sean and Smell, an older slightly dippy girl becomes his girlfriend.
later in the movie Sean is introduced to the older and recently released from prison, Combo. Combo is a right wing skinhead who also takes Sean under his wing and indoctrinates him in right wing ethics. At this point the gang splits with some of the members staying with Woody and others following Combo deeper into right wing activities.
I wouldn't say Sean looked up to Combo as a father figure, but maybe as an older male role model. Combo grooms Sean as racist and compliments him and encourages him in acts of violence against non-white people, although Sean still remains friends with Milky, the black member of his old gang.
This is a rights of passage film, with Sean growing up considerably towards the end. He disassociates himself from Combo after realising that Combo has his problems, but doesn't return to his old gang either, possibly feeling ashamed of his abandonment of them.

Deadmans Shoes.

Deadman's Shoes cinema poster.

Deadman's Shoes is Shane Meadows' psychological revenge thriller, at times disturbing and violent, it tells the story of  Richard a recently demobbed ex army soldier who returns to his home town to take revenge on the gang of drug dealer who he believes played a significant part in the death of his younger mentally-impaired brother Anthony. Richard talks to the ghost or a vision of his brother throughout the film and the story of his death is eventually revealed through a series of flashbacks, which show the mental, physical and sexual abuse of him by the gang. The gang members are killed off, usually in gruesome ways, until only one member, Mark, remains. He had least to do with the death of Anthony and had left the gang shortly after the incident and is now married with two young children. Richard kidnaps him and eventually forces Mark to kill him. I think Richard has taken his revenge and believes he has h#become "a monster" in the process and is no better than his brother's killers.

A Room For Romeo Brass.