1. AS Film
Studies
FM2: British & American Film
The British Film
Industry
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2. INTRODUCTION
In our studies so far we have concluded that Hollywood dominates an
otherwise global film industry, mainly through large studios which are owned
by expansive media conglomerates capable of utilising far reaching and
penetrative media to target audiences and ‘sell’ a film which meets their
needs, usually through genre, star or a combination of the two. This process
is hugely successful, not least in Britain, but this does not address the fact
that Britain has a healthy and long standing film industry of its own; one that
produces films that are distinctly British and moreover are capable of success
globally, including America.
This section of our study aims to
• Identify what is distinctive and different about the British film industry
• Explore how British films are funded and distributed
In our study of Thatcher’s Britain, we have looked at several British movies.
What is it about these and other British movies that make them distinct from
other industries such as Hollywood? Consider representations of race,
gender, sexuality, class. Try to summarise these points.
How do British movies choose to represent Britain?
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3. • What makes James Bond a ‘British icon’?
• Is Casino Royale a British movie? Present arguments for and against.
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4. History
Film production in the UK has experienced a number of booms and recessions.
Although many factors can be used to measure the success of the industry, the
number of British films produced each year gives an overview of its development: the
industry experienced a boom as it first developed in the 1910s, but during the 1920s
experienced a recession caused by US competition and commercial practices. The
Cinematograph Films Act 1927 introduced protective measures, leading to recovery
and an all-time production high of 192 films in 1936. Production then declined for a
number of years. Film production recovered after the war, with a long period of
relative stability and growing American investment. But another recession hit the
industry in the mid-1970s, reaching an all-time low of 24 films in 1981. Low
production continued throughout the 1980s, but it increased again in the 1990s with
renewed private and public investment. Although production levels give an overview,
the history of British cinema is complex, with various cultural movements developing
independently. Some of the most successful films were made during 'recessions',
such as Chariots of Fire (1981).
This graph shows the number of British films made in the last 100 years
By the mid-twenties the British film industry was losing out to heavy competition from
Hollywood, the latter helped by having a much larger home market. In 1914, 25% of
films shown in the UK were British — by 1926 this had fallen to 5%.
The Cinematograph Films Act 1927 was passed in order to boost local production,
requiring that cinemas show a certain percentage of British films. The act was
technically a success, with audiences for British films becoming larger than the quota
required. But it had the effect of creating a market for 'quota quickies': poor quality,
low cost films, made in order to satisfy the quota. Some critics have blamed the
quickies for holding back the development of the industry. However, many British film
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5. makers learnt their craft making these films, including Michael Powell and Alfred
Hitchcock.
In the silent era, audiences were receptive to films from all nations. However, with
the advent of sound films, many foreign actors or those with strong regional accents
soon found themselves in less demand, and more 'formal' English (received
pronunciation) became the norm. Sound also increased the influence of already
popular American films.
World War II
The constraints imposed by World War II seemed to give new energy to the British
film industry. After a faltering start, British films began to make increasing use of
documentary techniques and former documentary film-makers to make more realistic
films, many of which helped to shape the popular image of the nation at war. Among
the best known of these films are In Which We Serve (1942), Went the Day Well?
(1942), We Dive at Dawn (1943), Millions Like Us (1943) and The Way Ahead
(1944). This also saw the beginning of what would become known as British Social
Realism which would re-emerge in the 1960’s with the ‘kitchen-sink/angry young man
dramas such as Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (1960) and This Sporting Life
(1963).
Post-war cinema
British cinema's growing international reputation was enhanced by the success of
The Red Shoes (1948), the most commercially successful film of its year in the U.S.,
and by Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, the first non-American film to win the Academy
Award for Best Picture. Ealing Studios embarked on their series of celebrated
comedies, including Whisky Galore (1948), Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) and
The Man in the White Suit (1951).
After a string of successful films, including the comedies The Lavender Hill Mob
(1951), The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) and The Ladykillers (1955), as well as
dramas like Dead of Night, Scott of the Antarctic and The Cruel Sea, Ealing Studios
finally ceased production in 1958, and the studios were taken over by the BBC for
television production.
Less restrictive censorship towards the end of the 1950s encouraged B-movie
producer Hammer Films to embark on their series of influential and wildly successful
horror films. Beginning with black and white adaptations of Nigel Kneale's BBC
science fiction serials The Quatermass Experiment (1955) and Quatermass II (1957),
Hammer quickly graduated to deceptively lavish colour versions of Frankenstein,
Dracula and The Mummy. Their enormous commercial success encouraged them to
turn out sequel after sequel, and led to an explosion in horror film production in
Britain that would last for nearly two decades. Hammer would dominate British horror
production throughout this period, but other companies were created specifically to
meet the new demand, including Amicus Productions and Tigon British.
The British New Wave: Social realisim in the 1960’s
The term British New Wave, or "Kitchen Sink Realism", is used to describe a group of
commercial feature films made between 1955 and 1963 which portrayed a more
gritty form of social realism than had been seen in British cinema previously. The
British New Wave feature films are often associated with a new openness about
working class life (e.g. A Taste of Honey, 1961), and previously taboo issues such as
abortion and homosexuality.
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6. The films were personal, poetic, imaginative in their use of sound and narration, and
featured ordinary working-class people with sympathy and respect.
The films also made stars out of their leading actors Albert Finney, Alan Bates, Rita
Tushingham, Richard Harris and Tom Courtenay.
The 1960s Boom
In the 1960s British studios began to enjoy major success in the international market
with a string of films that displayed a more liberated attitude to sex, capitalising on
the "swinging London" image propagated by Time magazine. Films like Darling, Alfie,
Blowup, Repulsion and later Women in Love, broke taboos around the portrayal of
sex and nudity on screen.
At the same time, producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli combined sex
with exotic locations, casual violence and self-referential humour in the
phenomenally successful James Bond series. The first film Dr. No was a sleeper hit
in Britain in 1962, and the second, From Russia with Love (1963), a hit worldwide. By
the time of the third film, Goldfinger (1964), the series had become a global
phenomenon, reaching its commercial peak with Thunderball the following year.
American directors were regularly working in London throughout the decade, but
several became permanent residents in Britain. Stanley Kubrick and Richard Lester
were also influential. Lester had a major hit with The Beatles films A Hard Day's
Night (1964) and Help! (1965),
The success of these films and others as diverse as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Zulu
(1964) and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) encouraged
American studios to invest significantly in British film production.
Towards the end of the decade social realism was beginning to make its way back
into British films again. Influenced by his work on the Wednesday Play on British
television, Ken Loach directed the realistic dramas Poor Cow and Kes.
The 1970s
With the film industry in both the United Kingdom and the United States entering into
recession, American studios cut back on domestic production, and in many cases
withdrew from financing British films altogether.
The British horror boom of the 1960s also finally came to an end by the mid-1970s,
with the leading producers Hammer and Amicus leaving the genre altogether in the
face of competition from independents in the United States. Films like The Texas
Chain Saw Massacre (1974) made Hammer's vampire films seem increasingly tame
and outdated, despite attempts to spice up the formula with added nudity and gore.
The horror boom was finally over by the middle of the decade.
Some British producers, including Hammer, turned to television series for inspiration,
and the big screen versions of shows and sit-coms like Steptoe and Son and On the
Buses proved successful with domestic audiences. The other major influence on
British comedy films in the decade was the Monty Python group, also from television.
Their two most successful films were Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), the latter a major commercial success, probably
at least in part due to the considerable controversy surrounding its release.
A loosening of censorship rules also brought on a minor boom of low-budget British
sex comedies and soft-core porn movies. Most notable among these were films
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7. starring Mary Millington such as Come Play with Me, and the Confessions of... series
starring Robin Askwith, beginning with Confessions of a Window Cleaner.
More relaxed censorship in the 1970s also brought several controversial films,
including Ken Russell's The Devils (1970), Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971),
Quadrophenia (1979), and Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). To take
advantage of tax incentives there, some American productions did return to the major
British studios in 1977-79, including Star Wars at Elstree Studios, Superman at
Pinewood, and Alien at Shepperton.
The 1980s: Renaissance and Recession
The decade began with the worst recession the British film industry had ever seen. In
1980 only 31 British films were made, down 50% on the previous year, and the
lowest output since 1914. Production was down again the following year, to 24 films.
However, the 1980s soon saw a renewed optimism, led by companies such as
Goldcrest (and producer David Puttnam), Channel 4, Handmade Films and Merchant
Ivory Productions.
When the Puttnam-produced Chariots of Fire (1981) won 4 Academy Awards in
1982, including best picture, its writer Colin Welland declared "the British are
coming!" (quoting Paul Revere). When in 1983 Gandhi (also produced by Goldcrest)
picked up best picture it looked as if he was right. It prompted a cycle of bigger
budget period films, including David Lean's final film A Passage to India (1984) and
the Merchant Ivory adaptations of the works of E. M. Forster, such as A Room with a
View (1986). However, further attempts to make 'big' productions for the US market
ended in failure, with Goldcrest losing independence after a trio of commercial flops,
including the 1986 Palme d'Or winner The Mission. By this stage the rest of the new
talent had moved on to Hollywood.
With the involvement of Channel 4 in film production a number of new talents were
developed including Stephen Frears (My Beautiful Laundrette).
Following the final winding up of the Rank Organisation, a series of company
consolidations in British cinema distribution meant that it became ever harder for
British productions. Another blow was the elimination of the tax concession by the
Conservative Government in 1984. The concession had made it possible for a
foreign film company to write off a large amount of its production costs by filming in
the UK — this was what attracted a succession of blockbuster productions to British
studios in the 1970s. Many studios closed or focused on television work.
British cinema in the 1990s
Film production in Britain hit one of its all-time lows in 1989. While cinema audiences
were climbing in the UK in the early 1990s, few British films were enjoying significant
commercial success, even in the home market. There was still a market for the
traditional British costume drama, and a large number of period films followed,
including Sense and Sensibility (1995), Restoration (1995), Emma (1996), Mrs.
Brown (1997), The Wings of the Dove (1997, Shakespeare in Love (1998).
The surprise success of the Richard Curtis-scripted comedy Four Weddings and a
Funeral (1994), which grossed $244 million worldwide and introduced Hugh Grant to
global fame, led to renewed interest and investment in British films, and set a pattern
for British-set romantic comedies, including Sliding Doors (1998) and Notting Hill
(1999). Working Title Films, the company behind many of these films, quickly
became one of the most successful British production companies of recent years,
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8. with other box office hits including Bean (1997), Elizabeth (1998) and Captain
Corelli's Mandolin (2001).
The new appetite for British comedy films lead to the popular comedies Brassed Off
(1996), and The Full Monty (1997). The latter film unexpectedly became a runaway
success and broke British box office records. Produced for under $4 m and grossing
$257 m internationally, studios were encouraged to start smaller subsidiaries
dedicated to looking for other low budget productions capable of producing similar
returns.
With the introduction of public funding for British films through the new National
Lottery something of a production boom occurred in the late 1990s, but only a few of
these films found significant commercial success, and many went unreleased. These
included several gangster films attempting to imitate Guy Ritchie's black comedies
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000).
American productions also began to return to British studios in the mid-1990s,
including Interview with the Vampire (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996), Saving
Private Ryan (1998), Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) and The
Mummy (1999), as well as the French production The Fifth Element (1997), at the
time claimed to be the most expensive film made in Britain.
Mike Leigh emerged as a significant figure in British cinema in the 1990s with a
series of films financed by Channel 4 about working and middle class life in modern
England, including Life Is Sweet (1991), Naked (1993) and his biggest hit Secrets
and Lies, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
Other new talents to emerge during the decade included the writer-director-producer
team of John Hodge, Danny Boyle and Andrew Macdonald responsible for Shallow
Grave (1994) and Trainspotting (1996).
British cinema since 2000
The new century has so far been a relatively successful one for the British film
industry. Many British films have found a wide international audience, and some of
the independent production companies, such as Working Title, have secured
financing and distribution deals with major American studios. Working Title scored
three major international successes, all starring Hugh Grant, with the romantic
comedies Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), which grossed $254 million worldwide; the
sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, which earned $228 million; and Richard
Curtis's directorial debut Love Actually (2003), which grossed $239 million. At the
same time, critically-acclaimed films such as Gosford Park (2001), Pride and
Prejudice (2005), The Constant Gardener (2005), The Queen (2006) and The Last
King of Scotland (2006) also brought prestige to the British film industry.
The new decade saw a major new film series in the US-backed but British made
Harry Potter films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001
and the numerous sequels.
Aardman Animations' Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit produced his first
feature length film, Chicken Run in 2000. Co-directed with Peter Lord, the film was a
major success worldwide and one of the most successful British films of its year.
Park's follow up, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was another
worldwide hit, despite its utterly English story, setting, conception and humour. The
film grossed $56 million at the US box office and £32 million in the UK. It also won
the 2005 Academy Award for best animated feature.
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9. The turn of the new century saw a revival of the British horror film. Lead by Danny
Boyle's acclaimed hit 28 Days Later (2002), other examples included The Hole, Dog
Soldiers, The Descent and the comedy Shaun of the Dead.
Notable British directors emerging during this period include Paul Greengrass
(Bloody Sunday, United 93, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum) Michael
Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Cock and Bull Story) and Stephen Daldry,
whose debut film Billy Elliot (2000) became one of the most successful British films of
its year.
More established directors were also busy during this period however. In 2004, Mike
Leigh directed Vera Drake, an account of a housewife who leads a double life as an
abortionist in 1950s London. The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film
Festival and three BAFTAs. Stephen Frears directed a trilogy of films about British
life, beginning with Dirty Pretty Things (about illegal migrant workers in London's
black economy), Mrs Henderson Presents (dealing with the Windmill Theatre in
World War II) and The Queen (based on the events surrounding the death of
Princess Diana). In 2006, Ken Loach won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival
with his account of the struggle for Irish Independence in The Wind That Shakes the
Barley.
In 2007 a number of new British films achieved critical and commercial recognition,
including a biography of the singer Ian Curtis in Control; the police comedy Hot Fuzz;
the sequel to Elizabeth entitled Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Joe Wright's
adaptation of the Ian McEwan novel Atonement. Set in 1935 and during the Second
World War, the film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Film.
Despite increasing competition from film studios in Australia and Eastern Europe
(especially the Czech Republic), British studios such as Pinewood, Shepperton and
Leavesden remained successful in hosting major foreign productions such as Finding
Neverland, V for Vendetta, Closer, The Mummy Returns, Troy, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, United 93, The Phantom of the Opera, The Golden
Compass, Sweeney Todd, Mamma Mia! and The Wolf Man.
The film industry remains an important earner for the British economy. According to a
UK Film Council press release of 15 January 2007, £840.1 million was spent on
making films in the UK during 2006.
English actor Daniel Craig became the new James Bond with Casino Royale, the
21st entry in the official Eon Productions series. The film was nominated for nine
BAFTA awards, the highest recognition for a Bond film. The 2008 British-produced
drama film Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle, has received worldwide
critical acclaim. It has won four Golden Globes, seven BAFTA Awards and eight
Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Film.
British actors and actresses have always been significant in international cinema.
Well-known currently active performers include Catherine Zeta Jones, Sir Ian
Mckellen ,Clive Owen, Rachel Weisz, Paul Bettany, Kate Winslet, Ewan McGregor,
Kate Beckinsale, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jude Law, Daniel Radcliffe, Keira
Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Orlando Bloom, Tilda Swinton, Daniel Day Lewis, Christian
Bale, Jason Statham, Rhys Ifans, Sir Ben Kingsley, Naveen Andrews, Parminder
Nagra and Dev Patel.
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10. Use the grid below to identify changing patterns in British film production
Decade Social contexts Types of films being
made
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
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11. Film maker Alan Parker noted in his 2002 presentation to the UK film industry
entitled ‘Building a Sustainable UK Film Industry:
“First. We have outstanding creative skills. We’ve got superb writers,
directors and actors – not to mention the creators of hugely valuable
intellectual properties like Harry Potter. Richard Curtis, for instance,
has written British films which have grossed over a billion dollars at the
world box office.
Second. We have outstanding studios and facilities companies, world
class costumiers, camera companies and digital post production
houses-studios and facilities which have been a magnet for inward
investment, principally from the US.
Third. We still have- just about- the finest technicians and craftspeople
anywhere-although they are diminishing at a worrying rate.
I could also add a fourth: we have the English language- not just the
same language of American movies, but also that of the Internet.”
• What do you think he meant by his last point? In what ways is this
advantageous?
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12. Global financial contexts
The global film industry is worth and estimated $63 billion (2002). The
American industry takes 80 per cent whereas Britain takes 5 per cent.
Although this may seem a comparatively very small share, it also means that
Britain has 25 per cent of the non-American share: a much healthier view!
The UK Film Council (2000-2011)
The UK Film Council (UKFC) was set up in 2000 by the Labour Government
as a non-departmental public body to develop and promote the film industry in
the UK. It is constituted as a private company limited by guarantee governed
by a board of 15 directors and is funded through sources including The
National Lottery.
Objectives
In its own words, the aim of UKFC is:
“To stimulate a competitive, successful and vibrant UK film industry and
culture, and to promote the widest possible enjoyment and understanding of
cinema throughout the nations and regions of the UK.”
UKFC has a mandate that spans cultural, social and economic priorities.
Activities
UKFC administers and funds a range of different activities, including:
• Film Making - Arguably the most visible activity of UKFC is its direct
funding for feature and short films. There are 3 Funds offering around
£17m Lottery funding per year for the production and development of
films.
The UK Film Council's International Department (previously known as
the British Film Commission) works to ensure that the UK remains an
attractive production base for international films.
• Exhibition & Distribution - The UK Film Council supports the
distribution and exhibition of specialised film in the UK and has
launched various schemes to do this.
• Education & Training - The UKFC also funds the British Film Institute
(BFI), Skillset, the sector skills agency for the audiovisual industry, and
First Light, which offers film-making opportunities to children.
• Regional & National Film Activity - The UKFC funds nine regional
screen agencies via its Regional Investment Fund for England (RIFE)
which deliver the Council's activities within each English region. It also
funds activity in the UK nations via Scottish Screen, Northern Ireland
Film and Television Commission and the Film Agency for Wales.
• Advocacy - The UKFC also acts as an advocacy body for the
country’s film industry. In 2004 UKFC criticised the BBC for not having
done enough for UK film making. Notable achievements in terms of
UKFC's advocacy role include the re-negotiation of tax incentives for
film-making in the UK.
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13. Read through the information about the UK film council
• Briefly, define the role of the studio and distributor in Hollywood
• How did the role of the UK Film Council differ? Consider both
production and distribution. Use the subheadings above to help you.
Closure of the UK Film Council
The current Conservative government abolished the UK Film Council in 2011.
From 1 April 2011 the UK Film Council's responsibilities for ensuring that the
economic, cultural and educational aspects of film would be effectively
represented at home and abroad by the British Film Institute (BFI) and Film
London.
Research
• Who are the BFI and what will their new role be?
• What were the reasons for closing the UK Film Council?
• Provide arguments for and against its closure. Use details from related
news items on this topic.
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14. CASE STUDY
Working Title Films
Movies produced by Working Title Films
1. Bran Mak Morn (2010) ... Production Company 61. Notting Hill (1999) ... Production Company
2. The Pact (2010) ... Production Company 62. Plunkett & Macleane (1999) ... Production Company
3. Paul (2010) ... Production Company 63. The Hi-Lo Country (1998) ... Production Company
4. The World's End (2010) ... Production Company 64. Elizabeth (1998) ... Production Company
5. Green Zone (2009) ... Production Company 65. What Rats Won't Do (1998) ... Production Company
6. A Serious Man (2009) ... Production Company 66. "More Tales of the City" (1998) ... Production Company
7. The Soloist (2009) ... Production Company 67. The Big Lebowski (1998) ... Production Company
8. State of Play (2009) ... Production Company 68. Eight (1998) ... Production Company
9. The Boat That Rocked (2009) ... Production Company 69. The Borrowers (1997) ... Production Company
10. Birdsong (2009) ... Production Company 70. The MatchMaker (1997) ... Production Company
11. The Dangerous Husband (2009) ... Production Company 71. Bean (1997) ... Production Company
12. Hippie Hippie Shake (2009) ... Production Company 72. Huitième jour, Le (1996) ... Production Company
13. Lost for Words (2009) ... Production Company 73. "Zig and Zag's Dirty Deeds" (1996) ... Production Company
14. The Troubleshooter (2009) ... Production Company 74. Fargo (1996) ... Production Company (in association with)
15. Gimme Shelter (2008) (V) ... Production Company 75. Loch Ness (1996) ... Production Company
16. Frost/Nixon (2008) ... Production Company 76. Dead Man Walking (1995) ... Production Company
17. Burn After Reading (2008) ... Production Company 77. Moonlight and Valentino (1995) ... Production Company
18. Wild Child (2008) ... Production Company 78. French Kiss (1995) ... Production Company
19. Definitely, Maybe (2008) ... Production Company 79. Panther (1995/I) ... Production Company
20. Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) ... Production Company 80. Land and Freedom (1995) ... Production Company
21. Atonement (2007) ... Production Company (developed with the support of) (as Working Title)
22. Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) ... Production Company 81. That Eye, the Sky (1994) ... Production Company
23. Gone (2007/III) ... Production Company 82. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) ... Production Company
24. Hot Fuzz (2007) ... Production Company 83. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) ... Production
25. "The Tudors" (2007) ... Production Company Company
26. Smokin' Aces (2006) ... Production Company (producer) 84. "The Return of the Borrowers" (1993) ... Production
27. Sixty Six (2006) ... Production Company Company
28. Catch a Fire (2006) ... Production Company 85. The Young Americans (1993) ... Production Company
29. United 93: The Families and the Film (2006) (V) ... 86. Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) ... Production Company
Production Company 87. Posse (1993) ... Production Company
30. United 93 (2006) ... Production Company 88. "Tales of the City" (1993) ... Production Company
31. Nanny McPhee (2005) ... Production Company 89. Map of the Human Heart (1993) ... Production Company
32. Pride & Prejudice (2005) ... Production Company (as 90. Bob Roberts (1992) ... Production Company
Working Title) 91. Dakota Road (1992) ... Production Company
33. The Interpreter (2005) ... Production Company 92. "The Comic Strip Presents...: Red Nose of Courage (#6.1)"
34. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) ... Production (1992) ... Production Company
Company 93. London Kills Me (1991) ... Production Company
35. The Answer (2004) ... Production Company 94. Edward II (1991) ... Production Company
36. Inside I'm Dancing (2004) ... Production Company 95. Barton Fink (1991) ... Production Company
37. Wimbledon (2004) ... Production Company 96. Smack and Thistle (1991) (TV) ... Production Company
38. Mickybo and Me (2004) ... Production Company 97. Robin Hood (1991/I) (TV) ... Production Company (as A
39. Thunderbirds (2004) ... Production Company (presents) Working Title Production)
40. The Calcium Kid (2004) ... Production Company (presents) 98. Drop Dead Fred (1991) ... Production Company
41. Shaun of the Dead (2004) ... Production Company 99. Rubin and Ed (1991) ... Production Company
42. Double Bill (2003) (TV) ... Production Company 100. Chicago Joe and the Showgirl (1990) ... Production
43. Love Actually (2003) ... Production Company (producer) Company
(as Working Title) 101. Fools of Fortune (1990) ... Production Company
44. Johnny English (2003) ... Production Company 102. Arcadia (1990) ... Production Company
45. Ned Kelly (2003) ... Production Company 103. Diamond Skulls (1989) ... Production Company
46. The Shape of Things (2003) ... Production Company 104. The Tall Guy (1989) ... Production Company
47. Thirteen (2003) ... Production Company 105. Paperhouse (1988) ... Production Company
48. My Little Eye (2002) ... Production Company 106. A World Apart (1988) ... Production Company
49. The Guru (2002) ... Production Company 107. Echoes (1988) (TV) ... Production Company
50. About a Boy (2002) ... Production Company 108. For Queen & Country (1988) ... Production Company
51. Ali G Indahouse (2002) ... Production Company 109. Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) ... Production Company
52. 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002) ... Production Company 110. Wish You Were Here (1987) ... Production Company
53. Long Time Dead (2002) ... Production Company 111. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) ... Production Company
54. The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) ... Production Company
55. Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) ... Production Company
112. The Man Who Shot Christmas (1984) ... Production Company
56. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) ... Production Company
(as Big Science Ltd.)
57. The Man Who Cried (2000) ... Production Company
58. Billy Elliot (2000) ... Production Company (presents)
59. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) ... Production
Company (as Working Title)
60. High Fidelity (2000) ... Production Company
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15. • Look over the list of films produced by Working Title. Try to make a
shortlist of what you think would have been most popular (maybe they
are those you have seen). What sort of films are they? What sort of
films do Working Title seem to produce? Are there any consistencies?
In November 1982, Channel 4 was launched. Its remit was to produce an
alternative to BBC and ITV (which produced mainstream programming). It
soon had a reputation for screening a broad range of programmes,
sometimes controversial, which covered a range of issues and varying
representations. The film production wing was launched shortly after (named
Channel Four films, later renamed Film Four) which produced films in line with
its TV remit: non-mainstream, ‘edgy’ and sometimes controversial film
making.
The first film to be produced by Working Title was a co-production with
Channel Four Films: My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
• What state was the British film industry in during the early
1980’s?
• In what ways does this film represent this ‘alternative’ ethic put
forward by Channel Four Films? Why would Working Title be
interested in this?
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16. Working Title built on the success of this film by producing other social realist
films such as For Queen and Country (1988) which deals with race and
identity in the context of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Such successes
brought international recognition but the company remained a British
independent studio meaning that major financial investment was hard to come
by: a major investor was needed.
In 1992, Working Title Films joined forces with PolyGram.
POLYGRAM
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment was a London-based Anglo-Dutch film
studio, founded in 1979 as a European competitor to Hollywood, but
eventually sold and merged with Universal Pictures in 1999.
Among its most successful films were Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994),
Fargo (1996), and What Dreams May Come (1998). From 1989 to 1997 they
co-produced with Warner Bros. the original Batman movie series directed by
Tim Burton & Joel Schumacher, and starring Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and
George Clooney.
The Dutch music company PolyGram (owned by Philips) created PFE in 1979
to consolidate its existing film companies. It invested US$200 million with the
intention of developing a European film studio that could produce and
distribute films internationally on a scale to match the major Hollywood
studios.
Following the style of its music business, the company produced films through
a number of creatively semi-autonomous 'labels', such as Working Title Films
in the UK and Propaganda Films and Interscope Communications in the
United States – It also built up it own network of distribution companies.
Film production within Polygram differed from traditional Hollywood studios, in
that power to make ('green light') a film was not centralised in the hands of a
small number of executives, but instead was decided by negotiations between
producers, management and marketing. PFE President, Michael Kuhn,
claimed that "movies sort of green lit themselves."
The company was based in the United Kingdom, and invested heavily in
British film making — some credit it with reviving the British film industry in the
1990s. Despite a successful production history, Philips decided to sell PFE to
the beverage (liquor) conglomerate Seagram in 1999, who also owned
Universal.
This lead to financial security for Working Title, and the opportunity to
compete on a global scale. With this though came a change in direction for
Working Title. If a movie was to be a global hit, then its content had to be
globally appealing.
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17. • Look over the marketing material for Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1994) and Love Actually (2003). What makes this film acceptable to
audiences inside and outside of the UK?
• What similarities can you identify?
Look at Shaun of the Dead (2004).
• How was this film funded?
• What was its budget?
• How much did it make?
• Who distributed it?
• Why do you think it was a success?
• How does this fit into the idea of a ‘British’ film?
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