name some awesome British gangster movies
Jan 16, 2020 23:14:54 GMT
spiderwort, OldAussie, and 1 more like this
Post by london777 on Jan 16, 2020 23:14:54 GMT
We don't really do gangster films because we are a very law-abiding nation, but a few have crept under the net.
A class ahead of anything else are Get Carter (1971) dir: Mike Hodges and The Long Good Friday (1980) dir: John Mackenzie, both recently discussed on this board, so I will not say more other than to note that the main appeal of both films is that they are set against a background of social change in the UK (redevelopment of Newcastle and London Docklands respectively), an ongoing process which has left the traditional working-class disorientated and betrayed, and culminated in the recent General Election. Also both could be described as neo-noirs, in that the protagonists both arrogantly assume that they can handle anything thrown at them, but do not understand the forces with which they are contending, so hurry to their own destruction.
Also worth a look are Layer Cake (2004) dir: Matthew Vaughn, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) both directed by Guy Ritchie before he went mad and married Madonna. "Layer Cake" attempts the same themes as the two best movies, while the two Ritchies are laddish (though violent) comedy-capers with lots of misunderstandings as numerous factions compete for the McGuffins. I have a weakness for mistaken identity comedies, from Shakespeare thru Alan Ayckbourn.
Also watch Sexy Beast (2000) dir: Jonathan Glazer for a terrifying performance by Ben Kingsley as a psycho criminal in an otherwise forgettable movie.
A class ahead of anything else are Get Carter (1971) dir: Mike Hodges and The Long Good Friday (1980) dir: John Mackenzie, both recently discussed on this board, so I will not say more other than to note that the main appeal of both films is that they are set against a background of social change in the UK (redevelopment of Newcastle and London Docklands respectively), an ongoing process which has left the traditional working-class disorientated and betrayed, and culminated in the recent General Election. Also both could be described as neo-noirs, in that the protagonists both arrogantly assume that they can handle anything thrown at them, but do not understand the forces with which they are contending, so hurry to their own destruction.
Also worth a look are Layer Cake (2004) dir: Matthew Vaughn, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) both directed by Guy Ritchie before he went mad and married Madonna. "Layer Cake" attempts the same themes as the two best movies, while the two Ritchies are laddish (though violent) comedy-capers with lots of misunderstandings as numerous factions compete for the McGuffins. I have a weakness for mistaken identity comedies, from Shakespeare thru Alan Ayckbourn.
Also watch Sexy Beast (2000) dir: Jonathan Glazer for a terrifying performance by Ben Kingsley as a psycho criminal in an otherwise forgettable movie.