Dystopian Motif in British Cinema/Art

[Martinus]

"Brasil", Loncraine's "Richard III", "V for Vendetta", Jarman's "Edward II" (but also "1984") - there is a very distinct "line" of movies and books in British culture that features this bleak, dystopian police state as the chief enemy - something that is, for example, much less common in the American cinema (one movie I can think of is "12 Monkeys" - but again you could say this is a British movie despite having American actors).

I was wondering - since most of these movies were made in the 1980s or the 1990s - is this just a reaction to the Thatcher's era, or is this something going more into the past?

And how does it square off with the Britain being the "CCTV Nation" and whatnot?

Care to weigh in, Brits and Brit-o-philes?

[Razgovory]

The British are a dreary bunch?

[Martinus]

The British are a dreary bunch?

Nah. Besides, I think this makes them very European. I'm just curious if this is a recent phenomenon (a reaction to the long winter of Thatcherism) or has this been present in the British culture for a longer time.

[Razgovory]

I think a long time.  Due to the fact they live in Britain.  The entire history of the British people is the struggle to escape Britain.  Why do you think they created an Empire?

[Martinus]

Yeah, but I think it is curious.

I mean the whole "black helicopter" syndrome and anti-government sentiment is much more pronounced in American rather than British culture, for example (at least that's my impression). But when it comes to art (especially cinema, which according the Lenin is the most important of arts), this seems to be the opposite - in American cinema (Nixon excepted) if there is some government conspiracy, it is usually without the knowledge/against the will of the President - in the UK, the Prime Minister is sitting in the middle and pulling all the strings.

[Agelastus]

Slightly facetiously, I blame George Orwell.

Less facetiously, I suspect you are seeing a reaction to the regimentation and suspicion forced on a previously remarkably laissez-faire and liberal British society by the World Wars. Licensing hours, for example, date to WWI, as a "temporary measure" that is still with us.

There's a lot more to it than that; the dystopian, rather than police state, aspect can probably be traced back to Tudor and Elizabethan times.

[Alatriste]

I have to think about this longer before answering, but British movies, books and TV series seem to go from a deep nostalgic love for the 20s and the 30s, the days before the Second World War, to a deep mistrust of the future, described as a police and/or fascist state with shades of 1984 (and present days seem very often described as an endless process of economic decadence and social difficulties, 'Full Monty' style).

But I don't think Thatcher is the reason; the British of Tony Blair's years seem equally worried about the omnipresence of surveillance cameras, excessive police powers, gradual erosion of civil liberties, etc, etc.

[Admiral Yi]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

[Ed Anger]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

V for Vendetta was awful. The good guys lost. 

[Martinus]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

The movie? Perhaps (although I didn't take it that way). The comic book on which it was based, however, was clearly anti-thacherite, though.

[Martinus]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

V for Vendetta was awful. The good guys lost. 

I have a sudden urge to listen to Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture.

[Queequeg]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

That was the fantastically awful, miscast movie*.  The book is a lot more British.


*WHO THE FUCK CAST NATALIE PORTMAN? V IS OBSESSED WITH MUSICALS, HAS A BITING, CAUSTIC WIT AND DRESSES FABULOUSLY IN A DRESS: HOW THE FUCK DID THEY HAVE STEPHEN FRY IN IT, AND NOT CAST HIM AS THE BRILLIANT, SARCASTIC, VERY OBVIOUSLY GAY SUPER HERO?!?!?!?!

[Martinus]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

That was the fantastically awful, miscast movie*.  The book is a lot more British.


*WHO THE FUCK CAST NATALIE PORTMAN? V IS OBSESSED WITH MUSICALS, HAS A BITING, CAUSTIC WIT AND DRESSES FABULOUSLY IN A DRESS: HOW THE FUCK DID THEY HAVE STEPHEN FRY IN IT, AND NOT CAST HIM AS THE BRILLIANT, SARCASTIC, VERY OBVIOUSLY GAY SUPER HERO?!?!?!?!

Because he is fat.

[Admiral Yi]

The movie? Perhaps (although I didn't take it that way). The comic book on which it was based, however, was clearly anti-thacherite, though.

A right wing government that comes to power on a faked terrorist attack and is dominated by a televangelist?  What does that have to do with Thatcher?

[Ed Anger]

V for Vendetta was a transparent attack on Bush's faith based fanaticism.

That was the fantastically awful, miscast movie*.  The book is a lot more British.


*WHO THE FUCK CAST NATALIE PORTMAN? V IS OBSESSED WITH MUSICALS, HAS A BITING, CAUSTIC WIT AND DRESSES FABULOUSLY IN A DRESS: HOW THE FUCK DID THEY HAVE STEPHEN FRY IN IT, AND NOT CAST HIM AS THE BRILLIANT, SARCASTIC, VERY OBVIOUSLY GAY SUPER HERO?!?!?!?!

You sound fat.