[oncemore]

Hello Movies forum,

I have a question and I hope you all can answer it for me.

I've been inspired by the Olympics and also I'm an anglophile (Whales-ophile, NI-ophile and Scotland-ophile as well - yes some of us Americans know the difference), and I'm looking for a good list of films that I can really sink my teeth into, that are good films and also give a worthwhile representation of, well, pretty much anything that shows you guys off, for better or for worse.

I apologise in advance if this request seems really dorky, but I love your country and I hope you can help me out.

apologies for my grammar.

[Hassaan13]

Hunger Games?

sorry, that's the best I could think of.

[MissDexter]

Originally Posted by oncemore

Hello Movies forum,

I have a question and I hope you all can answer it for me.

I've been inspired by the Olympics and also I'm an anglophile (Whales-ophile, NI-ophile and Scotland-ophile as well - yes some of us Americans know the difference), and I'm looking for a good list of films that I can really sink my teeth into, that are good films and also give a worthwhile representation of, well, pretty much anything that shows you guys off, for better or for worse.

I apologise in advance if this request seems really dorky, but I love your country and I hope you can help me out.

apologies for my grammar.

Hi, can you clarify - are you just after titles of British films that give you some idea of our culture and way of life in general or do you want sport-related (the Olympics mention has thrown me).

[CLL Dodge]

Here's a Time Out list of the 100 best British Films:

http://www.timeout.com/london/featur...-the-full-list

Not all of these may be British in subject matter.

[Deb Arkle]

Originally Posted by Hassaan13

Hunger Games?

sorry, that's the best I could think of.

I've not seen the film, but was under the impression the book was set in a future USA?

OP - Kes is a great film, there was a short clip of it in the olympic opening ceremony. Billy Elliott is good too, also Gregory's Girl and Bend it like Beckham (trying to think of films which evoke UK well).

[oncemore]

Originally Posted by MissDexter

Hi, can you clarify - are you just after titles of British films that give you some idea of our culture and way of life in general or do you want sport-related (the Olympics mention has thrown me).

British films that give a bit of perspective into any of the things you think about and deal with as a British person.

Sorry for my ambiguity! I meant that watching the Olympics (I'm a huge sports fan) had brought it home that I really want to know more about the UK and film is such a good medium.

Sorry!

[oncemore]

Originally Posted by CLL Dodge

Here's a Time Out list of the 100 best British Films:

http://www.timeout.com/london/featur...-the-full-list

Not all of these may be British in subject matter.

Of that list, which ones are your favorites?

'This is England' is probably one of my favorite films. It caused me to search about the Falklands War (which I didn't know anything about - thank you very much American public school education) and also some interesting tidbits about English culture. Good film.

[h007]

The original British version of Death at a funeral is much better than the American remake and very funny

[Scubamonkey]

Try......

Eden lake
Dead mans shoes
Rita sue and bob too
The comittments
In the name of the father
My left foot
The full monty
Sommers town

[Takae]

Looking at that Time Out list, here are the ones I liked:

If...
Whisky Galore!
Withnail and I
The Lady Vanishes
The 39 Steps
Local Hero (it has Burt Lancaster in it)
Gregory's Girl
The Innocents
Billy Liar
The Fallen Idol
The Servant
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Hope and Glory
The Long Day Closes / Still Lives, Distant Voices
The Long Good Friday (a bit violent and bleak)
Get Carter (a bit violent and bleak)

To be honest, the good would be mini TV series:

State of Play
Our Friends in the North
Edge of Darkness (RIP Bob Peck)
Red Riding: the Year of (1974, 1980, 1983)
Blackpool
The Mad Death
Conviction
Porterhouse Blue
The Crow Road
Brideshead Revisited
Red Thin Line
The Shell Seekers
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

(2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is a British film? Really?)

[Hutchy_Muse]

Submarine
Trainspotting
Shallow Grave
Control

[NoseyLouie]

Nil By Mouth

Control

Yeah Local Hero is a good film

[bazzaroo]

Another vote for Nil By Mouth, a simply outstanding insight into inner city life.

[tinyangel]

The original Italian Job with Michael Caine is an absolute classic!

[uberman]

Sexy Beast
The Business
Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Ze
Naked

[CLL Dodge]

Originally Posted by Takae

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is a British film? Really?

Stanley Kubrick Productions was a British production company though the money came from MGM. Warner Bros. now have the rights.

[JCR]

Originally Posted by Deb Arkle

I've not seen the film, but was under the impression the book was set in a future USA?

OP - Kes is a great film, there was a short clip of it in the olympic opening ceremony. Billy Elliott is good too, also Gregory's Girl and Bend it like Beckham (trying to think of films which evoke UK well).

I'm not sure Kes could travel that well, I had a struggle working out the dialogue, even with subs on.

[spiney2]

britfilms. well .........

the entire powell/pressburger cannon but .......

the red shoes (probably the most famous)

life and death of colonel blimp (the "british citizen kane")

a matter of life and death (surrealist masterpiece)

all very watchable .......

[spiney2]

..... the ealing comdies some already mentioned but ........

kind hearts and corohets. tour de force by alec guiness.

the lavender hill mob starring alec guiness.

the titfield tunderbolt. not the best know but very british. anti establishment. michael balcon who ran ealing studios hated the postwar atlee government.

passport to pimlico. an anti postwar rationing rant. ditto above remarks ......

[spiney2]

some quintessental bitfilms .........

the cruel sea starring jack hawkins.

the league of gentlemen. also jack hawkins. crime caper. comment on uk class system as are so many britfilms .......

the lonliness of the long distance runner. class again.

billy liar. about ..... er ......class.

saturday night sunday morning. the original kitchen sink film. about .... er ....the class system ......

if. lindsay anderson's criticism of ...... lets see ...... oh yes the class system. set in a uk "public" (ie private fee paying) school .....

also lindsay anderson. this sporting life. something to do with the class system .....

[spiney2]

we made some damn fine comedies. mostly about the class system .....

im alright jack. peter sellers' most famous film. really an anti trade union rant but saved by great performances .........

carry on cleo. probably the best of the carry on films. farcical bawdy adaptation of bernard shaws ceaser and cleopatra. looks good because it was filmed on the sets of cleopatra starring elizabeth taylor. after she finished and before they were taken down.

anything with alistair sim. try school for scoundrels. adapted from steven potter's lifemanship books. once very popular.

[spiney2]

derek jarman. uk arthouse gay filmmaker who died of aids. see his version of shakespeare's the tempest. reckoned to be one of 5 or 6 best ever filmed shakespeares.

peter greenaway. also arthouse. not gay but extremely damn weird. the draughtmans contract. pretty good. his later stuff gets increasingly unwatchable.

[spiney2]

neil jordan. irish but never mind ........

the company of wolves. suberb film of angela carter's magical realist novel about developing sexuality.

the crying game. famous twist in the story.

[spiney2]

you would have to watch a norman wisdom film (he died a few months back). personally i cant but it is part of our culture.

[spiney2]

the ipccress file is anti james bond. sleazy non glamourous (brit spelling) spying. the film is stylish but very cryptic. and about theclass system. obviously. actually i recommend u read len deightons novel on which film is based. very 1960s london. gives a real feel for it ......

also starring michael caine. the italian job already mentioned. also has comedian benny hill who brits found somewhat embarrasing but was very popular in usa.

also ..... caine ........ alfie. about the class system (what else?). and get carter. a seminal brit gangster film.