Monday, 9 March 2015

Notes from 'Think of England'


Martin Parr 1999
  • Begins with questions that he will asking
  • Voice behind camera brings in performative element
  • Immediately introduces the contrast of class - perhaps answering that Englishness is in fact based on class distinctions
  • Uses people's answers to questions to raise queries eg british vs english
  • Dialectic approach in way it cuts from a man saying there is no hooliganism to a different man opening a woman's coat to reveal her low cut top
  • Introduces concept of Britain vs others, namely Germany the only country Britain is really able to say it rightfully invaded
  • Goes from pub to posh people having an extra pimms - the same things but in a different manner
  • Things like sport returned to as a uniting point for different people
  • No names of places given, focusing on the people
  • Interviews while they're doing something
  • Begins with Southern accent, moves west, but multiple examples of accents being deceiving - not the same as where people are from necessarily
  • Shots of flags in different places
  • Social mobility
  • Different scenes - city, country fete, beach
  • Traditions eg Sunday lunch
  • Gradually comes to people who define england as opposed to other countries
  • Racism 'send them all back' - whiteness as part of englishness, people who were once subjects of the British empire no longer count
  • This is followed by a woman saying she likes the fact that immigrants can find a home is England - multiple perspectives existing in country, neither more english than the other
  • Where home is and how use nationality to define yourself
  • Normal people not authorities
  • Weather
  • Goes to places where people gather - filming community
  • Different ages
  • Unity of englishness - north south divide
  • capturing moments of life

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