SOCIAL REALISM TIMELINE

ERA 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s

KEY FILMS

Don’t look back in anger. Kes. Quadraphenia. Made in Britain. Nil by mouth.

BRITISH

SOCIAL

REALIST

CONVENTIONS

Working class clothes.

Alcohol. Raining.

Lighting and location is

dull. Woman beater.

Market. Hard, menial

work. Trouble from

authority

Old man football coach.

Football. Cold weather.

Trouble from authority

(Teacher). Bland setting,

dull lighting. Regional

accent. Common

language. Raised voices.

Short shorts. Pale skin.

Mischief.

Shows the social group

of “Mods” during the

1970’s and their culture.

Dark, gloomy staircase.

Narrow hall way. Small

house, heavily

populated urban areas.

Abusive father.

Alcoholism. Cockney

accent. Interior design.

Ignorant British attitude.

Skinhead. Trouble with

authority. Depression.

Problematic. Social

workers. Skinhead

fashion. Swastikas.

Social rejects. Help

furthering the problem.

Domestic violence. Foul

language. Jealous men.

Alpha males. Stupid

arguments. Taking

control/losing it.

Alcoholism. Anger

problems - Result of

gritty, abusive

childhood.

APPEAL TO A

NICHE

BRITISH

AUDIENCE

Working class people

that may have been in

the same abusive

situation could relate in

watching the film.

Use of regional British

accents, the moors,

football. Brass band

music. Celebrating the

bland, grittiness of

Britain

Showing the specific

social group of that era.

The small housing.

Traditional British music.

Ignorant British attitude.

Shows our British rehab

systems and how they

usually do the opposite

of their purpose. Social

rejects, mainly youth.

Shows how our British

way of parenting

affected that generation

in later life. Defects in

society. Problematic

relationships.

Arguments about

playing pool down the

pub.