I can’t help but feel that we are living through a golden age of British cult comedies at the cinema right now.
This short (but possibly quite divisive) statement comes courtesy of the recent Attack the Block release, a film by one half of everyone’s favourite (read: my favourite) comedy duo, Joe “Dr Sexy” Cornish. The film is a fantastic sci-fi/horror/comedy mash up which perfectly captures the feel of the 80s creature features. These films themselves were cult features in their own right and cemented their directors in movie history with the likes of John Carpenter and even Steven Spielberg amongst their ranks.
But this whole point goes much further than just Attack the Block. To start from the beginning we probably have to thank Channel 4’s commissioning editors from the mid-late 1990s for the influx of fantastic British talent permeating cinema today. Without that period of television we wouldn’t have the aforementioned Adam and Joe as well as Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Edgar Wright, Chris Morris, Ricky Gervais, Jessica Haynes… the list goes on. That period of classic cult television not only launched their careers but it is also littered with clues as to what was to come cinematically.
Nick Frost's loveable Drug Dealer in Attack the Block
Take Spaced for example. Much has been written by smarter and better looking people than I about the brilliance of this series from its loving pop culture references to its cinematic sensibilities, but I’m going to do my best to talk about it again. So stick with me.
Within Spaced you’ll find the blueprints for all of its member’s later work, from Shaun of the Dead to Scott Pilgrim (which, although technically isn’t a British film, it is an Edgar Wright piece). Here was a series which perfectly captured the tone of the generation whislt blended this modern feel with classic staples and incredibly cinematic production values. The classic paintball element alone is enough to work out why Edgar Wright was able to handle Hot Fuzz’s extreme action sequences with the ability of a seasoned pro, whilst never letting the hilarity slide.
Moving on from Spaced to The Adam and Joe show we can see in the Toy Movie sections that Joe Cornish was clearly honing the skills of his heroes which have so deftly allowed him to move into the world of movies. One of the overriding things of brilliance within Attack The Block is the way it looks- and it does look truly spectacular. It is not easy to make a debut feature of this sort look as “Hollywood” as it does, but the deftness of the lighting and the beautifully shot corridor sequences show a true understanding of what makes films look spectacular on that big silver screen. It is actually one of the key elements as to why these films are making such big names of their directors and stars- they don’t look like low budget British movies, they look like glossy, high budget box office smashes. It may seem a little superficial but it is a critically important point in the success of a movie overseas and the fact that these directors are able to achieve such results highlights the importance of the movies they are making.
Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish- Heroes of Modern British Cinema
We could in fact go back even further to the late 70s/ early 80s, when many of this current crop of British talent was growing up. So much of the work produced by this group is, as I’ve stated, heavily informed by the movies of this time. Shaun of the Dead features countless nods to Romero’s classic zombie tropes, with its title even being a parody of his classic Dawn of the Dead. Growing up on these movies has informed the decisions they take and has bled (pardon the pun) into the work they are now producing. So not only are we able to watch truly original and entertaining new British filmmaking, we are also treated to a heavy dose of nostalgia which further enhances the experience. At the time Hot Fuzz was released I remember Edgar Wright saying the concept arose from the desire to see British police officers behaving in the ludicrously explosive manner of their American screen counterparts. The closet we’d ever really come was The Sweeny…or Morse. Now we had action heroes of our own!
It’s important to note as well that these aren’t just parodies. They are interesting and engaging movies in their own right, fitting in comfortably as genre pieces over and above the comedy elements. Shaun is a fantastic zombie movie, Four Lions is, simply put, one of the greatest satires I’ve ever seen, Attack The Block had my friend properly jumping with fear (though, he is a bit of a light weight when it comes to those things). I could go on but I won’t bore you, you’ve seen the movies. You know how good they are.
Umm, Shaun, you've got red on you.
We don’t just do comedies though. Look at Duncan Jones! Moon is one of the greatest moments of Sci-Fi in recent years, deftly blending a Kubrick-esque story line and visual palette into a low budget piece of film making. And Hollywood noticed, with Jones now an incredibly sort after director- probably more so after the success of his second mind bending feature Source Code. He has the same ideas running through his movies as Edgar Wright; they are fast paced, full of likeable characters, have an amazing visual palette, are original and more than anything are truly cinematic.
The spectacular "Moon"
This is why I feel we’re living in a golden age of British cinema. Cinema in this country is often seen as being full of gritty realism and, to be fair, we do do that better than pretty much any other country. But right now we are producing the kind of movies which are able to storm mainstream audiences and Hollywood without having to be part of the studio politics. They are all socially relevant and have deeper meanings if you wish to look for them but above all else they are truly enjoyable pieces of escapist film making.
British film making at its best?
Believe Bruv.
P.S Just in case you were wondering how to make your own classic cult movie, here is expert director Ken Korda with the greatest pieces of advice you’ll ever be given.
Reece's Pieces 