British Film Industry (?)

Does UK have an industry?

Do British films appeal to mainstream US audiences?

If so, do they have cultural relevance to UK?

Should UK films aim to have wider appeal by loosing cultural issues?

Is Harry Potter a British film?

How should UK finance films?


Any answers and general discussion regarding these questions and the questionable existence of a UK indusrty would be groovy.

It's not at all to do with my upcoming exam, honest

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Ar the risk of sounding like a dork, I have a hard time telling UK films from american ones. The language is... you know... pretty similar. I don't know where all the studios are, so if it's not Paramount or Universal, it might be either place for all I know. I watched Sliding Doors the other day, for example. It was set in London, I'm pretty sure, but I have no idea if the company was UK or US.

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Try the BFI website - here

It's interesting reading even if you don't have an exam coming up...

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Yes indeed the uk does have a film industry and many britsh movies are made without an american audience in mind. The cultural references in a british movie is what makes the movie british so of course they shouldn't drop cultural references for the sake of an american audience.

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Hey, I'm doing the same exam, so maybe we're in the same boat. I'll try to help though.

Does UK have an industry?
I certainly hope so or we're doing an exam on something that doesn't exist. No, we do have an industry here in Britain. I'd say it's very successful but my teacher and the actual "facts" disagree.

Do British films appeal to mainstream US audiences?
Shaun of the Dead did. So did Full Monty. But then again Lock Stock failed in America. Guess it depends on the film.

If so, do they have cultural relevance to UK?
Both Full Monty and Shaun of the Dead did so the answer must be yes.

Should UK films aim to have wider appeal by loosing cultural issues?
You see there is a dilemma here. We could go and make "mainstream" but then we lose part of what makes us British. In fact some places that give funding refuse to give funding to the more "mainstream" films according to the "Gurilla filmmakers guide"

Is Harry Potter a British film?
I'd say yes. But according to some security general 75% of the funding has to return to Britain. So I'm not sure. I'd still say yes though.

How should UK finance films?
With Money.

Hope this helps.

There is a British film industry, but due to lack of funding, government taxes and a no risk attitude, we haven't made many films of note. Scotland in particular is full of talent, but with very little funding available and no platform to showcase talent, many of us hopefulls have to leave britain or give up our dreams!!! As for making British movies more Americanised, this would loose the individuality which once made the British industry great. There are loads of British directors in the US, Chris Nolan and Michael Caton-Jones to mention but 2. Check out imdb website, or scottishsreen.co.uk, good luck with the exam !!!

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Toga, toga, toga......


Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?

Movies like this put the british film industry back years

Basically, UK film industries are Working Title which have a deal with with Universal for American distribution of their generally formulaic Hugh Grant rom-coms. And i think this is the problem, these are general and wide appealing films but culturally relevant films i.e. A Way of Life and Dead Man's Shoes, enjoy nowhere near the success of Love Actually, although probably better films as there's not the money invested in them to give enough prints for success.

And a possible reason for the lack of British industry is all our stars move to Hollywood- Ridley Scott.

And as you mentioned above, no UK industries often mean shared deals with American money, filmed in UK- so does this make them UK films or American?

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I think the British Film Industry has always been of a high standard and continues to get stronger. I agree that it doesn't really appeal to a wide American audience all that much but i think that is definitely due to the difference in the humour. As we are all aware, British film loves to use a mass amount of sarcasm and dry wit, which the Americans just don't really get. It's not their fault, but i don't believe the BFI should have to alter itself in any way to appeal to a wider American audience. If British Film were to be glamourised, it would, in effect, be destroyed.