Studying British Cinema: The 1980s

by Freddie Gaffney

In this new installment of Auteur's series on Studying British Cinema (volumes on the 1960s, 1990s and the aughts now available), Freddie Gaffney recounts a decade that prompted a renaissance in British filmmaking. He selects a range of films that underscore the social, political, historical, and industrial developments of the period. Beginning with an overview that captures the state of British cinema at the turn of the decade through several engaging cultural critiques, Freddie Gaffney explains why the 1980s marked a significant turning point in the evolution of British cinema and follows with a succession of case studies emblematic of the topics he confronts: Margaret Thatcher's Britain (The Long Good Friday (1980)), the "troubles" of Northern Ireland (Neil Jordan's Angel (1982)), comedies (Withnail and I (1986)), the "heritage" film (Chariots of Fire (1981)), parochial features (Gregory's Girl (1981)), epics (The Mission (1986)), and the effects of various genres on the indigenous film industry.