COULSDON COLLEGE: MEDIA TEXT INFORMATION SHEET

TITLE:

STARRED UP

YEAR OF PROD:

2013

TYPE:

FILM A

TELEVISION

DOC.

MUSIC

ADVERT

MUSIC VID.

OTHER:

DIRECTOR

David Mackenzie

PRODUCER

Gillian Berrie

WRITER

Jonathon Asser

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Creative scotland, Quickfire films, northern ireland films and lipsync productions

KEY CAST /ARTIST

jack o’connel, ben manderson, rupert friend, sam spruell, anthony welsh david ajala.

KEY CREW

casting director- shareen baig, line producer- alex o’neal, first assisstant director- neil wallace, sound director- ronan hill, hair and make up and costume- nicole stafford, creative desingner, production designer- tom mccullagh, edited- jake roberts and nick emerson.

GENRE

crime, thriller, drama, coming of age

BUDGET

BOX OFFICE

13 million

THEMES

survival, anger, family, neurotic, protection,

AWARDS

NARRATIVE: The protagonist, Eric is portrayed throughout the film as a Stafford dog. the reason why such a particular dog is because Stafford dogs are usually the dogs which not many people enjoy having around and they are commonly related to the lower class which are then frowned upon. The scene where he is biting the police officers penis through his trousers, is I think, is the most compelling scene to portray that theory. At the current time when Eric is biting he is also snarling and growling. his eyes are wide open looking darting back forth. He is topless with dirt and blood covering his back. Oliver , the group manager, bends down to his knees and reluctantly pats and slightly strokes his back, just like you would do to a dog when it’s angry. Then as soon Eric lets go of the man’s penis he runs of with Oliver in to the room’s corner. Just like a dog would because it is trying to find protection from its owner. Therefore Oliver is Eric’s owner. Although Eric does have a father, Neville, who is always trying to look after Eric. Oliver is more of the father and actually tries to deal with Eric’s anger management in a calm and respective manner. Oliver was raised up much better than everyone in the prison. Oliver was born in Oxford which then makes me assume that he went to a decent school and college. This contrasts with Neville, who left Eric at the age of 5 when he went into prison and Eric went into care. Now what i believe is that the filmmakers are trying to get across the meaning of family in this film. Oliver is a much better father figure but there is some sort of telepathic sense or a sixth sense when it comes to the relationship between Neville and Eric.  Now i'm not insinuating that it is positive aspect because Eric makes Neville neurotic. He constantly wants to know if he’s doing well in the group session and whenever Eric hangs out with his group, Neville asks Eric what have they been saying and talking about. In another aspect Neville is almost like the dog which never able to learn discipline. Since Eric had his father for an example of what not to do, Eric had an advantage in that sense and was able to learn from that example meaning the he was able to discipline himself and go to the group sessions.  Neville on the other hand had no example to learn from therefore leading to him mimicking what other people did around him and consequently leading him to a wild and fervid dog not to be messed with.

KEY SCENES: Ball bighting scene hanging scene first group scene group scene where they’re testing his patience and teaching him not to get so angry Scene where neville is being moved to a different prison.

COMPARABLES: 71, SCUM, FILTH