Ken Loach Films

Tokolosh · 11.20.2006, 04:31 AM

I watched The Wind That Shakes the Barley last night. Brilliant!
I really enjoyed it. The name is borrowed from an Irish ballad written by Robert Dwyer Joyce (1836-1883),
a Limerick born poet and professor of English literature.

Synopsis:

Damien (Cillian Murphy) is about to leave Ireland for his medical studies in London, while his brother Teddy is an active member of the Irish Republican Army. After witnessing an act of resistance to the daily violence of the Black and Tans, he decides to stay and fight back against the English occupation, and joins the IRA in a guerilla war against British paramilitary forces. When the peace treaty is agreed, the two brothers find themselves pitted against one another: Teddy, who is involved in the organisation of the new Irish Free State, wishes everyone to support peace; Damien, however, deems that this peace treaty is not what he has fought for, and that it will 'only change the colour of the flag', the oppressed remaining so while the elite is replaced. This is the outbreak of the Irish Civil War, when the men in a uniform are now Irish.
In a bid to impose their view on the treaty, both the Irish Free State army and the anti-treaty IRA resort to the same violent means that were used previously by the occupation army and the guerilla, with the violence now directed towards former comrades, and atrocities are committed on both sides. At the end of the film, Damien is about to be executed by the Irish Free State army. Teddy offers to release him if he reveals where the IRA stores their weapons; Damien refuses, and is executed by a firing squad commanded by Teddy.
Laverty has explained that many of the incidents in the film are based on true incidents. Presumably some of the characters are composites; Teddy has similarities with Tom Barry (although he fought on the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War), as the ambush in the film is clearly based on the legendary Kilmichael Ambush. Damien has similarities with two people who gave up their medical studies to join the IRA: Ernie O'Malley, who wrote one of the best known personal histories of the conflict, On Another Man's Wound, and Paddy O'Sullivan, whose brother Micheál wrote a book about the war, Where Mountainy Men Have Sown. Allusion is also made to the atrocities of the civil war era.
Wikipedia

What I love about Ken Loach movies, is the way he pursues stories of social struggle.
Almost all his films deal with a so-called 'social evil' as Loach would describe it.
I've seen:

Ladybird Ladybird
Hidden Agenda
Sweet sixteen
Kes
Land and freedom (one of my favs up until now)
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (yesterday)

Any other recommendations?

jon boy · 11.20.2006, 04:39 AM

kes and sweet sixteen are both really good. raining stones is supposed to be ok.

did you cry at the end of kes?

Tokolosh · 11.20.2006, 04:46 AM

Yeah. The death of kes is heartbreaking.
I almost cry in all Loach movies. The drama of mankind!

Norma J · 11.20.2006, 04:51 AM

Hey Tokolish, was it you who mentioned the Weathermen Underground doco a few months back on this board? I saw it on tele roughly around the same time, which is why I mentioned it in that particular thread, but do you know where you can get that on DVD?

Tokolosh · 11.20.2006, 05:19 AM

I've got it on VHS, and I'm still looking for it on Region 0 or 2.
You could try this link, but be careful though, 'cause you guys have Region 4 in Australia
and most WU versions are Region 1 (NTSC-US/Canada only).

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808456154/dvdinfo

Here's a nice link with a big list of DVD's for many regions.
Can't find WU in it though.
http://dvd.cd-wow.co.uk/cheap/dvd.php

If someone else knows where I can get an import version for Europe, please let me know.

next step · 11.20.2006, 06:18 AM

I like his movies. Looks that he concentrates in a film all the misfortunes happenable to a real common man. haha joke, his is really great!

jon boy · 11.20.2006, 08:18 AM

its true that his films havea real gritty realness and dont always have the nicest subject matter but he is a greeat director for this reason alone.

PAULYBEE2656 · 11.20.2006, 08:19 AM

the wind that shakes the barley is ok, and thats coming from an irish guy.... the dvd has just been released over here for retail last week. it should be readily gettable in region 2 anyway.

ken loach is great..
raining stones is one of the unsung classic british films ever

next step · 11.20.2006, 08:29 AM

havent seen 'The wind that shakes the barley' yet but I'll do...

I'm completely agree with you Jonboy. time ago I was little sick about the same 'good looking' actors and I was looking for something different, Loach films were really okay!

jon boy · 11.20.2006, 08:31 AM

kes, c'mon kes.

man that film was good. poor casper. tear is forming in my eye as a write this.

Tokolosh · 11.20.2006, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAULYBEE2656

the wind that shakes the barley is ok, and thats coming from an irish guy.... the dvd has just been released over here for retail last week. it should be readily gettable in region 2 anyway.

ken loach is great..
raining stones is one of the unsung classic british films ever

Gonna get Raining Stones soon. Thanks.
Why do you find his latest film just "ok"?
Is'nt the subject matter appealing?

next step · 11.20.2006, 08:40 AM

Raining Stones and Riff Raff are good too!

whorefrost · 11.20.2006, 09:26 AM

I thought Sweet Sixteen was rather great.

next step · 11.20.2006, 01:10 PM

yes it is
for me too.

PAULYBEE2656 · 11.20.2006, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tokolosh

Gonna get Raining Stones soon. Thanks.
Why do you find his latest film just "ok"?
Is'nt the subject matter appealing?

yeah, to a point and it does pull at the irish traditionalist embedded in us all but i just thought the film wasnt as great as i expected, maybe that was the problem.... got to watch it again from the comfort of my own couch tho... im not saying its a bad film, just not a great one.....

riff raff... forgot that one! classic

Norma J · 11.21.2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tokolosh

I've got it on VHS, and I'm still looking for it on Region 0 or 2.
You could try this link, but be careful though, 'cause you guys have Region 4 in Australia
and most WU versions are Region 1 (NTSC-US/Canada only).

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808456154/dvdinfo

Here's a nice link with a big list of DVD's for many regions.
Can't find WU in it though.
http://dvd.cd-wow.co.uk/cheap/dvd.php

If someone else knows where I can get an import version for Europe, please let me know.

Cheers for that.

You can find a crack for your DVD player on the net pretty easily. I got given Dig as a present and it was a US import, didn't work on my DVD player, so I just got a crack from the net and now every region plays on my player. Funnily enough though, the cheaper $50 or so DVD players play all DVDs.

11.20.2006, 04:31 AM	#1
Tokolosh invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Plaza de Toros Posts: 6,731	I watched The Wind That Shakes the Barley last night. Brilliant! I really enjoyed it. The name is borrowed from an Irish ballad written by Robert Dwyer Joyce (1836-1883), a Limerick born poet and professor of English literature. Synopsis: Damien (Cillian Murphy) is about to leave Ireland for his medical studies in London, while his brother Teddy is an active member of the Irish Republican Army. After witnessing an act of resistance to the daily violence of the Black and Tans, he decides to stay and fight back against the English occupation, and joins the IRA in a guerilla war against British paramilitary forces. When the peace treaty is agreed, the two brothers find themselves pitted against one another: Teddy, who is involved in the organisation of the new Irish Free State, wishes everyone to support peace; Damien, however, deems that this peace treaty is not what he has fought for, and that it will 'only change the colour of the flag', the oppressed remaining so while the elite is replaced. This is the outbreak of the Irish Civil War, when the men in a uniform are now Irish. In a bid to impose their view on the treaty, both the Irish Free State army and the anti-treaty IRA resort to the same violent means that were used previously by the occupation army and the guerilla, with the violence now directed towards former comrades, and atrocities are committed on both sides. At the end of the film, Damien is about to be executed by the Irish Free State army. Teddy offers to release him if he reveals where the IRA stores their weapons; Damien refuses, and is executed by a firing squad commanded by Teddy. Laverty has explained that many of the incidents in the film are based on true incidents. Presumably some of the characters are composites; Teddy has similarities with Tom Barry (although he fought on the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War), as the ambush in the film is clearly based on the legendary Kilmichael Ambush. Damien has similarities with two people who gave up their medical studies to join the IRA: Ernie O'Malley, who wrote one of the best known personal histories of the conflict, On Another Man's Wound, and Paddy O'Sullivan, whose brother Micheál wrote a book about the war, Where Mountainy Men Have Sown. Allusion is also made to the atrocities of the civil war era. Wikipedia What I love about Ken Loach movies, is the way he pursues stories of social struggle. Almost all his films deal with a so-called 'social evil' as Loach would describe it. I've seen: Ladybird Ladybird Hidden Agenda Sweet sixteen Kes Land and freedom (one of my favs up until now) The Wind That Shakes the Barley (yesterday) Any other recommendations?
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 04:39 AM	#2
jon boy invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: psycho battery Posts: 12,161	kes and sweet sixteen are both really good. raining stones is supposed to be ok. did you cry at the end of kes? __________________ Sarcasm[A] is stating the opposite of an intended meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing \|@ <------- Euphoric brain cell just moments before expiration V _ \ / _ PING <-------- moments later / \ http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljhxq...isruo1_500.gif
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 04:46 AM	#3
Tokolosh invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Plaza de Toros Posts: 6,731	Yeah. The death of kes is heartbreaking. I almost cry in all Loach movies. The drama of mankind!
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 04:51 AM	#4
Norma J invito al cielo Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Orstralia Posts: 4,917	Hey Tokolish, was it you who mentioned the Weathermen Underground doco a few months back on this board? I saw it on tele roughly around the same time, which is why I mentioned it in that particular thread, but do you know where you can get that on DVD? __________________ I want girls with new-wave hair-doos
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 05:19 AM	#5
Tokolosh invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Plaza de Toros Posts: 6,731	I've got it on VHS, and I'm still looking for it on Region 0 or 2. You could try this link, but be careful though, 'cause you guys have Region 4 in Australia and most WU versions are Region 1 (NTSC-US/Canada only). http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808456154/dvdinfo Here's a nice link with a big list of DVD's for many regions. Can't find WU in it though. http://dvd.cd-wow.co.uk/cheap/dvd.php If someone else knows where I can get an import version for Europe, please let me know.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 06:18 AM	#6
next step the destroyed room Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 583	I like his movies. Looks that he concentrates in a film all the misfortunes happenable to a real common man. haha joke, his is really great! __________________ http://www.sonicurbs.com
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 08:18 AM	#7
jon boy invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: psycho battery Posts: 12,161	its true that his films havea real gritty realness and dont always have the nicest subject matter but he is a greeat director for this reason alone. __________________ Sarcasm[A] is stating the opposite of an intended meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing \|@ <------- Euphoric brain cell just moments before expiration V _ \ / _ PING <-------- moments later / \ http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljhxq...isruo1_500.gif
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 08:19 AM	#8
PAULYBEE2656 invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: wexford, rep of ireland Posts: 6,930	the wind that shakes the barley is ok, and thats coming from an irish guy.... the dvd has just been released over here for retail last week. it should be readily gettable in region 2 anyway. ken loach is great.. raining stones is one of the unsung classic british films ever __________________ myspace facebook *twitter*
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 08:29 AM	#9
next step the destroyed room Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 583	havent seen 'The wind that shakes the barley' yet but I'll do... I'm completely agree with you Jonboy. time ago I was little sick about the same 'good looking' actors and I was looking for something different, Loach films were really okay! __________________ http://www.sonicurbs.com
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 08:31 AM	#10
jon boy invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: psycho battery Posts: 12,161	kes, c'mon kes. man that film was good. poor casper. tear is forming in my eye as a write this. __________________ Sarcasm[A] is stating the opposite of an intended meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing \|@ <------- Euphoric brain cell just moments before expiration V _ \ / _ PING <-------- moments later / \ http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljhxq...isruo1_500.gif
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 08:40 AM	#12
next step the destroyed room Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 583	Raining Stones and Riff Raff are good too! __________________ http://www.sonicurbs.com
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 09:26 AM	#13
whorefrost invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arrived in Smoke, Arrived in Gold Posts: 2,569	I thought Sweet Sixteen was rather great. __________________ hehehe
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

11.20.2006, 01:10 PM	#14
next step the destroyed room Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Italy Posts: 583	yes it is for me too. __________________ http://www.sonicurbs.com
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|