Dead Man's Cards: what the critics have to say...

[Chris Finch]

I saw this is england this weekend and i have to say it is one of the best films i have seen for a while. i think it is a fantastic film and very well made, possibly meadows' best!

It is brutal, bloody, thrilling, thought provoking, compelling, emotional cinema. I loved everything about this film but easily the best thing about it is the central performances. Stephen Graham and Thomas Turgoose both deliver amazing performances!

Glad you liked DMC Mike

 

[Booth]

Is the shot you mean the one that's the last scene in which we see Samantha Janus's character, Kris? It's not at the very end so not sure we're thinking of the same bit! Anyway, even though I really enjoyed the film too, that one scene never worked for me within its context. It just doesn't seem to gel with the rest of the film. Suppose it was included to show the 'connection' there still was between her and Tom, and that if things had been different then either that 'moment' for Tom (trying not to spoil it here for those still to watch it!!) may never have happened or it would of been her by his side and not Mary, but the way it was done still seems a bit odd to me!
And yeah, it was very violent, but I felt it fitted into the film very well.

On This Is England....Found out the other day my local cinema isn't showing it, so not sure when I'm going to be able to see it now! *sobs* What did you make of it, Mike?

xx Joanna xx

It was that particular shot, and there was a shot before that which is very strange. I can't explain it without giving away part of the end of the film but I won't, but it is the shot before the scene with Samantha Janus which you mention, and that shot puzzled me too.

As for This is England, yes I enjoyed it. It's not really my kind of film as I'm not really into slice of life stuff so the fact that I enjoyed it is something. It's probably Meadow's most well rounded film, but I still prefer A Room for Romeo Brass - that's a film I thought I'd really hate but the ending, and Considine, were fantastic. It's a much better film than Dead Mans Shoes, which gets all the praise.

 

[Joanna]

On the 'appearance' in that Kris scene, I imagine we see that so we can see that there really was something special between them. It's sort of like an instinctive 'appearance', as is her reaction. However, particularly going with the established tone/feel of the film, it still doesn't work for me. It is just feels off-kilter with what's gone before. I also felt both Kris's role and her marriage to Tom were underwritten, so, for me, that ensured any attempt at showing just what their marriage had meant to each of them couldn't really be successful.

On that other shot you didn't quite get, Mike, was it the one....gawd, how to say this without giving away the plot!!....where what's being looked down on blurs whilst the 'hand' stays in focus? That's not the scene immediately before the last Kris one, but it's not that much before it...and I'm not sure what other scene you could mean!

Anyway, the 'hand' is meant to be Tom's as he looks down at that 'moment'. It could of been that just before the blurred shot, Tom turns and looks down and then has some sort of leap forward in his mind of what is about happen. However, the DVD commentary rules that out. So, it seems to be the viewer being shown this 'moment' in advance, with the director using the movement of Tom's body towards the pavement as a link into the Tom we see in that same spot in the foreground shortly afterwards.

Think the, sort of, non-logical way in which it was done is why it's not clear-cut exactly what is meant in this scene. Might have worked better if we saw everything that happens in that scene in a logical sequence. So, then rather than having doubt in your mind over whether you've interpreted the scene correctly, you can concentrate on taking in the emotions from it instead. There's 'thinking' in a film that keeps you involved and then there's 'thinking' that draws you out from a film. I mean, the logical isn't always what's best for a film, but I think here it would have been the better option. Though, tbh, working with the tone of the film as a whole, I'm not sure it should of been done that way at all, with the 'moment' maybe just being seen by us and us alone. But then, what works for one person....

On This Is England, think I'm going to be able to see this on Sunday now!! Really looking forward to it, though I know it's a film I'm not going to 'enjoy' as such!

And on Radio 1 on Thursday (Edith Bowman's 1-4 pm show), Shane Meadows, Thomas Turgoose and Stephen Graham are on talking about TIS.

xx Joanna xx

 

[Booth]

On that other shot you didn't quite get, Mike, was it the one....gawd, how to say this without giving away the plot!!....where what's being looked down on blurs whilst the 'hand' stays in focus?

That's the shot. And then it goes into the bedroom. I had to rewind the DVD after it'd finished just to have another look at it. Very freaky shot indeed.

 

[Joanna]

Been to see This Is England today....Wow, what a film. It was amazing and just so powerful. Have to agree with everything you've said about it, Chris. Can't comment on comparisons with Shane Meadow's earlier films, though, as I've never seen any of them!! Anyway, admittedly, it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I really can't recommend it highly enough. It really does get you thinking. I even...and I am not ashamed at all to admit this...cried during that 'moment' right near the end of the film. You'll know the 'bit' I mean, Chris and Mike. Found it really upsetting. It was just so emotive and intense.

Also agree about the central performances of Thomas and Stephen. They both shone in their roles. Special mention to Joe Gilgun, though. His portrayal of Woody was spot-on for me.

Just a stunning film.

 

[Cop]

I've seen it twice now, went with Mike first time, and then dragged a friend of mine to see it - as I knew she would love it.

It was good second time round too.

 

[Booth]

Can you two get a room about This is England. Poor Mr Marquands film is being overwhelmed by TIE sentiments here! Make a This is England thread and be off with you both

 

[Joanna]

Can you two get a room about This is England. Poor Mr Marquands film is being overwhelmed by TIE sentiments here! Make a This is England thread and be off with you both

TIE DIDDLY I TIDDLY TIE TIE TIE TIE D....EAD MAN'S CARDS.....




xx Joanna xx

 

[Cop]

Me and Joanna in a room, together... alone?

I cant think of anything more concerning... She will try to dress me as Marilyn Monroe probably ) )

Only kidding Jo... whos to say I wouldn't like that anyway

Anyway... Dead Mans Cards... I erd itz gud an dat.

 

[wiggy]

I personally wasn't that impressed with dead mans cards, a fine job to say it was low budget and that but i just thought a couple of the performances let the film down a little bit. chris was great in his scene and the two lead roles were superb but a couple of the others were a little weak. it was dark and broody with not enough of a story for my liking, but that is just my taste and not the film itself. i'll get a room with ya cop as i prefered tie, i'll bring my twister along too and we can play it in our underpants. (notice no smilies)

 

[Cop]

Underpants?

 

[Joanna]

Agree with you on the acting, wiggy. I also found a couple of the performances let the side down in DMC. For instance, Mark Russell didn't convince me as Chongi. This apart, I really did enjoy DMC. However, TIE was the better film for me too (and I say this on a DMC thread....I really did like it, James, honest!!). So......

How about if the room was darkened, Cop? The threesome of you, me and wiggy could share that room, playing twister together...in the dark...Though, with you and Cop in your underpants, what would I play in?

Oh, and I can think of something more concerning, Cop....You maybe wanting me to dress you as Marilyn Monroe! Oh gawd, I've just got an image of you....over an air vent....with a white flowy dress on....and wind coming through the vent....and your dress....and your dress blowing...blowing....OH....MY....GOD....

xx Joanna xx

 

[Cop]

What has this forum turned into?

 

[Booth]

Agree with you on the acting, wiggy. I also found a couple of the performances let the side down in DMC. For instance, Mark Russell didn't convince me as Chongi. This apart, I really did enjoy DMC. However, TIE was the better film for me too (and I say this on a DMC thread....I really did like it, James, honest!!). So......

I've got to say, in DMC's defense on the acting front, I'm pretty sure that This Is England had a much higher budget than DMC and was supported from almost every film funding source in the country. So more rehearsal time, less compromises, etc.

I know this means nothing to film-goers, but as a filmmaker I can't help but feel that DMC is a remarkable achievement, and I wish there was more filmmakers trying to make entertaining 'movies' in this country rather than slice of life tributes to Ken Loach and Mike Leigh.

That said I really liked This is England, and as I said I thought A Room for Romeo Brass was even better.

By the way if you liked the performances in This is England, I think you'll like some of the performances in Bad Lad. Joe O'Byrne, Clive Bonelle, Jonathan Williams and Paul Birtwistle to name but four.

 

[Cop]

After watching This is England a second time around, you can tell which scenes were done earlier.

The scene where Shaun is talking the lad from Fat Friends look like something you would see on CITV, so I reckon they did those scenes earlier on - however his performance does improve loads, considering he has never acted before.

Anyway back to Dead Man Cards - I've not see it yet, so I will have to look out for the performances

 

[wiggy]

In DMC, the performances aren't "bad" i think it is just, the two lead roles just stand out more, probably due to having more experience as they are older (life experience as well as acting), shane meadows films have always suffered from having a big contrast in acting ability from the lead role and some of the smaller roles.

Dead mans cards, i think didn't suffer the same as meadows other films do in that they look like a large percentage of the dialogue is ab-libbed, this doesn't happen in TIE as much but he has had a long time in the industry to get that right

I would like to add that James Marquand has done wonders for low budget film making and should be very well commended!

well done. (big future me thinks)

 

[Joanna]

James Marquand has done wonders for low budget film making and should be very well commended!well done. (big future me thinks)

What he said!

xx Joanna xx

 

[Booth]

In DMC, the performances aren't "bad" i think it is just, the two lead roles just stand out more, probably due to having more experience as they are older (life experience as well as acting), shane meadows films have always suffered from having a big contrast in acting ability from the lead role and some of the smaller roles.Dead mans cards, i think didn't suffer the same as meadows other films do in that they look like a large percentage of the dialogue is ab-libbed, this doesn't happen in TIE as much but he has had a long time in the industry to get that right

I would like to add that James Marquand has done wonders for low budget film making and should be very well commended!

well done. (big future me thinks)

Andrew Schofield was amazing in Dead Mans Cards too. He played the crack-head tramp. I actually didn't recognise him at first, he became a totally different person.

 

[Joanna]

Was he the one playing that guy set upon by those thugs before forcing them to run off when he threatened them with that metal pole?! Yeah, he was fab! And another actor to pick out was that Wilkinson guy. Can't remember his first name.....



xx Joanna xx

 

[wiggy]

Tom Bell also was very good.