Legend.

Films like Performance (1968), The Long Good Friday (1980) owe a lot to the most famous of Britain’s home-grown criminals as does Legend (2015) which is based on the book The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson adapted for the big screen by its director American Brian Helgeland, best known as script writer on such films as L.A. Confidential (1997), Mystic River (2003), Green Zone (2010) and Robin Hood (2010).

 

Reggie and Ronnie Kray enjoying a 'nice cup of tea'.

This latest outing, as you may of guessed, is about Ronnie and Reggie Kray identical twin brothers that run organised crime in the East End of London during the 1950’s and 60’s. Unlike Peter Medak’s The Krays (1990) it does not take as its central theme Violent the twins mother but Reggie’s wife Frances’s who also narrates the film. The twins who called themselves The Firm were responsible for armed robberies, arson and protection rackets amongst other criminal activities. The movie not only demonstrates the violence involved with the Kray Empire but also how they became owners of West End nightclubs, which attracted celebrities and entertainers also allowing them to mix with prominent politicians alleged to include both Tom Driberg and Lord Boothby. Because of their connections they became celebrities themselves even being photographed by fashion photographer David Bailey. 

 

Reggie's marriage to Frances.

The rather slick and polished overview of London’s criminal world in the 1960’s is a triumph for British actor Tom Hardy who convincingly plays both of the brothers and whose performance stays in your mind long after the film is over. Emily Browning is Frances Kray, the wife of Reggie; Christopher Eccleston is Detective Superintendent ‘Nipper’ Reed the nemesis of the Kray twins. The Kray’s business manager is played by David Threwis and Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson is convincing as Albert Donoghue Reggie’s minder as is Tara Fitzgerald who dressed in black to show her displeasure at her daughter marrying Reggie Kray.

 

Ronnie and friend with Lord Boothby.

Beneath the razzle dazzle and glamour of the Kray’s life style is the violence that betrayed people’s admiration of these charismatic criminals. This brutal era and the mid sixties detail is enthusiastically drawn out in this movie both by cinematographer Dick Pope who worked with Mike Leigh on many of his films and designer Tom Conroy. From the Bethnal Green terraces to the bright lights of London’s West End we are treated to the working class boys who ‘made good’ - and bad.  To a certain extent Helgeland’s feature film is a British gangster movie that stands out head and shoulders above other movies in this genre because of the acting talent of its lead star.  

The Last Journey

Electricity.

Epilepsy is not a subject you will find tackled in many feature films, the only one that come’s to mine (although I suspect there are more) was Anton Corbijn’s Control (2007) which was the biopic about the life, and subsequent death, of Joy Divisions lead singer Ian Curtis who suffered from depression as well as epilepsy. Curtis hung himself at the age of 23 from a clothesline in his own kitchen!

The word Epilepsy, I’m reliable informed by the Internet, comes from an ancient Greek verb meaning ‘to seize, possess, or afflict’.  It’s a neurological disorder that manifests itself  “by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain”.

Co-indecently Electricity (2014), a British independent movie. is the name of this weeks Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre Film Club screening. Directing and producing his debut feature film is Bryn Higgins, a man who can normally be found working on television drama series.[1]  The film is based on Ray Robinson[2] superb novel that is being re-issued to coincide with film's release. It has been adapted for the big screen by Joe Fisher.

 

Lily O'Connor.

The story is seen through the eyes of a vulnerable young woman, Lily O’Connor who has suffered, despite heavy medication, from an epileptic condition since she was six years old when her alcoholic mother threw her down the stairs but she refuses to be defined by her illness. It’s when her mother dies and she comes into an inheritance that the story really takes shape. Her older brother Barry, although not happy, agrees that there younger brother Mickey should get a share. The problem is that the wayward Mickey lives down south in London[3] and Lily does not have his address. But even so she leaves the familiarity and security of her North-east England seaside town[4] and sets out to find her younger brother.

We have a stunning central performance from Agyness Deyn who stars in her first leading role as Lily O’Connor, successfully infusing the character with equal amounts of attitude, charisma and vulnerability, and a character with which the audience can easily identify. The 31-year-old Manchester born Deyn is best known as a fashion model and has appeared on the cover of the Vogue magazine. She has also appeared in Clash of the Titans in 2010 and in 2012 appeared opposite Richard Cole in the English language remake of Pusher.[5] She is also appearing in Terence Davies next movie Sunset Song along side Film Club favourite Peter Mullan. Lily’s brother Barry is played by Paul Anderson, who you will no doubt recognise from his role as the psychopathic Arthur Shelby in TV’s Peaky Blinders.  Lenora Crichlow, who stars in the BBC series Being Human, plays Lily’s friend Mel and I’m sure you will also recognise Alice Lowe from Ben Wheatley’s black comedy Sightseers (2012).[6]

 

Lily with brother Barry.

In a seven-week shoot the director set out to produce a powerful two-fold story, one of which is too enter the headspace of a young epileptic woman and the second is how she sets out in a search of her errant brother. This visual drama succeeds in in both cases. This meaningful and touching film combines strong, witty human drama with remarkable visual effects to create an immersive and compelling cinematic experience. Shot beautifully by Si Bell the colours, shots, framing and style of the photography is breath taking. The editing, special effects, supporting cast, locations, wardrobe, make up, production design, even the title credits are all stunningly crafted.

A significant amount of the funding for the film came from the Wellcome Trust, the medical charity. Also input was provided from the Epilepsy Society throughout the whole process of scripting shooting and editing. They also had a medical advisor on set.

 

Off kilter Alice in Wonderland.

Described an off kilter Alice In Wonderland for the modern day, it’s socially real, gritty, thought provoking and interesting naturalistic drama, which at times trips into the avant-garde, apparently influenced by the work of Stan Brakhage[7]. Glasgow born John Lunn who has won awards for his musical work on Downton Abbey composed the original soundtrack.

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[1] Including Casualty 1909, Casualty 1907 and Silent Witness.

[2] Who did have an input into the adaptation.

[3] Lily’s trip to London is reflecting the Alice going down the rabbit hole and her journey through wonderland.

[4] Shot on location in Saltburn on Sea, Cleveland, Newcastle upon Tyne, Co Durham Hospital and London. 

[5] The Danish original was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and released in 1996. 

[6] Which she also co-wrote along side Steve Oram.

[7] An American non-narrative filmmaker who is considered to be one of the most important figures in 20th-century experimental film.