(In association with previous blog entry ‘The Great British Voice Over’)
The fusion of representing the lower class and higher class cultures in the ‘Carry on’ films and ‘Carry on Cleaning’ parody results in a wider audience appreciation. The ‘cockney’ ideologies is so widely recognized because of earlier texts such as ‘Oliver!’ (1944, 1968) and Night and the City (1950) that contain strong examples of the media generated representation and have continued in texts like ‘Only Fools and Horses’ 1981 and the attribute in Guy Ritchie Films such as ‘Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels’ 1998. Similar informal language, direct audience confrontation and slang is heard in ‘Carry on Cleaning’ such as “Cor’ blimey”, “Just look at that then” and “one in the eye for you”. This displays the ‘happy-go-lucky’ positive side of the culture that those involved would be satisfied with, as well as the mischievous side as seen in Oliver!.
Personally, I think I’ve anticipated my blunt, one sided view of how British stereotypes are portrayed, because I myself am English. I believe my mood has been sparked by the simple and internationally-friendly depiction of British cultures previous to the 21st century, such the ‘Carry On’ films. This is when English film and television where not yet comfortable illustrating people of Scottish, Irish, different sexualities and the immigrants. This is different to more contemporary British texts such as ‘Britz’ (2007 Channel 4) a drama following lives of British Muslims, ‘Loose Women’ (first broadcast 1999) a day-time chat show featuring working class females and ‘Skins’ (2007 E4) circling middle class dominating teenagers. Concluding in more racially and socially current issues that we, as modern consumers, can relate too.
www.imdb.com/name/nm0646751/
www.imdb.com/title/tt0042788/
www.itv.com/Lifestyle/LooseWomen/default.html
http://www.e4.com/skins/
Sunday Times ‘Islamic Britz’ November 4 2007
Further Questions:
What other groups are portrayed in the advertisement?
Are these groups, plus the ones already researched, represented positively or negativley?
