the british film resource
    
 
the british film resourceThe Renaissance of the 1980s
the british film resourceAuthor:Matt Pearson 
 
 
Introduction Introduction
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Thatcher
Thatcher as Inspiration Thatcher as Inspiration
Audiences Audiences
The International Market The International Market
Cultural Identity Crisis Cultural Identity Crisis
Us and Them Us and Them
A Sense of Perspective A Sense of Perspective
Industrial Renaissance Industrial Renaissance
Artistic Renaissance Artistic Renaissance
Towards a Healthy Industry Towards a Healthy Industry
Conclusion Conclusion
 
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Margaret Thatcher
The Thatcher years undeniably changed the state of the British film industry. Thatcher, who never exhibited more than a dislike for film, made major cuts in support for arts institutions. The Tory government wanted the film industry treated like any other business, and hence be accountable to market forces. A Films Bill in 1985 abolished the Eady Levy; the law that had meant a percentage of box office takings in Britain were put into British production. Also, the 25% tax break for investors in film was abolished making film investment more risky for businesses. The NFFC(The National Film Finance Corporation), the only direct source of government film financing, was privatised. No new measures were introduced to replace the lost revenue.

But despite a government seemingly antagonistic towards film, the late 80's still saw a steady increase in British film production.

With the traditionally impecunious industry more cash strapped than ever what can account for this increase? Leonard Quart, in The Religion of the Market, says 'despite the Thatcher government's unwillingness to aid the film industry, it did establish a general mood that encouraged economic risk-taking and experimentation with new and more innovative business practices'. One of these was Channel Four's Film on Four project, probably the biggest single source of investment in British production during the 80's. It was in some way television repaying its debt to the film industry. Film on Four financed or co-financed many of the great films of the decade including My Beautiful Laundrette(1984) and Letter to Breznev(1985).

As well as televisions input to film, the 1980s also saw the meteoric growth of the independent sector in British film production. In their introduction to Take 10, Johnathan Hacker and David Price say 'the late seventies and early eighties saw the emergence and rapid growth of a variety of small dynamic independent British production companies, such as Handmade Films, Palace Pictures, Working Title, Goldcrest and those run by such entrepreneurial producers as David Puttnam, Jeremy Thomas, Dan Boyd and Simon Relph, they ... have become the bedrock of the British film industry.'

 
Thatcher as Inspiration
 
 
 
  A History of British Film   Early British Comedy   Early Hitchcock   Introduction to Humphrey Jennings   Humphrey Jennings and Third Cinema.   The Stars Look Down / The Proud Valley - Conflict and Unity   The Renaissance of the 1980s   Film On Four


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