Urban Narratives: Contesting Place and Space in Some British Cinema from the 1980s

Abstract

The 1980s saw screening of a number of important films exploring what Peter Wollen described as Thatcherisation of London.l One consequence of politics of Thatcherism dominant during this was renewed hegemony of finance capital in British economy, further accentuating prominence of nation's capital as a site of influence and power. Historically a place of fascination to writers and artists depicting urban life, London became a focal point again for film-makers who voice a sense of outrage or protest directed at Thatcherite project as a whole. Thus the practice of film-making in 1980s both grew out of, and responded to, social, economic and cultural circumstances characteristic of period (Hill xi). This essay looks at some of these films, in particular at work of Mike Leigh, Hanif Kureishi, and Ken Loach. I will show how these writers and directors use film to document