1984 Miner's Strike
While the film Billy Elliot is fictional, the story itself is set against the backdrop of a real event in history.
The 1984 Miner's Strike has been described as one of the longest and most violent protests known in English history and an understanding of this context is essential in fully understanding and appreciating the adversity that Billy as a character must overcome in striving for his goal and moving 'into the world'.
A Brief Summary
In 1984, the UK Government under the rule of Margaret Thatcher sought to close approximately 20 mines or 'pits', stating that they were inefficient and unprofitable. This was to result in approximately 20,000 jobs cuts and for many communities, including the town of Durham where Billy Elliot is set, it would spell the end of their main source of employment and income.
Numerous strikes began at various sites in protest against the pit closures. Ultimately, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) announced that the individual strikes were to become a national movement.
During the strike there were numerous clashes with police, many of whom were 'shipped in' to the striking communities from the city in order to keep the peace, including riot police and mounted police. While the protests were ultimately supposed to be peaceful, a number of violent clashes occurred between police and miners, with police charging picket lines on horseback and assaulting protesters with truncheons.
To learn more about the 1984-85 mining strikes, check the links below:
BBC NEWS- Miner's Strike- A collection of news stories, interviews and other resources revolving around the 1984-85 Miner's Strike
Strike84- A photographic depiction of the 1984-85 protests, including comparative images showing the changes that these individuals and communities have undergone.
There are also a number of YouTube videos on the topic. Simply enter the YouTube website and search 1984 Miner's Strike.
The 1984-85 Mining Strike and Billy Elliot
While the film Billy Elliot is set in the fictional town of Everington, in County Durham in the North of England, it is interesting to note that the location for the film is the real-life mining town of Easington. Easington was originally one of the biggest coal producing towns in England before the strike. Many of the extras in Billy Elliot are real life miners who went on strike in 1984.
Billy Elliot begins in the early stages of the strike and ends a year later at its conclusion, as seen when Jackie, Tony and the other miners return to work. Many of the miners on strike are facing financial hardship and this is shown through the struggles of the Elliot family. Jackie is 'working his ass off for those 50 pences' and the family must resort to destroying the mothers piano in order to heat the house through winter. The strike has produced a tight-knit community, shown by the support that is given to aid the striking miners such as the soup kitchen and this is essential as the end of mining would spell the end of the Everington community. It is important that the audience understands the severity of the threat of the pit closures on the working-class community of Everington.
Why set Billy Elliot against this backdrop?
While the film is essentially about the struggles Billy encounters on his journey to find a means of self-expression and escape, the miners strike is an important contextual feature. Both groups are struggling against forces that are encroaching on their ability to live their lives. The miners are being forced with the prospect of extinction; their way of life threatened by political decision making. This is the future that Billy is facing if he does not find a way out and as such the violence and hopelessness of the miners strike creates a sense of urgency for the audience to see Billy succeed.
The community of Everington is a mining town, as shown by the tightly-spaced rows of community housing built to house the miners working at the pits. This is a male-dominated society and one that is entrenched by stereotypes of typical male behaviour. Boys are expected to 'do football or boxing or wrestling' and these ideas and traditions have been passed down through generations, as shown by Billy's boxing gloves- 'they're my dads these!' The audience learns later that they were in fact Billy's grandfather's, and Jackie's attitude to their potential loss leaves no doubt as to the importance of the traditions that they symbolise- 'you had better take better care of them'. This passing down of the boxing gloves shows just how engrained the traditions and pre-determined expectations of men are in this community.
With the patriarchal culture of the community so strong the audience determines that Billy is also expected to follow in the footsteps of his father in his professional life and eventually become a miner. Tony is a symbol of this expectation, having already made his journey into the adult life expected of him and becoming a miner like the generations before him. As such Tony is a representation of the life that Billy will lead if he does not find a way to break out. The audience quickly decides that this is not what they want for Billy, as Tony is portrayed as violent and frustrated- "You been playing my records you little twat?!"
The violence of the strike is an extension of the behaviour that is typical in Everington and in the behavioural expectations of males. Boys are expected to partake in violent activities and sports, seen in the dissapointment of Jackie when Billy is unable to hit his opponent in the ring. Georges's comment that Billy is 'a disgrace to the traditions of this boxing hall' highlight the standards set by the community. Similarly, when Tony becomes frustrated at the lack of progress the strike is producing he attempts to resort to violent criminal behaviour. Although Jackie stops him from taking a weapon to the riot, this is ironically achieved through violence when Jackie punches Tony. Billy's slow motion reaction to this domestic situation highlights that Billy is different and that he does not belong in this world.
QUESTIONS
1. What examples/evidence is there in the text that supports the idea that traditions are important in this community?
2. What gender stereotypes are present in the film? Are there any examples where gender stereotypes are subverted?
3. What effect does the context of the miners strike have on the audience and their viewing of the film?
The 1984 Miner's Strike has been described as one of the longest and most violent protests known in English history and an understanding of this context is essential in fully understanding and appreciating the adversity that Billy as a character must overcome in striving for his goal and moving 'into the world'.
A Brief Summary
In 1984, the UK Government under the rule of Margaret Thatcher sought to close approximately 20 mines or 'pits', stating that they were inefficient and unprofitable. This was to result in approximately 20,000 jobs cuts and for many communities, including the town of Durham where Billy Elliot is set, it would spell the end of their main source of employment and income.
Numerous strikes began at various sites in protest against the pit closures. Ultimately, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) announced that the individual strikes were to become a national movement.
During the strike there were numerous clashes with police, many of whom were 'shipped in' to the striking communities from the city in order to keep the peace, including riot police and mounted police. While the protests were ultimately supposed to be peaceful, a number of violent clashes occurred between police and miners, with police charging picket lines on horseback and assaulting protesters with truncheons.
To learn more about the 1984-85 mining strikes, check the links below:
BBC NEWS- Miner's Strike- A collection of news stories, interviews and other resources revolving around the 1984-85 Miner's Strike
Strike84- A photographic depiction of the 1984-85 protests, including comparative images showing the changes that these individuals and communities have undergone.
There are also a number of YouTube videos on the topic. Simply enter the YouTube website and search 1984 Miner's Strike.
The 1984-85 Mining Strike and Billy Elliot
While the film Billy Elliot is set in the fictional town of Everington, in County Durham in the North of England, it is interesting to note that the location for the film is the real-life mining town of Easington. Easington was originally one of the biggest coal producing towns in England before the strike. Many of the extras in Billy Elliot are real life miners who went on strike in 1984.
Billy Elliot begins in the early stages of the strike and ends a year later at its conclusion, as seen when Jackie, Tony and the other miners return to work. Many of the miners on strike are facing financial hardship and this is shown through the struggles of the Elliot family. Jackie is 'working his ass off for those 50 pences' and the family must resort to destroying the mothers piano in order to heat the house through winter. The strike has produced a tight-knit community, shown by the support that is given to aid the striking miners such as the soup kitchen and this is essential as the end of mining would spell the end of the Everington community. It is important that the audience understands the severity of the threat of the pit closures on the working-class community of Everington.
Why set Billy Elliot against this backdrop?
While the film is essentially about the struggles Billy encounters on his journey to find a means of self-expression and escape, the miners strike is an important contextual feature. Both groups are struggling against forces that are encroaching on their ability to live their lives. The miners are being forced with the prospect of extinction; their way of life threatened by political decision making. This is the future that Billy is facing if he does not find a way out and as such the violence and hopelessness of the miners strike creates a sense of urgency for the audience to see Billy succeed.
The community of Everington is a mining town, as shown by the tightly-spaced rows of community housing built to house the miners working at the pits. This is a male-dominated society and one that is entrenched by stereotypes of typical male behaviour. Boys are expected to 'do football or boxing or wrestling' and these ideas and traditions have been passed down through generations, as shown by Billy's boxing gloves- 'they're my dads these!' The audience learns later that they were in fact Billy's grandfather's, and Jackie's attitude to their potential loss leaves no doubt as to the importance of the traditions that they symbolise- 'you had better take better care of them'. This passing down of the boxing gloves shows just how engrained the traditions and pre-determined expectations of men are in this community.
With the patriarchal culture of the community so strong the audience determines that Billy is also expected to follow in the footsteps of his father in his professional life and eventually become a miner. Tony is a symbol of this expectation, having already made his journey into the adult life expected of him and becoming a miner like the generations before him. As such Tony is a representation of the life that Billy will lead if he does not find a way to break out. The audience quickly decides that this is not what they want for Billy, as Tony is portrayed as violent and frustrated- "You been playing my records you little twat?!"
The violence of the strike is an extension of the behaviour that is typical in Everington and in the behavioural expectations of males. Boys are expected to partake in violent activities and sports, seen in the dissapointment of Jackie when Billy is unable to hit his opponent in the ring. Georges's comment that Billy is 'a disgrace to the traditions of this boxing hall' highlight the standards set by the community. Similarly, when Tony becomes frustrated at the lack of progress the strike is producing he attempts to resort to violent criminal behaviour. Although Jackie stops him from taking a weapon to the riot, this is ironically achieved through violence when Jackie punches Tony. Billy's slow motion reaction to this domestic situation highlights that Billy is different and that he does not belong in this world.
QUESTIONS
1. What examples/evidence is there in the text that supports the idea that traditions are important in this community?
2. What gender stereotypes are present in the film? Are there any examples where gender stereotypes are subverted?
3. What effect does the context of the miners strike have on the audience and their viewing of the film?
Swan Lake and Intertextuality
Intertextuality is a literary technique whereby a text is referenced within another text. This is often done deliberately to illustrate a point, the text being included often pointing to or solidifying a theme within the larger text. In this sense, the references to the ballet Swan Lake in the film Billy Elliot is an example of intertextuality.
Plot
Swan Lake is the story of Prince Sigfried who is told that he is expected to choose a bride. Upset that he is unable to marry for love, Sigfried runs into the woods and finds a lake full of swans. One is more woman than swan and he discovers that she is in fact Princess Odette who, like the other swan maidens, has been turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer Von Rathbart. The lake that they swim in was formed by the tears of the girls' parents and Odette is trapped in swan form until night time when she becomes a woman again. The Prince becomes enamoured with Odette and returns to the castle. Von Rathbart also arrives at the castle with his own daughter, Odile, who he has cast a spell on to look identical to Odette. She and the Prince dance and he declares his love for her. Odette, seeing this through the castle window, becomes distraught and returns to the forest. The Prince, seeing Odette at the window and realising his mistake, follows her and apologises. She accepts and they embrace until Von Rathbart intercedes and attempts to separate them. Realising that the Prince's declaration to Odile has made it impossible to break the spell, they jump into the lake and drown. This renders Von Rathbart powerless and he also dies.
Swan Lake and Billy Elliot
Swan Lake is referenced numerous times in Billy Elliot and is used to parallel the storyline in many ways. Swan Lake is the most famous ballet in the world and as such is fitting as Billy is attempting to move into this world.
Swan Lake is first referenced in the scene when Mrs Wilkinson and Billy are travelling in the box car. Mrs Wilkinson recounts the story of Swan Lake and her description of it detail traditional gender roles within a fairytale context- that is the handsome prince attempts to rescue the trapped female from the clutches of evil. Billy's reaction to this is one of disbelief, stating questioningly 'she killed herself because the Prince didnt love her?' Immediately it is obvious that these traditional gender roles are not accepted by Billy. The music from Swan Lake plays over this scene, its powerful orchestral sound juxtaposed by the industrial feel of the box car.
Mrs Wilkinson states that this is 'just a ghost story' and this scene is followed by Billy's vision of his dead mother. She, like Princess Odette, has died prematurely.
The Prince finds himself in the forest when he becomes upset that he is being forced to marry out of obligation and tradition rather than love. Not unlike the Prince, Billy is also being forced to follow a predetermined path, rather than follow his passion, which is for dance. Both the Prince and Billy act in defiance of this obligation and follow their heart. While the Prince meets a tragic end by leaping into the lake with Odette, Billy's 'leap' of faith allows him to move beyond Durham 'into the world' of his passion, Ballet.
Von Rathbart is a literal evil in the ballet, representing the obstacle that hinders both Odette and the Prince. In the wider context of Billy Elliot this could be read as any force which attempts to impede Billy's movement 'into the world'.
QUESTIONS
1. At the end of the film, Billy is starring in a production of Swan Lake. What is the purpose of this scene in relation to the topic 'into the world'?
2. What is symbolic about Billy's leap onto the stage at the end of the film?
3. From all the characters in Billy Elliot, who would you say would most represent the figure of Von Rathbart? Explain your answer.
4. Gender is an important theme in Billy Elliot. What is the significance of the Swan Lake production at the end of the film to this theme?
Plot
Swan Lake is the story of Prince Sigfried who is told that he is expected to choose a bride. Upset that he is unable to marry for love, Sigfried runs into the woods and finds a lake full of swans. One is more woman than swan and he discovers that she is in fact Princess Odette who, like the other swan maidens, has been turned into a swan by the evil sorcerer Von Rathbart. The lake that they swim in was formed by the tears of the girls' parents and Odette is trapped in swan form until night time when she becomes a woman again. The Prince becomes enamoured with Odette and returns to the castle. Von Rathbart also arrives at the castle with his own daughter, Odile, who he has cast a spell on to look identical to Odette. She and the Prince dance and he declares his love for her. Odette, seeing this through the castle window, becomes distraught and returns to the forest. The Prince, seeing Odette at the window and realising his mistake, follows her and apologises. She accepts and they embrace until Von Rathbart intercedes and attempts to separate them. Realising that the Prince's declaration to Odile has made it impossible to break the spell, they jump into the lake and drown. This renders Von Rathbart powerless and he also dies.
Swan Lake and Billy Elliot
Swan Lake is referenced numerous times in Billy Elliot and is used to parallel the storyline in many ways. Swan Lake is the most famous ballet in the world and as such is fitting as Billy is attempting to move into this world.
Swan Lake is first referenced in the scene when Mrs Wilkinson and Billy are travelling in the box car. Mrs Wilkinson recounts the story of Swan Lake and her description of it detail traditional gender roles within a fairytale context- that is the handsome prince attempts to rescue the trapped female from the clutches of evil. Billy's reaction to this is one of disbelief, stating questioningly 'she killed herself because the Prince didnt love her?' Immediately it is obvious that these traditional gender roles are not accepted by Billy. The music from Swan Lake plays over this scene, its powerful orchestral sound juxtaposed by the industrial feel of the box car.
Mrs Wilkinson states that this is 'just a ghost story' and this scene is followed by Billy's vision of his dead mother. She, like Princess Odette, has died prematurely.
The Prince finds himself in the forest when he becomes upset that he is being forced to marry out of obligation and tradition rather than love. Not unlike the Prince, Billy is also being forced to follow a predetermined path, rather than follow his passion, which is for dance. Both the Prince and Billy act in defiance of this obligation and follow their heart. While the Prince meets a tragic end by leaping into the lake with Odette, Billy's 'leap' of faith allows him to move beyond Durham 'into the world' of his passion, Ballet.
Von Rathbart is a literal evil in the ballet, representing the obstacle that hinders both Odette and the Prince. In the wider context of Billy Elliot this could be read as any force which attempts to impede Billy's movement 'into the world'.
QUESTIONS
1. At the end of the film, Billy is starring in a production of Swan Lake. What is the purpose of this scene in relation to the topic 'into the world'?
2. What is symbolic about Billy's leap onto the stage at the end of the film?
3. From all the characters in Billy Elliot, who would you say would most represent the figure of Von Rathbart? Explain your answer.
4. Gender is an important theme in Billy Elliot. What is the significance of the Swan Lake production at the end of the film to this theme?
Film Techniques
Below is a presentation which will help you to revise common types of film techniques. While this list is not extensive, it will help you to identify the techniques the director is using to convey the message in Billy Elliot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematic_techniques
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematic_techniques