Hybrid genre, long form tv drama that combined gangster, western and historical drama elements
How is it a historical drama
-lavish production design to evoke a specific period and location concentrating on Birmingham in 1919.
-explores many of the social and political issues of the time
Knights intention with peaky blinders
-Wanted to mythologies british working class lives in the way 'Americans took 19th century agricultural workers and called them cowboys and made them heroes of westerns' -black hoke for tv production jn the middle of the country. The midlands had a cultural cringe in their location and identities. -seeks to reveal the secret history of england, the lives and dramas of people who aren't wealthy or landed gentry. The anti downtown Abbey.
Gangster conventions part 1
-protagonist is a cool, quiet but ambitious anti hero who used intelligence and cunning, as well as brutal violence to ascend the tanks of a criminal family/organisation, or is strategic in order to maintain their position at the top
-the antagonist is a law maker who is investigating the hero and his family/organisation. Unusual as here the investigator threatens the status quo established by the criminals rather than seeking to preserve it. Binary opposition to tommy
Gangster conventions part 2
-importance of family loyalty. The shelbys are devoted to protecting and securing their family
-usually an older patriarch/matriarch. Aunt polly plays this role.
-another stock character is a less smart, more violent sibling if the hero which is Arthur. Playing another binary
-power of the criminal family is threatened. By other gangs, by the law and from threats within. The majn characters must pull together (and sometimes betray) to survive
-ep1 establishes a number of plots and subplots around these themes
Intertextuality
-crime family and battles with rivals/the law stems from the godfather
-ruthless enforcer vs mob boss as well as 1920s setting and costume recalls the untouchables
Clothing
-so impactful Knight started his own fashion brand
-costumes indicates different kinds if female character.
Iconography and setting
-knight often heard tales from his relatives
-he visualised the story through thr eyes kf a young boy growing up in this environment, so there is a sense of heightened reality. The horses are bigger, men taller and the pubs more glamorous
-prosecution design to reflect the narrative tone set within industrial poverty but full of energy, vigour and excitement, not despair
-western iconography used to established Tommy's reputation and the environment is fully of vigour
Gesture and expression
-cast have an intense dramatic energy
-tommy is extremely under stated, almost static by comparison. His stillness an lack of emotion link to the western cowboy archetype: strong, silent but coiled and ready for action
-his backstory of ptsd following the first world war adds an emotional backstory to this posture
Visual technical codes
-tracking shots are used to follow the characters through the streets and other locations
-camera movement, editing and mise en scene creates a sense of energy and excitement, not despair
Audio codes
-dialogue: tommy is a man of very few words but what he says his well chosen.
-music: the use of punk and rock songs, often released 60 years after the events of the show, establishes a modern feel to a period drama. Knight said he wanted to emphasise the idea of people in the period with modern emotions, aspirations and expressions. -energetic punk songs also u dilate the simmering emotion beneath Tommy's calm exterior
Todorov, narrative
-equilibrium: opening scenes establish tommy as a man of great status. Also show day to day running of the shelbys gambling operation, but the disruption (mistaken theft of the guns) has already occurred and the further disruption (Campbell campaign) is already beginning
-almost every character has their own narrative
-only a few of the disruptions to characters narratives are resolved in the first episode which encourages viewers to watch the entire series
-some recognitions hints in the focus episode (shelbys know Campbell identity and reputation when he arrives)
Steve neal, genre part one
-says that genres may be seen as being limited by familiar tropes, they are also marked by difference, variation and change
-gangster films and historical dramas have a recognisable array of conventions that produce audience pleasures. Including anti heroes, suspense, violence, but also spectacular locations and costumes
Steve neal, genre part two
-neale would say they also need to display something original to set them apart. Evolution is essential to sustain a genre -peaky blinders does this by offering a greater depth and complexity to the typical tough guys. By rooting their violence in historic and socioeconomic context (ptsd). Set design snd location is not only industrial but also hellish (fire explodes or glimmers in nearly every scene). Offers a distinctly different t aesthetic to other period dramas like bridgerton
Historical contextpart 1
-was praised for many of its plot lines and portrays in terms of its historical accuracy;
-the fashion including the card and suits
-Post war culture of men returning from ww1
-fear of communism particularly among the ruling class
-obsession with horse racing/gambling
-the rise of the British union fascists (relevant later in the series)
Historical context-part 2
Although often clouded by critics as rewriting history through revisionism. Does contain inaccuracies:
-the real peaky blinders operated during ww1 but disappeared by 1919
-Winston Churchill would never have interactd with the peaky blinders due to the time period
-the peaky blinders deal with IRA but they rose after ww1 so not fully established
-never had blades in caps
-tommy shelby never existed
Cultural context
-Birmingham and it's surrounding areas encountered something of a renaissance due to the popularity of the peaky blinders brand. Tourism rose as did levels of media production of other projects that the show attracted
-re emergency of the feat cup and tweed suits regarding pre eminent fashion as a promotion of working class chic
-rise in order generational names of baby's such as polly, ada, tommy.. inspired by the characters
Roland barthes
-hemeneutic codes
-enimga codes often drive long form dramas by constantly introducing new characters and narrative twists, some of which are answered with others leading to further enigma
some include will Tommy'slong term plan (horse racing scam) succeed? Will Campbell find the stolen guns? Will the Italians realize Danny's execution was a hoax?