Historical Context of the Troubles and Britain's Fears - Paper Example

Introduction

The Troubles did not have a specific period of eruption although it was believed to have emerged due to the several years of the escalating situation between the Protestants and the Catholics. Popular known, it acted as the latest period of long-standing conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics in the Northern Ireland which took place for over thirty years. Although peace was restored after the long war, the process of peaceful resolution was regarded as the most expensive approach that has been witnessed in the area. The Troubles was protracted and have been costly in every sense of utterance which was made about it. From the beginning of the first civil rights inauguration in 1968, Troubles has have led to extensive cost in terms of material and human which has been rising steadily. However, between 1968 and1994, approximately 3,500 people were confirmed dead, and about 40,000 were injured in Northern Ireland due to the direct impact of the war. Robberies, assassinations, terror tactics, and bombings spread to engulf the Irish Republic and Great Britain thereby, significantly decreasing the common sense of security persons.

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Similarly, it led to impinging personal populace freedom among Britain's and the Irish people. As a result, the Northern Ireland Civil rights was severely eroded with mild sacrifices made on the freedom of both the Irish Republic Great Britain to create enough room for long association and interaction of the citizens. In material terms, Northern Ireland experiences massive drainages from the British treasury of over PS3 billion annually while increased border patrols and security cost approximately one-quarter of the Irish Republic annual budget. This was a significant threat to any future development. This paper examines the influence of the historical context of the troubles and Britain's fears on films made then. It also captures important themes which related adversely with the incidences of the time to create hegemony between the experienced actions and the outcomes of the conflicts.

Influence of the Historical Context of the Troubles and Britain’s Fears on Films Made Then

The main participants who were involved in the Troubles were majorly the republican paramilitaries such as the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Other loyalist paramilitaries such as the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) as well as the British Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the British Army among others. The Republic security forces played a smaller role troubles although an extensive guerrilla and bombing campaign were launched against the British security forces by their paramilitaries (Monk, 2015, 176). The campaign also targeted the war against infrastructure, political parties as well as the commercial bodies. The loyalists also targeted the Republicans and made several attacks on the Catholic community who were significant threats. At that time violence was a tit-for-tat bout and every nation wanted dominance over the other. Similarly, the destruction created a collision between the loyalists and the British security, resulting in mass protest, numerous riots, and disobedience to the civil acts and creation of no-go zones.Understanding the historical enmity which existed between the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland is a mandatory step before reclaiming a film connection with the historical context. The Catholics and the Protestant conflict was the major issue that was brought about by the Troubles and Britain's fears. For a considerable portion of its history, from the twelfth century to 1920 (Monk, 2015, 176). During the time of the Great Britain rue over the Catholics in Northern Ireland, several revolts were experienced from them against their Protestant landlords whom they viewed as very inhuman for their progress. Notably, the historical province of Ulster which was regarded as the stronghold of Gaelic culture with numerous actives that can shape a compelling film in the north of Ireland also resisted British encroachments in their province.

This resulted in earlier colonization waves which supplanted the Irish gentry to the Protestant British landlords, abandoning the bulk of the Irish and population of Catholic. Similarly, the 1609 Ulster settlement was contrasted by a massive intrusion of the Protestant culture which was utterly alien to the Catholic inhabitants Massacres of both Catholics and Protestants and also took place throughout that time, as the two sides fought for right and the supremacy of occupying the land which is now called a home by each team. The most important folklore of Ulster was the 1690 Boyne Battle in which a massive victory was scored by the Protestants over the Catholics.

Films During the Troubles and Britain's Fear

Most films emerged to deduce the mistrust and bad feelings that resulted from the colonial effects on Ireland which was brought about by the Protestant settlers who were followed by political and social segregation centuries of Catholics and Protestants in the area. After the victory of several movies can come to existence to keep the historical innuendos of the conflict. Several laws were enacted to effectively entrench the real hatred which was experienced by all Catholics in Ireland. Although the result of the law enactment was exemplary, several issues crop in between the Catholics and their counterparts as they continue to glorify the violent actions which were being created by each community.

The Straw Dog

For instance, in 1971 a psychological thriller film the Straw Dog was made based on the Chinese ceremonial straw dog that was regarded to have some worth but eventually discarded with indifference. The Straw Dog film is noted for its complicated rape scene and violent concluding sequences (Monk, 2015, 176). The film was described as a disappointment as it captures several theories of violence which have been regressed in the historical events of the troubles and Britain's fear. Generally, the film's reception among the people was low due to the exploitation of bloodbath, lack of motivation and shallow characterization; it thoughtfully explores the ambivalent relationship between humanity and the dark side. For instance, during the IRA conflict, numerous deaths and loss of property were evident. The colonial government also subjected the Northern Irelands to massive exploitation, sexuality, and many other unethical issues. The creation of the Straw Dogs films which was transgressively violent helps in retaining shock powers which were evident during the several years of war.

However, on its release in 1971, the film was very controversial because of prolonged incidences of rape scenes that were the centerpiece. The film director Peckinpah was accused of eroticizing and glamorizing rape as well as engaging in male chauvinism and misogynistic sadism which were disturbed by the ambiguity of some intended scenes. Similarly, the violence which was escalating from the film seems like an endorsement of conflict making the film to be seen as a fascist celebration of war and vigilantism. However, the relevance of these encounters can be traced from the activities which were experienced during the trouble and Britain's fear events where an occurrence of violence was seen as a subconscious provocation of violence between two conflicting parties (Thoma, 2017, 124). Generally, the film tries to explain the major issues that the Northern Ireland people experienced in the hands of the British colonial. The historical events of the interaction are captured amicably with attempts to restore the issues remaining the center of focus. The Straw Dog film reveals the coarseness and brutal nature of colonial power. The director made his focus on pertinent issues which affected the people especially in attempts to be colonized. The models used in films allow people to get intertwined with the vast concerns that brought great disagreement between the Catholics and the Protestants.

The Gate Carter

Stephen Kay consistently strove for the events which are unique about people and continually questions the nature which defines the kind of life that most people chose to live. The Gate Carter was an instrumental film in foregrounding realism with attempts to address real issues after the several future wars between Catholics and the Protestant in the New Ireland. However, this realism was a new dawn for the deep understanding of questions which were pertinent in the lives of the citizens. As a classic British Crime film, Carter portrays the star Michael Caine a nasty anti-hero. The film narrates the life of Caine, a London gangster returning to his low-class hometown to mourn his brother. The death of his brother starts disturbing him, and he tries to find out the actual truth about the cause of the end. On attempts to get closer to the truth, violence escalates, and things became gritty and unbearable.

Notably, the directed shifted and crafted a real classic ideal in capturing particular place and time of the event to reveal how violence was central in during Britain's fear and the troubles in Northern Ireland. The night clubs hair and the fashion made the film to have dominance watching in the early 1970s due to colonial realism. Additionally, although the film's pacing may not appeal to modern audiences, the essential viewing makes every episode related to the events of British Crime films. The film was a thriller, though; it was more brutal and colder than anything ever produced in the British cinema. The film was associated with unyielding mood among the viewers who were not sure of the intentions of the film after the narrator having returned home for the funeral of his brother. Although there are some traces of humor in the movie, the general outlook is bleak and cause grimaces as opposed to laughs.

Moreover, the description of the initial responses about the film, it was established that the cults could flourish in a generation where war and violence supersede other crucial activities. The power and professionalism which was exercised in the film give it mild admiration by the colonial powers. However, lack of charisma and several mysteries in the earlier crime films gives it the ability to condemn excessive violence and amorality which was common during the troubles and Britain's fear.

At the center of the film is Caine who isplaying playing with a chilly authority which his most geezers' moments can comprehend. The inscription in the movies reveals several incidences of violence especially after Caine realized the possible cause of his brother's death. This shows that the relationship between the historical contexts of the troubles contributed adversely to the nature of most films. Violence was the way of life in Northern Ireland, and the British government was using extrajudicial forces to transgress deeper into the vanities of the area.

The War Game

The War Game is one of the 965 television drama which was filmed in a documentary style to depict a nuclear war. The film was authored, directed and produced for The Wednesday Play of the BBC by Peter Watkins years after massive influence form the IRA. The War Game caused dismay within the government and the BBC leading to its subsequent withdrawal from the program before the provisional screening was done in 1965. However, the corporation affirmed that the horrifying effects of the film as confirmed by the BBC in any medium of broadcasting reduce the number of the invited audience.

The story in the film has a news magazine programmes styles. The narration wavers between dramas films a mockumentary, with mild acknowledgment of the camera by the characters as though it had never been...