YOUNG SOUL REBELS
UK, 1991, 105 minutes, Colour.
Valentine Nonyela, Mo Sesay, Dorian Healy, Frances Barber, Sophie Oekonedo.
Directed by Isaac Julien.
Young Soul Rebels was financed by the British Film Institute in association with Channel Four and other international organisations. It is a small-budget memoir of 1977, the year of Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee celebrations.
The film is a portrait of England - one might make comparisons with Derek Jarman's Jubilee. However, this film also focuses on black Londoners, a culture in inner London, prejudice, opportunities, music and the media. The film highlights the role of soul music and the clash with racist Punks. There is a background of wider Right-Wing? racist antagonism. Writer- director Isaac Julien also brings his homosexual sensibility and background to give the film a homosexual framework. The film makes comments, pre-AIDS, about the place of homosexuals in society as well as highlighting prejudice.
The film is well acted by its central characters - however, the attention given to plot is not as significant as that given to character and atmosphere. The framework of the plot is a murder mystery. However, motivations aren't made clear - and, in fact, the murderer appears very little in the film and it is difficult to estimate his motivations.
However, as a mood piece, creating an atmosphere with a critique of a declining Britain, Young Soul Rebels has much to commend it.
1.A film about Britain, the '70s? Black Britain? The world of soul music? The homosexual framework of the film? A particular perspective on British society?
2.The world of London 1977, the black world? The suburban areas, the parks, homes? The contrast between the world of the Punks and the world of the London Establishment?
3.The title and its echoes of rebels with or without causes? The soul music? The British version of rebellion, of soul music?
4.The musical score, soundtrack - the music of the era?
5.The gay framework of the film: the opening with the park, TJ, his encounter and being picked up, his death, the tape-recorder? Caz and his frequenting the park? The gay bars? Billibud? Tolerance and understanding of the gay world in 1977? The background of the murder - and the motivations of the white man killing the black gay man?
6.The friendship between Caz and Chris, their work on the radio? Their station, playing of soul music, piracy of the music, the airwaves? The audience? Their black background, friendship? Chris at home, his white mother, his sister? Issues of mixed race? Caz at home - and at home at Chris's house? Their work at the station, going home, Caz going to the park for a pick-up? Chris going home? The bonds between the two men, the memories of the past, growing up together?
7.Chris, his hopes, his love for the soul music? At home, love for his mother? His sister? Finding the ghetto-blaster in the park, the tape? His going to Metro Radio? The girl at the desk? His talk, hopes? Meeting Tracy? The interview and discussion about radio stations? The possibility of a job? The friendship with Tracy? Taking her to the club to hear Soul Patrol? Caz's disapproval of Tracy? The developing relationship? The radio station, their friendship with Ken, getting the aerial? Putting up the aerial and the argument? The background of TJ's death and their concern? The help from Tracy to go for the interview - and Chris bungling the interview and insulting the professionals? Chris and Tracy and their falling out? His arrest for the murder, the strong interrogation sequences? The attitude of the police, his need for a phone call? Bail and Tracy getting him out? His discovering the vandalism of the studio, the destruction of the tapes? His growing fear, trying to get in touch with Caz? The build-up to the concert against the Queen? The atmosphere in the park, the violence? The confrontation with Ken? The reconciliation with Caz?
8.Caz, his love for soul music, friendship with Chris? His attachment to him, his love for him? At work, going to the garage? The discussions about the car, especially for Ken? Going to the park, pick-ups? The meeting with Billibud? At the clubs, their going out together, the sexual attraction, the graphic sexual encounter on screen? The discussion about the aerial, Ken helping them? The fight with Chris? His going to the concert, ignoring Chris? The final confrontation with Ken? The reconciliation?
9.The portrait of the families in London, racial issues, mixed race? The portrait of the mother, her bringing up Chris and his sister, going out, drugs? The atmosphere of the neighbourhood? The ordinary days, the markets and stalls, the festival?
10.Tracy, her glamorous style, good position, with Radio Metro? Encountering Chris, the friendship, helping him out? Arranging for the interview and Chris's ruining it? Going out with him, the gay club? The growing friendship? The love for each other, the sexual encounter? Her bailing him out of jail?
11.Billibud, a white man on the periphery, frequenting the parks? The bond with Caz, the growing friendship, their going round together, the attack of the Punks? The preparation for the concert? The sexual relationship? In the park, the final confrontation, staying with Caz?
12.Ken, his background, helping the friends with the aerial for the railway station? The garage and trying to get the good car - and his voyeur look at the black man having the shower? The vandalising of the studio? His motivation for killing TJ? The final confrontation and the violence in the park?
13.The men at the garage, their work, moods? Ken and the trying out of the car? Caz and Chris frequenting the garage? The speeches of hostility and black racist stances?
14.Jill, her work at the desk, friendship with Tracy? Friendly with Chris? Going out together?
15.The background of the police, their presence? Their investigation of the murder? Their interrogations? Their arresting Chris, the questions, their hostility and racism? Preventing him with the phone call? The ugly picture of the police?
16.The contrast with the punks, their hanging around, their stances, at the clubs, persecuting Caz and Billibud? Hostilities? At the final concert? The background of the National Front?
17.The world of London and its neighbourhoods, the range of people? How things were in 1977?
18.The jubilee, the role of the Queen (and the mockery with the waving cut-out)? Traditions? Changes in London? Radio and communication, music, the police, violence, homosexuality pre-AIDS? The perspective on 1977 in hindsight?
