Synopsis
In Borstal, survival rules!
Powerful, uncompromising drama about two boys' struggle for survival in the nightmare world of Britain's notorious Borstal Reformatory.
Scum
Cast
Ray Winstone Mick Ford Julian Firth John Blundell Phil Daniels John Judd Philip Jackson Peter Howell Bill Dean John Grillo P.H. Moriarty Ray Burdis Alan Igbon John Fowler Jo Kendall Alrick Riley Sean Chapman Andrew Paul Patrick Murray Herbert Norville George Winter Ray Jewers Nigel Humphreys Perry Benson Danny John-Jules Peter Francis
Director
Producers
Writer
Editor
Cinematography
Executive Producers
Production Design
Art Direction
Sound
Makeup
Studios
Country
Language
Alternative Titles
Abschaum - Höllenloch der Gewalt!, Terror i ungdomsfængslet, Escoria, Kapina nuorisovankilassa, I vromia, Scum - Söpredék, Schorem, Juventude sem Freio, Ološ, Revolt, Scum - Abschaum, Abschaum - Höllenloch der Gewalt, 人渣, Отбросы, Hołota, 스컴, Escòria
Genres
Themes
Releases by Date
Theatrical
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Canada
28 Sep 1979
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UK18
19 Mar 1980
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France
21 Apr 1980
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Denmark
02 May 1980
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Netherlands16
12 Jun 1980
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Australia
20 Aug 1980
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USAR
05 Sep 1980
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Germany
15 Sep 1980
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Sweden
Physical
04 Feb 2011
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Netherlands16
Releases by Country
Australia
12 Jun 1980
- Theatrical
Canada
12 Sep 1979
- Theatrical
Denmark
21 Apr 1980
- Theatrical
France
19 Mar 1980
- Theatrical
Germany
05 Sep 1980
- Theatrical
Netherlands
02 May 1980
- Theatrical16
04 Feb 2011
- Physical16 DVD
Sweden
15 Sep 1980
- Theatrical
UK
28 Sep 1979
- Theatrical18
USA
20 Aug 1980
- TheatricalR
Popular reviews
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“Scum” is a brutal film that provides no answers except for anger, and no satisfaction except for a the hope of a swift end to suffering.
Director Alan Clarke’s 1979 work of social realism takes place in a borstal; a type of British youth prison that was later abolished in 1982. While the institution in name no longer exists in Britain (unfortunately, they still number in the thousands in India), the abusive ouroboros of the underprivileged damned eating the underprivileged damned doubtless remains in other forms.
“Scum,” while marketed as something of a behind bars exploitation flick, doesn’t revel for a moment in the adversities of its subjects. Nor, though, does it wallow.
“Scum’s” closest lineage is likely with Steve…
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The cruel pointlessness of "rehabilitation" through violent, dehumanizing punishment directed with an effectively blunt style by Clark who opts to render this barbaric breakdown of inmates and administrators (who don't just turn a blind eye but actively cultivate the system of power and fear) in simple camera set-ups/moves, generic white interiors, and a noticeable lack of music and conventional dramatic structure. Just the raw brutalizing at its most hellishly mundane and organized/sanctioned. Not for the faint of heart, I'd heard of its reputation and was still blindsided by how bleak this got. The last 10-15 minutes in particular are harrowing.
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Brutally violent and horrifyingly bleak.
I knew nothing about this movie going in, not it’s historybor it’s reputation—the title and film poster caught my eye so I went for it... yeah... not what I was expecting, I wasn’t ready for this—vicious fights, crazy long takes, rape, pool balls in a sock beat downs, tons of aggressive yelling etc. Scum pulls no punches, it’s an incredibly grim inmate nightmare that nosedives without a parachute into bad vibes-ville.
Don’t watch this if you’re feeling down. -
Went with a buddy to see this last night on a well played 35 mm print at the BFI and had some drinks after.
As we were at the BFI, the friend said - guess your not watching anything in the Ozu season - not an act people!!!!!
Been a long while since i last watched this and it was for once totally captivating on print and in a closed off environment like the screen.
Now before i review three things
This film didn't make Winstone's career, that was Nil By Mouth and the War Zone, have you seen Winstone's 1980s output - well unless you watched British TV during the 80s, i doubt you have.
The film has always…
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This was bloody amazing!
Basically we just follow a bunch of kids at this borstal, what used to be like youth detention centres in the UK, but then more hardcore I guess. Specifically we follow this one kid Carlin and he is kinda hard.
But man this movie is brutal, quite a disturbing thought that these were perhaps really ran like this? I mean sure, while watching this you kinda forget that these kids are there for a reason, since the staff of the institute is the "bad guy" here. But still, even if they are little criminals, this does them way more harm than good. They're supposed to be rehabilitated in order to be put back in and contribute…
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Relentlessly bleak and cynical depiction of rehabilitation, hierarchy and corruption. In 30 years has not lost any of its punch. You’ll never want to enter a greenhouse again. 🏡🙅♂️
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there is a double clubbing, a mini-race-war, two on-screen-suicides and a gangrape in this film. hate. pure hate. no pulled punches. life in a british youth detention center circa the late 70's. by no means is this a nihilistic exercise in misery, instead, a depiction of authority as what it often is: inhuman, and how those subjected cope with it: bitterly.
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No filmmaker represents a relentless confrontation of the unpleasant social consequences of ultra-conservatism and authoritarian institutions quite like the Alan Clarke. His countless grim examinations into the harsh underbelly of British deviance come directly from the era in which Maggy Thatcher would brutally reshape the UK with an iron first into a new unforgiving cold reality. While the original Television play predates the threshold of Thatcher's coming reign, its supposed more unflinchingly violent and nasty theatrical counterpoint would release amidst the beginnings of Thatcherism.
While Hanake infamously remade Funny Games for English-speaking audiences, Clarke's reason for remaking Scum is much more badass. The OG Scum was deemed to controversial for audiences and thus was banned from airing, an insistence which…
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An institution that never rehabilitates people; one that somehow operates after it's destruction and many silent prayers. Horrifyingly casual racism. Submission. Natural acting. Were borstals like this during that time? Kind of like a proto-Ringo Lam piece without the melodrama and with some coldness. Grounded cinematography. The system does nothing but make things worse. A world that never reforms, only kids who will be stuck in there forever with them. Rage against inhuman treatment, but nothing will change.
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YouTube-Tage die Neunte (9)
Im besten Sinne altbewährt.
-Für den Knastobermacker ist gesorgt – Check-Für das von allen umsorgt werdende Nesthäkchen ebenso – Check
-Für den Intellektueller kaum weniger – Check
-Für den sich von unten nach ganz oben arbeitenden, die Knastinsassen für sich gewinnenden Sympathieträger selbstverständlich – Check
-Für die bösen wie fairen Knastwärtern in dem Haifischbecken zu hunderten nicht minder – Check
-Für den tyrannischen Knastdirektor der seine eigene Auslegung von Zucht und Ordnung hat, natürlich – Check
Für mich, einen Genießer von Knastfilmen, Filmen spielend im Knast und darum herum gesponnenen Filmen, steht ein Check noch aus: hat er mir den gefallen? Die Frage bekommt ein – Check
Link - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZY1gYn2fOs&t=8s
Gefängnisfilme und Gefangenenfilme-Ranking - boxd.it/d43Oa -
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Rec by Child of Chaos CityGent
letterboxd.com/citygent/Is it inappropriate to say Rec me Daddy here?
boxd.it/cmQoMI love Archer, he is how I treat my corporate world. Just do as much as you can to fuck with them and get away with it. He is smarter than the system.
"the punitive system does not work. I mean, my experience of borstal convinces me that more criminal acts are imposed on prisoners than by criminals on society."
Yeah my dude. Yeah.
What we have is a movie that take a straight attack at the penal system in England at the time. How brutal it was, how heartless the people in charge were. And This draconic idea that the way to…
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