Rise of the Footsoldier

[Boy Genius]

Good film.

did you understand it?....:icon_bigg

 

[fludie]

BG, Dead Man Shoes is on Film 4 at 11.25pm tonight.

Also more Shane Meadows news into today's Mockery....

His reputation as a bare-knuckle fighter earned him the title King of the Gypsies.

For 20 years, Bartley Gorman, who once lived in Sapcote, was the unbeaten champion of the brutal - and illegal - sport in Britain and Ireland.

Now, his life is set to be portrayed in a movie by top director Shane Meadows.

Meadows's critically-acclaimed This Is England beat The Bourne Ultimatum and Atonement to win a Bafta for best film last month.

The idea for the movie - to be called King of the Gypsies - was today welcomed by a life-long friend and Mr Gorman's nephew, who live in Leicestershire.

Years after his death in 2002, aged 57, from liver cancer, the fighter is still widely respected and has a worldwide cult following.

In recent months, tens of thousands of people have watched clips of him in action on the YouTube website.

Among Mr Gorman's admirers was boxing legend Muhammad Ali, whom he met at an hotel in Birmingham and who had heard of his "bull hammer" punch.

His lifelong friend, Jack Weaver, 65, of Coventry Road, Hinckley, manages Bartley's nephews, Sam and Jerry Gorman, from Sapcote, who are licensed boxers.

He said: "I think it would be a very interesting, very good film. It still goes on, this bare-knuckle fighting.

"Bartley didn't like the media, but he'd be awfully proud, to be honest, to know there was a film being made about him.

"It would be good to have it laid out like it really was with Bartley.

"Him and his brother, Sam - father of Sam junior and Jerry - had one hell of a life and I knew them all my life, really.

"He's very highly regarded around here, along with Sam, who boxed as well but was never as famous."

Jerry, 21, who has a number of amateur boxing wins under his belt, keeps treasured scrapbook pages filled with pictures of his uncle.

He said: "I'm chuffed about the film, I really am.

"But we would want it to be good and authentic.

"From a travellers' point of view, we wouldn't want to be depicted inaccurately, like we have been in other films.

"It would have to be authentic but I'd be happy to help Shane Meadows out.

"If they want to come down here and train with me and learn about things, I'm happy to help. Bartley is still respected a lot around here.

"My dad boxed, too - the boxing tradition goes back a long way in our family - but my dad never wanted the fame Bartley had.

"Boxing just comes naturally to us."

According to Mr Meadows's website, he is currentlyworking on the script for the biopic. Actor Paddy Considine, who starred in Hot Fuzz and The Bourne Ultimatum, is lined up to play the lead role.

Meadows is from Uttoxeter and said he has been a fan for many years.

Mr Gorman divided his time between the town and Sapcote.

He made a short documentary, also called King of the Gypsies, about the fighter in 1995.

Speaking about the new film, Mr Meadows said: "I don't want to misrepresent the gypsy community.

"I know that when they see a film or EastEnders with a gypsy turning up on a wagon with a horse, which they haven't been using for 70 years, it's very offensive."

Watching the dvd now

 

[Hazzman]

Watching the dvd now

of what? Dead Man?

 

[Boy Genius]

Watching the dvd now

what before its made?

 

[fludie]

what before its made?

I watched dvds The Rise Of The Footsoldier few weeks ago and Dead Mans Shoes last night.

 

[Richie_d123]

My old step dad grew up with shane meadows.

 

[Hazzman]

Just to report Meadows did film 'Somers Town' a 85 min, b/w in the aftermath of This Is England. It's about a run-away lad who bumps into a young Pole who lives between 2 of London's main stations and how they get on. Looks like a TV job however....

There is also 'Le Donk' - a satire docu about a roadie whose wife is preggers and the Arctic Monkeys appear for a bit. Feature - film.

See here...http://youtube.com/watch?v=1f-HRG-kahs