Five movies about Thatcher's Britain

Much of this week's UK news has been dominated by the news of Margaret Thatcher passing away. As a Brit, and a child of Maggie's Britain, no less, I have been asked by Americans several times this week why she was such a divisive figure for the UK.

I'm not going to talk about that here, at least not directly. Instead, I'm going to celebrate what I think is one of her greatest legacies: Her (perhaps unwitting) contribution to the arts.

Because she was such a divisive figure, and also because she was not popular amongst artists, this led to a vibrant and highly politicized arts and cultural legacy. If when you think of 'British Cinema' you think of Harry Potter, Love Actually, Monty Python, or even the Carry On movies, then I'm about to change that for you.

Here are five brilliant movies about Thatcher's Britain, listed in order of release.

Links are mostly to UK trailers, so please assume they are all NSFW!

1. Educating Rita (1983) Set in Liverpool

Working class girl does good: A scouse hairdresser decides to better herself by enrolling into the Open University. The OU is a respected UK distance-learning institution which was established in the 1970s and was very innovative for its time. The story revolves around her eagerness to move in new social and economic circles. It was a breakout movie for newcomer Julie Walters, aka Molly Weasley from Harry Potter.

2. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) Set in London

On the surface, the lead characters in this movie also live according to the entrepreneurial values of the deregulated Thatcher era, by running a successful business. The irony is that they are mixed-race, gay, and loosely involved in trafficking drugs. Huge social commentary on politics, race, and relationships. It was nominated for an Oscar but lost out to Woody Allen.

3. Letter to Brezhnev (1985) Set in Liverpool

Two girls, one unemployed and the other working in a chicken factory, meet two Soviet Russian sailors. The unemployed girl decides that life in Soviet Russia would be better than life in 1980s Liverpool. She writes to the communist leader Brezhnev, asking him if she can move to Russia. There's an ironic message here about a poor girl hoping to 'live the dream' in the USSR, but there's also a frightening close up of a girl's hairy armpit, so be warned.

4. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, Her Lover (1989)

Michael Gambon, aka Dumbledore, plays the Thief in this lavish movie by Peter Greenaway. He represents the 'nouveau riche' of the 1980s: He's wealthy and provides for his wife (Helen Mirren), who wears Jean Paul Gaultier, eats expensive food… and is having an affair with a lowly academic. Very aesthetic, hugely symbolic, and definitely not for the faint-hearted (trust me, it's more disturbing than the hairy armpit).

5. Billy Elliot (2000) Set in Northumberland circa 1984-5

Part of this movie is a sweet tale about a young boy pursuing a dream, but it's set against the backdrop of the 1980s Miners' Strike. Also starring Julie Walters/Molly Weasley. 

I lived in North East England during the 1980s and there is a part of my family that hails from Northumberland: They were a mining family. Seeing a former miner choke up at this movie's depiction of the political/economic unrest brings a gritty strength to Billy Elliot. 

Also see Brassed Off (1996) and the Full Monty (1997) which star Ewen McGregor and Robert Carlyle respectively. Although these two movies are set during the post-Thatcher 1990s, they capture similar themes to Billy Elliot.

Their US trailers are really funny, because they make these movies seem a lot more corny than they really are. They also have the same typically deep blockbuster voice. The US trailer for Brassed Off even describes it as a 'sexy comedy' as if it's Four Weddings and a Funeral. Warning: It's really not. Check them out: Billy Elliot, Brassed Off, Full Monty.

All of these inspired this Mitchell and Webb British underdog movie sketch. If you love British movies and don't understand the rules of cricket, you'll find this hysterical.

Five ways Glasgow and Philadelphia are similar

World War Z is a Brad Pitt zombie movie set to attack movie theaters this June. It is set here in Philadelphia, but it was actually filmed in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

Readers will know that both of these cities hold special places in my heart. I lived, studied, worked, danced, drank (and dated my now husband) in Glasgow for a good six years of my life - and now Philly is my home city.

The trailer is hilarious. For anyone who has ever lived in or been to Glasgow and/or Philadelphia, the aerial shots of 'Glasgowdelphia' are so blatant and comedic. George Square looks nothing like any of the five squares in Philly.

BUT, Glasgow and Philadelphia are really similar. I love them both, and I love to compare my home countries, so here's a fun list of the similarities between the two best cities in the world.

Shots of 'Glasgowdelphia' during filming of World War Z. Not mine, but taken by a fantastic photographer friend.
Check out her photos of famous bands and musical artists (including One Direction, Fun. and, er Jedward)

1. Grid System

Glasgow was chosen to represent Philly in the Brad Pitt zombie movie because both cities are built according to a grid system. For US cities that's not unusual at all - even American countryside seems to be laid out in grids. It's really confusing for a British driver like me because everything looks the same.

Old British cities like London and Edinburgh are full of long winding streets and alleyways that change name and turn corners and allow people to get wonderfully lost. Much of Glasgow is the same, but the city center is built in squares. Glasgow doesn't have numbered streets though, which as you can see they had to build into the set.

2. Deco buildings

The first rule of being a local in any city is never look up. But in Glasgow and Philly it is so hard to follow the rules! Both cities are havens for beautiful, beautiful art deco architecture.

Glasgow is known for being the birth place of Charles Rennie Mackingtosh and his works and inspiration are visible all over the city. For example, the Beresford in Glasgow is a gorgeous apartment block that was renovated several years ago. Friends of mine lived there for a while and it was always fun to visit.

But Philadelphia trumps Glasgow for art deco, hands down. For example, The Metropolitan is a luxury art deco apartment block that catches my breath every time I see it. Can't you just imagine Batman standing or hanging from the arches and surveying America's fifth biggest city? It's stunning. There are examples of deco architecture almost everywhere in Philadelphia and I can't get enough of them.

3. Arts and Culture

When I studied Film and Television in Glasgow, I felt like I was in a pocket of creativity. It's full of culture, from the aura of the Art School and its fantastic events and club nights, to the musical creativity that comes from the city (Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, Paolo Nutini, Frightened Rabbit, Biffy Clyro…).

And now Philadelphia is where it's at. For arts and culture, it's the place to be. Even the Philadelphia Inquirer had to admit it. Portland? Old news. Brooklyn? That's so 2008. I feel like Philly is a city on the brink of something amazing. Just don't tell everyone, we locals want to keep it a secret.

4. Left-Wing Politics

In last year's Presidential election, parts of Philadelphia cast no votes for the Republican party. It was the same in 2008. It is no secret that Philadelphia is a Democratic stronghold nestled within some fairly conservative suburban/rural counties.

In Glasgow the left-wing Labour Party has controlled the city council for over three decades.

Both cities are incredibly diverse post-industrial cities with great shipbuilding histories, and that feeds into their respective political histories.

5. Not being the capital

Both Philadelphia and Glasgow benefit from not being the capital cities. London, Edinburgh, DC (and New York) frequently overshadow these cities, and Glasgowdelphia residents couldn't be happier about that. Underrated, nothing to prove, no need to be nice to tourists: Culturally they are very similar. They are beautiful, edgy, fun, yet rough around the edges and only friendly in their own quirky ways.

And you should visit both of them. Soak in the atmospheres, visit the museums and the university campuses (Glasgow University is Russell Group and UPenn is Ivy League - dontcha know?). Walk around and visit the plethora of vintage boutiques and thrift stores in Philly's Old City and the Glasgow West End. Catch a sunny day and lay down in the parks and squares and listen to the locals shouting and singing. Eat wonderful cuisine, visit intimidating dive bars, be careful, be streetwise, be inspired, and then try to tell me you don't love these two cities.

Five UK shows I wish BBC America would broadcast

Me petitioning the BBC to show more programs in the USA (actually I was working and that didn't cross my mind, sadly).

I do love American television. I really do. There's just something so garish and gluttonous and appealing about it. Watching US TV is like going for a sneaky midnight drive-thru meal: It's so wrong it's just perfectly right.

But sometimes I miss the hearty, reliable stodge of Old Blighty's television. I miss smooth deadpan voiceovers and useful signals that commercials are going to begin. 

BBC America is there for those moments, but only sometimes. It's catered more to the American Anglophile rather than to the British expat market, and is filled with Dr Who and Top Gear re-runs.

Here are five shows that are quintessentially British, and that I think BBC America would do well to show. Not only because I want to watch them myself, but also because I think Americans would get a kick out of them.

1. Come Dine With Me

 

Premise: Complete strangers host dinner parties for each other. They judge and rate each other's evenings, and at the end of the week the winner takes home a thousand bucks.

This daytime TV format turned prime-time hit has all the elements of British society. 

First, it's like a disastrous cooking show with amusingly amateurish results. Secondly, it has that keyhole voyeurism we all enjoy from the likes of house-buying shows and MTV's Cribs. Third, it has a competitive element and, of course, a supremely sarcastic voice-over. 

My American Mom-In-Law loves it. BBC America actually used to show it, but then stopped for seemingly no reason. Perhaps Americans couldn't believe how terrible Brits are at cooking, or why we have an obsession with poking around in other people's wardrobes. Either way, America has about thirty seasons to catch up on by now. Shame.

2. The Great British Bake Off

Premise: Talented, lovely, chipper Brits prepare baked goods in a marquee on the grounds of an English stately home. It is exactly as twee as it sounds.

Mark and I tried the infamous eight plait bread from the latest series of Great British Bake Off. We were quite proud!
Not quite up to Paul Hollywood's standards though.

The Great British Bake-Off was a surprise hit in the UK because it captured a zeitgeist for patriotic escakeism. It is the complete antithesis to every competitive cooking program on American television.

Unlike Cupcake Wars or Cake Boss, Bake Off is understated and charming. The competitors are all nice. Two baking pros, a formidable bread-master and an exacting cake lady, interact with a female comedy presenting duo for a lilting cookery show that, surprisingly, oozes with subtle innuendo.

Late last year US channel CBS ordered an American series of Bake Off, although the women's institution that is Mary Berry already announced that she would not be involved. I'm very excited, but also intrigued to see if the charming and gentile format will translate well to this brash and proud country. Regardless, I hope whoopie pies are involved.

3. Coronation St

 

Premise: Working class people living on a cobbled street in Northern England work in an underwear factory, go to the pub and have marital affairs. Almost every day. For over fifty years. It's The longest television soap in the world.

The whining drone of the theme tune was the punctuation to my evening since I was very young. I grew up on a diet of soap operas at dinner.  My undergrad dissertation supervisor even had a PhD in Corrie.

If you've never seen it before, take a look at this classic scene where a young character advises an old neighbor on how to get rid of the weeds in his paved back yard. It's that perfect balance of voyeurism, banality and jovial innuendo that makes the show, along with irresistably trashy yet brilliant story writing.

It saddened me that emigrating meant I would have to resort to nefarious means of accessing my daily fix of this domestic drama. The great news is that Hulu started streaming the show on a two week delay just last month, but I still think BBC America should syndicate the show for the expat market.

 

This is actually Valley Forge and nothing to do with Coronation St

4.  Have I Got News For You / 8 Out of 10 Cats

 

Premise: Well known public figures and comedians sit at a large desk for a weekly quiz, and make timely quips about the news, providing large helpings of off-the-cuff sarcasm and political cynicism.

 

The USA has its own attempts at political satire, sure. The Daily Show (and its spin-off The Colbert Report) are decent, and many Brits actually watch the international editions. Stewart and Colbert satirize the format and sensationalism of most US cable news shows: One person, one desk, lashings of hyperbole and caustic humor based on the strangest political truths.

It doesn't quite compare to the rigors of political satire in the UK though, where politicians are invited to get mercilessly mocked by some of Britain's brightest comedic minds. Occasionally the presenters themselves get embroiled in news stories and become the brunt of the unrelenting punchlines.
 
The skill of these shows is making the humor seem unrehearsed and almost throw-away. This is what makes them so British. HIGNFY excels at this, but Cats has a special place in my heart because I worked on the show (where I got to work with the charming Jimmy Carr and meet the legendary David Hasselhoff).

5. Blue Peter / Newsround

 

Premise: One is a magazine show about making popular items from toilet paper tubes; the other is the most trusted and cogent news source in the UK. Both are kids' shows.

 

Here's one I made earlier…The famous Thunderbird Tracy Island craft make is on display at the BBC Television Centre.
What will happen to it when the BBC moves out of the building?

Blue Peter is like the Scouts for coach potatoes, complete with badges. It's also the world's longest running childrens' TV show, featuring a mishmash of celebrity culture, sports and activities, fundraising appeals and arts and crafts.

The show has had some defining moments: making a popular toy (the Thunderbird island above) out of paper mache and soft cheese containers; having a baby elephant poo in a studio live on TV; and breaking the news to young viewers that the goldfish in the studio garden were killed after drunken soccer players broke in.

Newsround is not Aaron Sorkin's latest HBO drama; it's a long running news broadcast specifically for children. It's one of the best news shows on television due to the BBC's remit for balanced reporting and its ability to simplify complex news stories. Perhaps Sorkin's Newsroom would have been more entertaining if it had been about a kids' news show instead.

Kids in the UK graduate from Sesame St and progress onto Blue Peter and Newsround before becoming sensible, civic-minded citizens. Or at least they used to before the Disney Channel became more popular. Kids just aren't into toilet tubes like they used to be.

Fun Fact: There's a video in existence of myself interviewing the current Newsround newscaster, the lovely Ore Orduba, while he pretends to be Jessica Alba. No - you ain't ever gonna see it.

What are your favorite UK TV shows? Do any of these sound more appealing than Sherlock and Downtown Abbey?

Five places in Pennsylvania I really want to visit

Only one of these photos was taken in St.Andrews

Some of my friends and family are quite surprised that I made the giant leap from St.Andrews, Scotland, to nowhere, PA. So far moving and living here has been challenging but satisfying, and I'm excited to get stuck into the local Fall events. I've even made a calendar marking all the local Fall Festivals, pumpkin chucks, apple cider tasting and hay rides so I don't miss anything!

But there are also loads of non-Fall related places I'm still yet to explore. So, in no particular order, here's a shortlist of places in Pennsylvania I can't wait to check out:

1. Hershey Park
I described this to my younger sister as "a theme park where the theme is chocolate" and I don't think there's much more I need to say about it. I love chocolate, and I love theme parks. Hershey isn't the only theme park around here that looks great though. There's also Dorney, Knoebels, and over the state border in NJ there's Six Flags, home to the the USA's tallest roller coaster. They all do Halloween events that look like a total scream, and if I had the money I'd do them all.

2. Crayons and Potato Chips
Okay, cheating a little again with two very different factory tours in at number two. First off we have the Crayola experience, where it seems you can draw and play with melted crayons, see how they're made and learn the history of the famous brand. I know I'm way too old for this, but admit it, you want to come with me.

The second factory is the Herr's Potato chip factory. I'd reckon I eat enough of these potato chips to warrant me a free tour, but the tours are already free. Not only that, there seems to be some 'zany' chipmunk characters involved, and the site promises 'technological wizardry'. Intrigued?

3. Lancaster
Lancaster county is the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. By 'Dutch' the Pennsylvanians actually mean 'Deutsch', and by that they mean the German immigrants, culture and influence on this region of the US. This includes the Lancaster Amish and Mennonite communities, and there seems to be a huge focus on tourism to see these 'plain' farms and homesteads. But a trip to Dutch Pennsylvania also includes pretzel bakeries, the history of the German settlers, and some great gastro-attractions, including the Turkey Hill ice cream experience.

4. Gettysburg
We took a trip to Valley Forge on July 4th, but still have not ventured to Gettysburg, the civil war site famous for a short but nevertheless important speech. I think that while living in PA, a visit here is a must, and will help cement my understanding of how this country came to be what it is today. Fellow blogger Katherine of Of Corgis and Cocktails recently visited the site, and you should check out her stunning and moving photos.

5. Centralia
A completely different kind of attraction altogether. Centralia is a ghost town. It has no zip code (according to wiki it was 17927 until 2002 when it was revoked). The town was blighted by an underground mine fire in the 1960s, which still burns today. Most people left in the 1980s, though a few remain, and although there's little there, the road is torn in two by the still smoldering fire. Apparently the horror movie Silent Hill was partially based on the spookiness of the town. I've read that during snow storms the heat of the fire melts the snow, and steam can be seen rising from underground. For a fan of urban decay photos, that's a site I'd love to see and something I can only imagine would be a fantastic location for a fashion editorial. Who'd like to take me and my trusty DSLR here for Halloween?

What have I missed from this list? What other quirky sites should I check out? What are the hotspots (literally or otherwise) in other states?

Five foods I eat less frequently since moving to the USA

After doing a list of things I eat more often since moving to this corner of Pennsylvania, I thought it only fair to do a short list of things I don't eat so much anymore.

1. Fruit squash
This is the single food item from the UK I miss the most, and it's hard to explain to Americans: It's not a juice, not a cordial, and definitely not like that artificially neon-flavored Kool Aid. I grew up with Robinson's Fruit Squash (Ribena is okay too, but pricier) and I sometimes wondered when I would ever grow out of it. I never did.

To replace the disappointment of no longer being able to flavor my water with a concentrated fruit-based drink, sometimes my corn-fed American catches me diluting Tropicana or Ocean Spray: One part juice, four parts water. He is suitably disgusted, but I still refuse to pay the expat import prices for a small bottle of Robinson's. One day I'll crack though. I know I will.
  
2. Muesli
In my poor student days I'd buy an economy bumper pack of cheap muesli from Lidl and top it up with mixed fruit and nuts to make it seem like more esteemed brands of muesli. The US actually does okay for cereals, if you ignore Lucky Charms, Cartoon theme sugar-crusted breakfast boxes and the multi-colored muesli (ie, the stuff with sweetened fruits and nut pieces). But I like my muesli bland and hard to chew, not sweet and enjoyable. Shredded Wheat is the blandest thing I can find here.

My faux Masala, and Homemade Naan recipe from LOTS a fellow Brit-USA expat

3. Curry
And talking about 'the blandest thing on the menu' the American curries I've had are not on par with anything I've had in the UK. I did once visit a tasty Indian restaurant in the Greater DC area of Virginia, but our local curry buffet doubled as a cheap Pizza shop. And then it shut down.

Chinese food is somewhat better in the US. The sushi, Vietnamese and Korean food is fantastic. Even out here in the country we're not far from a great selection of North Asian cuisine. This is kind of common knowledge though, and reflects the respective histories of the UK and US, and their immigrant cultures. 

I guess it's a fair trade-off, but every now and then I get a hankering for great Peshwari Naan or Aloo Saag. I make a pretty poor Tikka Masala, if judging by authenticity, but Tikka Masala is a made up British Indian dish anyway. Paired with a jar of Lime Pickle from the Indian aisle of the local supermarket, my faux Masala makes for an acceptable substitute for my old Saturday night take away. 

I find it amusing and fitting that the Indian section of our local supermarket is right next to the British section.

4. Lamb
As I said before, America is cow country. BBC's Mind the Gap got it right: Where are all the sheep?
I moved straight from the hills of midland Scotland to this rural space of the USA and I miss seeing the lambs frolicking along the fields.

It's also been a while since I had a real shepherd's pie. I was firm in informing my American family that shepherd's pie is lamb, cottage pie is beef.  A shepherd doesn't herd cows,  so beef pie just ain't the same. Desperate Dan would probably disagree.

Lambs in Scotland - they're everywhere (pics from Spring 2012)

5. Candy
My husband heartily disagrees with me on this one because on my arrival to the US he greeted me with a pound bag of Jelly Bellies and I ate them in less than a week, and when we saw the Dark Knight I insisted on getting a giant pic n' mix  to munch through the movie. Yeah, so I have a sweet tooth. So what?

But with all the cake n' cookie baking we've done lately I just haven't had the room for candy in my life. Also, again US candy is made with corn syrup rather than actual sugar - so it's less sweet, less natural tasting, less flavorful than British candy. Sometimes I do get a hankering for Twizzlers, and then quickly remember how much I don't like them. I'm not the only Brit who has a problem with American confectionery either.

All things considered, and on balance, my diet is no better or worse now than when I lived in the UK. American food gets a bad rap (and definitely did in some of the comments on my past post) but it's not as bad as all that. I promise to try to convince you…but to square it out I'll also show you some of the amazing processed/junk foods you can get in the USA. Some of it is really special.