Scum (1979)
I wanted to watch both versions of
Alan Clarke's 'Scum' back-to-back but elected to watch the 2nd Theatrical version first, assuming (correctly) that it would be superior to the banned 1977 BBC TV version. The film takes place in one of Britain's notorious "Borstal" youth detention centers (which were abolished in 1982). Prominent British actors like
Ray Winstone,
Phil Daniels,
David Threlfall and
Danny John-Jules got their starts playing these lost youths. In the opening scenes, Winstone projects menace and threat without lifting a finger, as his Carlin character quietly watches his other inmates and plans his take over of the Borstal. Clarke's camera stalks the corridors of the institution along with Winstone. I wasn't expecting Carlin to turn out be such an anti-hero, a lad working from the assumption that
"If you want peace, prepare for war".
Mick Ford is a real highlight as the gleefully insolent and defiant character Archer. He's the intellectual Yin, to Carlin's Yang. 'Scum' is extremely violent, bleak, cynical and deliberately offensive but it's so intelligent, thought provoking and raging with political anger at the authorities. The Matron character comes off the worst, at least the Wardens believe their violent regime is for the good of society and they seem to enjoy it but she knows it's detrimental and pointless but is past caring. I immediately realised the Borstal Governor was played by
Peter Howell, who I know as the voice of Saruman from the 1981 BBC radio adaptation of
'The Lord of the Rings'. His calm, soft, silky voice radiates the same polite evil. As with many Clarke films, there is virtually no music, which helps create a documentary style verisimilitude.
NSFW trailer:
Scum (1977)
Alan Clarke's original BBC TV film version of
'Scum' was completed in 1977 but was banned and not aired until 1991 (now available on blu-ray). The Producer
Margaret Matheson did manage to screen it once for the press, ensuring both the program and it's suppression were publicly controversial. It's probable that 'Scum' wasn't broadcast due to government pressure because it was critical of the Home Office's youth detention policies but there is enough physical and sexual violence in the program (not to mention a homosexual gang rape and suicide) to give the BBC an excuse that it was banning it for other reasons. They weren't really successful because Clarke simply re-shot his film and released it in cinemas soon after. For the most part this original version sticks very closely to the same dialogue and scenes as the Theatrical version. The violence is less bloody, the swearing is much reduced but there is one scene not present in the later version, in which Carlin, now controlling the Borstal, convinces another boy to be his "missus". This and a few other moments, like him ignoring Davis' plight, make him a slightly less sympathetic character. The younger
Ray Winstone has more of an innocence about him and isn't able to project the same level of threat.
David Threlfall is good as Archer but he doesn't deliver the lines with the same smirking bravado as
Mick Ford. As you might expect the film making isn't as polished as when Clarke had a second run at it, the camera placements, shot selections and edits aren't as defined and powerful. One thing it does have over the remake is the youth of the cast. Them really being boys makes the same scenes a little more shocking than when they re-filmed them 2-years later looking like young men.