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APPENDICES
I. This Is England DVD Cover
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II. Summary of This Is England
Shaun, a 12 year-old schoolboy, gets into a fight at school after someone
makes an offensive joke about his father, who died in the Falklands War. On his way
home Shaun runs into a group of young skinheads led by Woody, who feels
sympathy for Shaun and invites him to join the group. They accept Shaun as a
member and he finds a big brother in Woody, while developing a romance with
Smell, an older girl who dresses in a punky new wave style.
Combo, an older skinhead, returns to the group after a prison sentence. He
expresses English nationalist and racist views, and attempts to enforce his leadership
over the other skinheads. This leads the group to split. Shaun stays in Combo's group
instead of the apolitical skinheads led by Woody. Combo is impressed by and
identifies with Shaun, who in turn sees Combo as a mentor figure. Shaun goes with
Combo's group to a National Front meeting. After group member Pukey expresses
doubt over the group's racist and nationalistic politics, Combo threatens and
abandons him. The gang then engages in racist antagonism of, among others, local
shopkeeper Mr. Sandhu, a Pakistani man who had previously banned Shaun from his
shop.
Combo becomes depressed after Woody's girlfriend Lol, whom Combo has
loved since they had drunken sex years before, rejects him. To console himself,
Combo buys cannabis from Milky, a member of Woody's group, and the only black
skinhead. At a party with Shaun and the other members of Combo's group, Combo
and Milky bond while intoxicated. Milky tells Combo about his many relatives and
invites him for a meal. Combo becomes agitated with Milky's discussion about his
fortunate upbringing - despite his parent's non-British heritage - and snaps at him,
xi violently beating him unconscious and attacking the other nationalists there. An
emotionally regretful Combo then realises what he has done and seeks Shaun's help
to get Milky to hospital. Afterwards, Shaun's mother reassures him that Milky will be
all right. Shaun goes down to the shore and tosses a flag of St. George's Cross, a gift
from Combo, into the sea.
