| Mike Leigh | |
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| Born | February 20, 1943 Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England |
| Spouse(s) | Alison Steadman (1973-2001) |
Mike Leigh OBE (born February 20, 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter, and playwright. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Broughton is an Inner city area of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Alison Steadman OBE (born on August 26 1946) is anaward-winning English stage film TV and radio actress. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a Film. A theatre director or stage director is a practitioner in the Theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production (a play, He studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and did his early acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ( RADA) in Bloomsbury, London, is generally regarded as one of the most prestigious Drama schools in the world The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC is a British Theatre company He began as a theatre director and playwright in the 1960s, and then in the 1970s, he made the transition to television plays, many of which were characterized by a gritty "kitchen sink realism" style. Kitchen sink realism was an English cultural movement which developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Theatre, Art, Novels Film Some of his well-known films include Life is Sweet (1990), the Gilbert and Sullivan biography Topsy Turvy (1999), and the bleak working-class drama All or Nothing (2002). Life Is Sweet is a 1990 British film directed by Mike Leigh, starring Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman, Claire Skinner This article is about the 1999 film For the Sing-Along Songs video see Disney Sing Along Songs. All or Nothing is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. His most notable works are arguably the BAFTA-winning (and Oscar-nominated) Secrets & Lies (1996) and Vera Drake (2004). Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British film directed by Mike Leigh and starring Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste Vera Drake is a 2004 British film directed by Mike Leigh. It tells the story of a working class woman in London in
Leigh is often compared to filmmaker Ken Loach, who also makes social realism-oriented films that focus on the banal conflicts of the everyday life of regular people. Kenneth Loach (born 17 June 1936) known as Ken Loach, is an English television and Film director. Social Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an Artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts Working class Most of Leigh's films are set amidst the blighted "urban decay of the inner city, or amid the soulessness of suburbia" [1]. Leigh often begins projects without a script; instead, he sets out a basic premise, and lets the ideas develop through improvisation by the actors, who explore their character. Some critics have argued that with this creative approach, "Leigh exploits his actors by getting them to do the work for them (sic). " [2]
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Biography
Early life
Leigh was born in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire. Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea He was brought up in a Jewish immigrant family (whose surname was originally Lieberman, but was anglicised before Leigh's birth). PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ His father was a doctor in an overwhelmingly working-class area of Salford (near Manchester). Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Initially trained as an actor at RADA, Leigh went on to start honing his directing skills at East 15 Acting School where he met the actress Alison Steadman. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ( RADA) in Bloomsbury, London, is generally regarded as one of the most prestigious Drama schools in the world East 15 is a British Drama school in Debden, Loughton, Essex. Alison Steadman OBE (born on August 26 1946) is anaward-winning English stage film TV and radio actress.
He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1960. He later attended Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, the Central School of Art and Design, and the London Film School. In 1965 he began to write and direct his first plays.
Career
In the 1970s, Leigh made nine television plays. In the 1960s and early 1970s the television play (also called a teleplay) was a popular television genre in the UK Earlier plays such as Nuts in May and Abigail's Party tended more towards bleakly yet humorously satirising middle-class manners and attitudes, His plays are generally more caustic, stridently trying to show the banality of society. Nuts in May (aka Play for Today Nuts in May) is a 1976 television film written and directed by Mike Leigh, originally broadcast as part of the Abigail's Party is a play for stage and Television written in 1977 by Mike Leigh. The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power. Goose-Pimples and Abigail's Party both focus on the vulgar middle class in a convivial party setting that spirals out of control. The television version of Abigail's Party was made at some speed, Steadman was pregnant at the time, and Leigh's objections to flaws in the production, particularly the lighting, led to his preference for theatrical films.
In 1988, he made High Hopes about a disjointed working-class family whose members live in a "run-down flat" and a "council house. " His later films such as Naked and Vera Drake are somewhat starker, more brutal, and concentrate more on the working-class; Leigh's latest film, however, is a modern-day comedy, Happy-Go-Lucky. For other uses of naked(ness see Naked (disambiguation Naked (1993 is a British film directed by Mike Leigh Vera Drake is a 2004 British film directed by Mike Leigh. It tells the story of a working class woman in London in Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types Happy-Go-Lucky is a 2008 film by Mike Leigh, shot in 2007 and released on 18 April 2008. A commitment to social realism and humanism is evident throughout. Social Realism, also known as Socio-Realism, is an Artistic movement, expressed in the visual and other realist arts, which depicts Working class Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal His stage plays include Smelling A Rat, It's A Great Big Shame, Greek Tragedy, Goose-Pimples, Ecstasy, and Abigail's Party. Greek Tragedy is a 1989 play by British Playwright Mike Leigh. Ecstasy is a 1979 play by British Playwright Mike Leigh with a six-character cast
The anger inherent in Leigh's material, in some ways typical of the Thatcher years, softened after her departure from the political scene. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 In 2005, Leigh returned to directing for the stage after many years absence with his new play, Two Thousand Years at the Royal National Theatre in London. The Royal National Theatre, located on the South Bank in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The play deals with the divisions within a left-wing secular Jewish family when one of the younger members finds religion. It is the first time Leigh has drawn on his Jewish background for inspiration.
Leigh uses lengthy improvisations developed over a period of weeks to build characters and storylines for his films. He starts with some sketch ideas of how he thinks things might develop, but does not reveal all his intentions with the cast who discover their fate and act out their responses as their destinies are gradually revealed. Initial preparation is in private with the director and then the actors are introduced to each other in the order that their characters would have met in their lives. Intimate moments are explored that will not even be referred to in the final film to build insight and understanding of history, character and inner motivation.
The critical scenes in the eventual story are performed and recorded in full-costumed, real-time improvisations where the actors encounter for the first time new characters, events or information which may dramatically affect their characters' lives. Final filming is more traditional as definite sense of story, action and dialogue is then in place. The director reminds the cast of material from the improvisations that he hopes to capture on film.
In an interview with Laura Miller, "Listening to the World: An Interview With Mike Leigh," published on salon. com, Leigh states, "I make very stylistic films indeed, but style doesn't become a substitute for truth and reality. It's an integral, organic part of the whole thing. " Leigh's vision is to depict ordinary life, "real life," unfolding under extenuating circumstances. He makes courageous decisions to document reality. He speaks about the criticism Naked received: "The criticism comes from the kind of quarters where "political correctness" in its worst manifestation is rife. It's this kind of naive notion of how we should be in an unrealistic and altogether unhealthily over-wholesome way". [3]
Leigh has won several prizes at major European film festivals. Most notably he won the Best Director award at Cannes for Naked in 1993 and the Palme d'Or in 1996 for Secrets & Lies. The Cannes Film Festival (le Festival de Cannes founded in 1946 is one of the world's oldest most influential and prestigious Film festivals alongside Venice, For other uses of naked(ness see Naked (disambiguation Naked (1993 is a British film directed by Mike Leigh The Palme d'Or ( English: Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded to competing films at the Cannes Film Festival. Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British film directed by Mike Leigh and starring Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste He won the Leone d'Oro for the best film at the International Venice Film Festival in 2004 with Vera Drake. The Leone d’Oro ('Golden Lion' is the highest prize given to a film at the Biennale Venice Film Festival. The Venice Film Festival is the oldest Film festival in the world Vera Drake is a 2004 British film directed by Mike Leigh. It tells the story of a working class woman in London in He has been nominated for the Academy Award five times, twice each for Secrets & Lies and Vera Drake (Best Original Screenplay and Best Directing) and once for Topsy-Turvy (Best Original Screenplay only). "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. This article is about the 1999 film For the Sing-Along Songs video see Disney Sing Along Songs.
| “ | Given the choice of Hollywood or poking steel pins in my eyes, I'd prefer steel pins. | ” |
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— Mike Leigh
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Leigh has used a pool of actors regularly over the years, including Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville and Jim Broadbent. Tim Roth (born Timothy Simon Smith; 14 May 1961 is an English film Actor and director. Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958 is an English actor writer director, producer, Voice-over artist and occasional Musician who David Thewlis (né Wheeler; born 20 March 1963 is an English Film, Television and stage Actor, as well as a Timothy Leonard Spall OBE (born 27 February 1957) is an English BAFTA award-nominated film stage and television Actor. Lesley Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress Manville was born and raised in in Brighton, East Sussex, the daughter of a taxi James "Jim" Broadbent (born 24 May 1949 is an English Academy Award -winning theatre film and television Actor. He also worked with the late Katrin Cartlidge. Katrin Cartlidge ( May 15 1961 &ndash September 7 2002) was an English actress.
Personal life
In September 1973 he married Alison Steadman; they have two sons. Alison Steadman OBE (born on August 26 1946) is anaward-winning English stage film TV and radio actress. Steadman appeared in seven of his films and several of his plays, including Wholesome Glory and Abigail's Party. They divorced in 2001. He lives in Central London, near the British Museum
Filmography
- Bleak Moments (1971)
- Hard Labour (1973)
- The Permissive Society (BBC Second City Firsts, 10/04/75)
- Nuts in May (BBC Play for Today, 13/01/76)
- Abigail's Party (BBC Play for Today, 01/11/77)
- Kiss of Death (1977)
- Who's Who (1978)
- Grown-Ups (1980)
- Meantime (1983)
- The Short and Curlies (1987 Short)
- High Hopes (1988)
- Life Is Sweet (1990)
- Naked (1993)
- Secrets & Lies (1996)
- Career Girls (1997)
- Topsy-Turvy (1999)
- All or Nothing (2002)
- Vera Drake (2004)
- Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
List of plays
- The Box Play (1965)
- My Parents Have Gone to Carlisle (1966)
- The Last Crusade of Five Little Nuns (1966)
- Individual Fruit Pies (1968)
- Glum Victoria and the Lad with Specs (1969)
- Bleak Moments (1970)
- A Rancid Pong (1971)
- Wholesome Glory (1973)
- The Jaws of Death (1973)
- Dick Whittington and his Cat (1973)
- Babies Grow Old (1974)
- The Silent Majority (1974)
- Abigail's Party (1977)
- Too Much of a Good Thing 1979; BBC radio)
- Ecstasy (1979)
- Goose-Pimples (1981)
- Smelling a Rat (1988)
- Greek Tragedy (1989)
- It's a Great Big Shame! (1993)
- Two Thousand Years (2005)
Footnotes
Further reading
- Carney, Ray & Quart, Leonard, The Films of Mike Leigh - Embracing the World (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000)
- Clements, Paul, The Improvised Play (London: Methuen, 1983)
- Coveney, Michael, The World According to Mike Leigh (London: HarperCollins, 1996)
- Movshovitz, Howie (ed. Nuts in May (aka Play for Today Nuts in May) is a 1976 television film written and directed by Mike Leigh, originally broadcast as part of the Play for Today was a British television anthology drama series produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984 Abigail's Party is a play for stage and Television written in 1977 by Mike Leigh. The kiss of death or lipstick pistol is a pistol utilized by the KGB during the Cold War. Meantime is a 1984 film directed by Mike Leigh. The film details the travails of a working-class family in London, struggling to stay afloat High Hopes is a 1988 film directed by Mike Leigh, focussing on an extended Working-class family living in King's Cross, Life Is Sweet is a 1990 British film directed by Mike Leigh, starring Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman, Claire Skinner For other uses of naked(ness see Naked (disambiguation Naked (1993 is a British film directed by Mike Leigh Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British film directed by Mike Leigh and starring Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste Career Girls is a 1997 Film by Mike Leigh which tells the story of two women who reunite after six years apart This article is about the 1999 film For the Sing-Along Songs video see Disney Sing Along Songs. All or Nothing is a 2002 drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. Vera Drake is a 2004 British film directed by Mike Leigh. It tells the story of a working class woman in London in Happy-Go-Lucky is a 2008 film by Mike Leigh, shot in 2007 and released on 18 April 2008. The Box Play is Mike Leigh 's first stage play and was developed using the process of Improvisation and Collaboration with his cast that was to become the Abigail's Party is a play for stage and Television written in 1977 by Mike Leigh. Ecstasy is a 1979 play by British Playwright Mike Leigh with a six-character cast Greek Tragedy is a 1989 play by British Playwright Mike Leigh. ) Mike Leigh Interviews (Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 2000)
External links
- Mike Leigh on Happy-Go-Lucky and on childhood visits at grandparents in Hitchin, ITV Local Anglia interview 2008
- Mike Leigh at the Internet Movie Database
- Mike Leigh live on Film Unlimited - The Guardian, March 17, 2000. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.
- Extensive Mike Leigh Biography and Filmography
- Interview with Leigh on Naked from 1994
- A Conversation with Mike Leigh - an in-depth interview with the director
- Mike Leigh: A Life in Pictures, BAFTA webcast from the Brighton Festival, May 2008
- Mike Leigh at www.contemporarywriters.com
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Altman for The Player |
Award for Best Director - Cannes Film Festival 1993 for Naked |
Succeeded by Nanni Moretti for Caro diario |
| Preceded by Emir Kusturica for Underground |
Palme d'Or - Cannes Film Festival 1996 for Secrets & Lies |
Succeeded by Abbas Kiarostami for Taste of Cherry and Shohei Imamura for The Eel |
| Preceded by Andrey Zvyagintsev for The Return |
Golden Lion - Venice International Film Festival 2004 for Vera Drake |
Succeeded by Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain |
| Preceded by Peter Weir for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World |
BAFTA Award for Best Direction 2004 for Vera Drake |
Succeeded by Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain |
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