Blu-Ray Review: 'Scum', starring Ray Winstone

The UK has a reputation of doing hard-hitting and challenging crime movies over the decades. It’s a reputation lived up to by all the excellent films that have and still are being released across the pond. Here with the Kino Classics' Blu-Ray release of 1979’s Scum we get a chance to be introduced to hard hitting look at the Borstal system of reforms schools of the UK in late seventies.  Scum was originally planned to be a BBC television play was withheld for its intense depictions of violence and other things was then turned into the theatrical film version that was even harder hitting than the director’s first version.

The story begins by introducing you to three characters; Carlin (Ray Winstone), Angel (Alrick Riley), and Davis (Julian Firth) being taken to a Borstal aka Reform School for crimes they have been convicted of. Once there they are given their boarding rooms; Angel and Davis are sent to solo rooms while Carlin is sent to a dormitory room to share with other boys. The staff and other inmates in the school mark Carlin from his reputation from a previous borstal. Over the course the of the film not only do you follow Carlin’s path as he attains power within the school, but of other inmates and all the issues they have dealing with racism, rape, suicide and an abusive relationship between the young men and those who run the institution.

This is a surprisingly gruesome prison film, especially jarring when you realize that for the most part these are children. When watching it there are clearly some cultural differences to get past since it’s a British film. They don’t really explain where they are and why things are happening the way they are but after about 15 minutes of being confused you just accept it because you’re totally engrossed into what is going to happen to all of these young males in this place.

The acting in this is very good. All the characters are completely believable and nothing in it seems to happen just for the sake of the story. Things happen to characters that you don’t expect for the most besides Winstone’s character of Carlin.  Carlin’s character does follow the arc you’ve seen in other crime prison films. The one person who really stands out in this film the most is Mick Ford as the character of Archer who uses his intelligence rather than violence to find ways to rebel and challenge authority . Each one of his scenes is a complete joy to watch as he outwits people decades older than him with every word.

Since this is a review of the Blu-Ray release there should be some talk about the specs of the disc. The re-mastered HD transfer is clear and vibrant on screen. It has all the clarity to see everything with not one bit of age on the screen. It could’ve been released in Britain not too long ago with how good it all looks. The film has a muted blue grey look to everything and that really comes across well here. The excellent sound is also top notch and crystal clear on this disc. The special features, while not a lot, give great background to the film and what the objectives were when Alan Clarke made it thirty-four years ago.

Scum is a fantastic film to see and a perfect one to add yourcollections. Especially if you are a fan of crime and prison films, this is must have.

Blu Ray