Two brothers return to the home town they left years before.
They are close, but very different. Richard is strong and purposeful, Anthony younger, more hesitant. Everything Richard does, Anthony innocently mimics. They set up camp in the hills overlooking the town, reminiscing over their shared past. But they're not here to reminisce. Richard is here for revenge.
He knows who he wants and he knows where they live. The town he left eight years ago is still run by the same gang of small-time drug dealers and thugs. The threat of his presence is enough to instill suspicion and paranoia. Why is he back? What does he want? Who is he after?
CAST
Richard - Paddy Considine
Anthony
- Toby Kebbell
Sonny
- Gary Stretch
Tuff
- Paul Sadot
Herbie - Anthony Wolfenden
Gypsy John - George Newton
Big Al
- Seamus O'Neal
Soz - Neil Bell
Marie
- Jo Hartley
Mark
- Paul Herstfield
Patti - Emily Aston
BACKGROUND
"I felt, in a way, as though I'd lost my way after Midlands. I was desperate to get back to being honest with myself in my next film. I had already been feeling this way and then happened to take a trip back to Uttoxeter, the town I grew up in. I was overwhelmed with sadness at what I saw there, and at some of the memories the visit jogged in me. We used to take a lot of drugs as we were growing up - there was nothing else to do to have fun - and some appalling tragedies happened as a result.
"
"A close friend of mine who had been bullied developed a drug problem and then committed suicide. I couldn't believe that, going back ten years later, he had been totally forgotten in the town - it was as if he had never existed."
"I was filled with anger against the people who had bullied and pushed the drugs on him, and with despair at what drugs had done to that small community. What was done in the name of recreation had had such devastating results. I started to wonder what might happen if someone chose to try to right the wrongs that had been done, instead of ignoring the terrible tragedy of it all."
Quotes taken from Shane's talk at the Brief Encounters short film festival 2004.
TRIVIA
There is a credit at the end of the film which reads: "Director's Bodyguard - Tank Bullock". Tank Bullock is a character Shane plays in 'Tank's Top Tips', the low-budget film making guides featured in "Shane's World" (see Short Films section for details).
The old footage at the beginning of the film depicting Richard and Anthony as children is actually home movie footage that producer Mark Herbert's uncle provided.
The two young boys that feature towards the end of the film are Paddy Considine's nephews.
Shane Meadows' Mother and Father appear in one scene of the film alongside Andrew Shim.
BBC Radio Nottingham
Interview with Shane and Toby Kebbell.
SBS Radio
Short interview with Shane.
Edinburgh Film Festival
Short interview with Shane about the film and his earlier short films.
Southbank Show Awards
Shane collects the award for Best British Film.
Film4
Paddy Considine introduces the Film4 premiere of Dead Man's Shoes.
Hunger TV
Toby Kebbell talks about Dead Man's Shoes in 2012.
Jigsaw Lounge
Interview with Shane at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2004.
BBC Films
Interview with Shane at the Edinburgh Film Festival 2004.
The Lazurus Corporation
An in depth article and interview about Dead Man's Shoes and Shane's early shorts.
Left Lion
Interview with Shane.
BBC Films
Interview with Shane around the general release of the film.
