Billy Elliot - Year 10 - English Text - Comparison - Malala & Billy Elliot

Library Resources

Billy Elliot by Melvin Burgess & Lee Hall
ISBN: 9781903434338
Publication Date: 2001
This book is based on the 2000 film from director Stephen Daldry. Billy Elliot's tough, funny and heart-warming story is given new depth by best-selling author, Melvin Burgess. Billy's mother is dead, and his father and brother are fiercely involved in a bitter miners' fight that has split the local community. Billy's father wants his son to learn boxing, like he did and his father before him. But Billy is fascinated by the grace and magic of ballet and is determined to dance his way to a different future. Told from the differing viewpoints of Billy, his father and brother and his friend Michael, Melvin Burgess has captured the spirit of the original film screenplay while demonstrating the skill and inspiration he showed in his award-winning novel, Junk.

Setting for Billy Elliot

Movie

Billy Elliot (2000)

Director: Stephen Daldry

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Synopsis

The life of 11-year-old Billy Elliot, a coal miner's son in Northern England, is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. Before long, he finds himself in dance, demonstrating the kind of raw talent seldom seen by the class' exacting instructor, Mrs. Wilkinson. With a tart tongue and a never-ending stream of cigarettes in her hand, Mrs. Wilkinson's zest for teaching is revived when she sees Billy's potential.

(IMDB, 2017)

Billy Elliot in Context

England in the mid-80s was a time of widespread industrial action and social unrest. Striking miners picketed for their jobs, while the gay community fought for their rights. This video explores the historical events and changing social attitudes and gender roles that inform the film ‘Billy Elliot’.

Resources

Billy Elliot: Character Notes
This resource has detailed notes about each of the film's main characters.

Key Quotes
These quotes will be useful to draw on as evidence for your responses to this film as a text.
Billy Elliot film study notes
This slideshow gives you some great guidance for a close analysis of Billy Elliot.

Film Club Study Notes
This document is useful to guide your thinking about the film and its context, it has some questions to get you started and prompts you to write a film review, which would be a useful practice analysis.

Versions & Interpretations

Billy Elliot - Special Feature from DVD

This video is all about the making of the film 'Billy Elliot'. It runs for 22 minutes.

Billy Elliot - Film Trailer

This is the original trailer for the 2000 film, directed by Stephen Daldry. This runs for 3 minutes. If you are viewing this LibGuide at school, this is hidden because it is a Youtube link.

Billy Elliot - Final Scene

This video shows the final scene of the Billy Elliot film. This runs for 3 minutes. This scene is important because it is the point at which the characters change their perspectives and this is clearly shown. Useful to draw on for your essay. If you are viewing this LibGuide at school, this link is hidden because it is a Youtube blip.