The End

Horrorphile

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The End

August 6th 2010 01:45

The East End of London was once riddled with criminal behaviour, and it still is, but the original characters have gone. The End (2008), a fascinating documentary by Nicola Collins, spins the yarns and spills the beans of the cockney gangster told coldly, bluntly and dead honest. Using her father, Les Falco, as a starting point, she interviews him and ten of his associates; Mickey Taheny, Bobby Reading, Danny Woollard, Victor Dark, Matt Attrell, Mickey Ganella, Jimmy Tibbs, Alan Mortlock, Mickey Goldtooth, and Roy “Pretty Boy” Shaw, an unlicensed fighter gifted with the power of the punch.

Les Falco, dad

Boy, do these guys have stories to tell! They’re all aged roughly between 40 and 60, all grew up in the sound of Bow bells, the East End, and were involved in the underworld from an early age, whether it be stealing, debt collection, or enforcing (“I thought of myself as a Robin Hood, everyone else saw me as a robbin’ bastard!”), these tough-as-nails cons (they’ve all served time at one point or another, some only a few months, others, like Roy Shaw, nearly twenty years) have never really seen themselves as “gangsters” (although some of them don’t mind the title), but only as a part of society that has struggled through the extreme poverty that existed around WWII trying to make a better life for themselves.

Alan Mortlock, fight promoter

There’s a code they live by, a code of honour, and it is this rule of thumb that has enabled all ten of these men to still be alive now. It’s old school and very simple: don’t grass (dob your colleagues in, or become an informer). At school if you left an apple core for someone, they were yer mate. A true cockney would give away his asshole and shit through his ribs for ya. That’s serious loyalty, right there. One of the Mickeys smirks, “We don’t take life seriously, we just take life.” They all enjoyed their time on the wrong side of the law, and most of them don’t have any regrets, except getting caught and doing time. They all describe prison life as hell, and many would commit suicide, or got killed inside.

Bobby Reading, the guvnor

But it’s the extreme violence that is the most integral part of this matter-of-fact documentary. “I just loved a violent lifestyle,” says fight promoter Alan Mortlock. Committing acts of violence, whether it was the horrendous underground bare-knuckle fighting (where big money was won and lost), or roughing someone up who owed some dosh, or taking someone out with an iron bar in revenge for some transgression, these men might come across as darkly charming, but essentially they’ve lived life as thugs; vicious gentlemen, indeed. Matt Attrell, a huge champion bare-knuckle fighter describes, with a gleam in his eye, of the power to stop anyone. This gallery of rogues all describe having been stabbed or shot or badly beaten. It comes with the territory. The East End was a very violent part of London where spilled blood was as common as spilled ale.

Danny Woollard, enforcer

The End (a clever title that refers to both the area and to the end of an era) works best because director Nicola Collins, who also acted as camera operator, allows her subjects to paint the picture without interfering with her own judgment or attempting any kind of contrast or moral implications. It’s a documentary that was made in the cutting room, and with editor Noah Rosenstein, Collins has succeeded brilliantly. Collin’s twin sister Teena acted as producer. Curiously, despite growing up sitting on countless uncle Mickey’s laps, both sisters become successful fashion models. There’s no doubt, however, that the family connection has enabled Nicola Collins to get these priceless tales straight from the horses’ mouths, although the gangsters wisely button up over incidents where they got away with murder, so to speak.

Matt Attrell, champion bare-knuckle fighter

These villains, referring to themselves as rascals, have lived life as dangerously as one can. It’s provided them with power and prestige, but has also alienated them from the rest of society. They’ve accepted that, and some of them regret the harm and fear they’ve inflicted. Two of them are now born again Christians, one of them, Victor Dark, has resigned himself that despite having curbed his ways, he will always have the police on his tail, trouble breaths down his neck, he knows no other way of life.

Mickey Goldtooth, debt collector

Is there a genuine cockney now? Not really. They’ve all gone, moved on … or died. The immigrants moved in, and the East End is now a melting pot of ethnic cultures. All the gangsters reflect back wistfully, remembering how you could walk down the main strip and everyone knew who you were, that level of identity and respect. Dressed in a whistlin’ flute, with daisy roots, on the dog and bone, then headin’ down the frog and toad for a pig’s ear. Cockney rhymin’ slang was invented so the local characters (and “character” is an important part of the lifestyle) could talk freely amongst themselves without the coppers having a clue.

Victor Dark, bank robber

The documentary is in high contrast black and white, which heightens the gritty aspect of the subject matter, however I found the use of the fake film scratches and damaged film look, especially during the title sequence and prologue, a little pretentious. The shadowy tone was firmly in place from the stock footage used during the doco’s establishing montage, there was no need to add a weathered look. The moody soundtrack from Nick Page is excellent though, and suitably blankets the doco with industrial menace. Wisely (especially for American audiences) Collins opts for sub-titles for much of the accent-heavy dialogue.

Roy Shaw, unlicensed fighter

While many of the characters name Robert De Niro as their favourite actor, Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and Rocknrolla are indirectly sneered and scoffed at (I found out later that the Collins sisters had a small part in Snatch). Those movies are boy’s playing with replicas, and that’s all fine, but if you want the real, raw deal, watch A Very British Gangster (2008) and The End to get the classic pistol-whipped perspective.

Here’s the trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by JohnDoe

August 8th 2010 20:28

Film & TV on DVD

Hi Bryn,

I clicked on this expecting a review of the guilty pleasure, black suicide comedy "The End" starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Dom Deluise

- "How about a pity fuck". that line always cracked me up.

This does sound cool, will definitely be checking it out.

Comment by Bryn

August 8th 2010 23:40

Horrorphile

JD, of course it would only be you expecting a little seen Hollywood rarity ...

Your comprehensive knowledge ceases to amaze me.

Comment by JohnDoe

August 9th 2010 14:55

Film & TV on DVD

Sorry about that

Comment by Anonymous

August 20th 2010 16:36

zdog's blog

i love horror. writing them is my passion

Comment by Bryn

August 21st 2010 03:36

Horrorphile

Anon, good to hear!

Comment by ShaunK

August 30th 2010 05:49

Screen Adventure

Hmmm - when I first saw the cover of this film I assumed it was some sort of Eastern Promises knock off - but a documentary - this does look fascinating - I will check it out!

Thanks for enlightening me Bryn

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