everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I found myself in Deerbolt Borstal, Barnard Castle in 1978. I had fought with a man in the summer of 1977 who later was convicted of sexual offences against children. I had fought in self defence but the Judge ruled that I had used too much force than was necessary. I was sentenced to six months to two years Borstal Training. I initially found myself in Leeds Armley Prison which was one hell of a culture shock. Within a week I witnessed my 17 year old cell mate being beaten up by a number of Young Offenders (aged over 21). After a fortnight, I was transferred to Strangeways, Manchester for an assessment of where I should spend my Borstal Training. After three weeks I was shipped out to HM Deerbolt. Although the regime was harsh, I only ever encountered two occasions of brutality from two prison officers. I was NOT a good Trainee as I was angry and felt that I had been wrongly convicted and I was awaiting my appeal against the sentence and conviction. My conviction for assault stood me in good stead as most prisoners left me well alone, and I made much use of this psychological perception. I seemed to have a bit of respect from Trainees and Screws; which I believe was due to my rebellious ways. Being reasonably articulate and left wing active seemed to be a bit of a bonus as bullies left me well alone. I hated the loss of my liberty but I know this may sound really odd, but I sort of enjoyed the experience. There was a lot to do in terms of activities. Football, Murder ball, Basket Ball, Running, and the Gym really helped my fitness levels. I worked in the kitchen as a cook and won a lot of respect. Astonishingly, I only served 8 months of my sentence despite my occasional anti establishment behaviour. In summary, I would be lying if I said Deerbolt was just like the film Scum. Most of the screws were decent people and treated me quite fairly, apart from my House Master who was a great believer in discipline. The Doctor there was not a very nice man and he turned out to be the subject of a Documentary on abuse against prison patients. I was very bitter about my conviction as I really felt I was defending myself. But in hindsight, I did go a little too far. But then again, I have no regrets about kicking a paedophile.

Had the Borstal system not been abolished in 1982, Alan Clarke's controversial drama Scum could have been used as a potent form of crime deterrence, the film's gritty, documentary-like approach being so harrowing that any potentially delinquent viewers would surely think twice about flouting the law for fear of finding themselves banged up in a concrete hellhole with a bunch of sociopathic thugs. If shown as part of the school curriculum, teenage crime figures would surely have dropped quicker than Davis's pants in the film's notorious greenhouse rape scene.Being buggered while potting plants is just one of the many dangers that face the young inmates of Scum's tough correctional facility. Even hard-nut Carlin (Ray Winstone) feels the pain, receiving a thorough beating from both his fellow cons AND the screws, before eventually establishing himself as 'the daddy'—the top dog amongst the prisoners—by cracking a few select skulls (his methods including the classic 'snooker balls in the sock' trick). Tensions run high when one of the inmates commits suicide after the death of his wife, but when Davis (Julian Firth), seriously depressed after his assault, slashes his wrists during the night, anger and resentment boil over, resulting in rioting.Chock full of strong language, extreme brutality, and unflinching scenes of racism, suicide and rape, Scum is still extremely shocking stuff, even by today's standards, but is far from exploitative: director Clarke simply tells it like it is, showing us the harsh reality of life behind the walls of the UK's borstals, where every day is a lesson in survival. His film benefits greatly from memorable performances from the excellent cast, both young and old, and a genuine atmosphere of hopelessness. Don't expect an uplifting ending: this ain't no Shawshank Redemption.

There was a time in Great Britain's history when they had a juvenile detention system known as "the borstal". The theory behind it was to allow young criminals a chance at rehabilitation. According to this film, it was a completely screwed-up plan that resulted in "making" criminals rather than "reforming" them. It resulted in the entire system being disbanded in the early 80s. SCUM has been known as the most controversial movie to ever come out of England. The reasons being that it depicts the sheer brutality one would find inside a borstal. The film is also iconic for starring a very young Ray Winstone in the role of juvenile delinquent Carlin. At the start of the film, we watch as Carlin and two others are brought to a newer, harsher borstal. Upon stepping foot inside, they are led one-by-one into the headmaster's office and subjected to insults and threats by the wardens. From there, things only get worse as they are led onto A-wing and meet "the Daddy", a vicious punk and his two lackeys. But Carlin won't stand for the way things are for long. And before you know it, he's taking over as the new Daddy. The only character who seems to be unaffected by the constant, underlying sense of menace, is Archer. His solution is to cause as much trouble to the system as he can, in his own way. Which includes refusing to eat meat, wear shoes, and becoming a Muslim. Overall, the film is brutal. Often times, it shows that the wardens (known as "screws") are no better than the crooks. If they're not threatening the young boys, they're ineffectively (and even half-heartedly) trying to build their character. At turns tragic, violent, and occasionally humorous, it will leave you chilled to the bone. And if you think it's all a little hard to believe, several British ex-criminals have admitted they started a life of crime simply to survive inside the borstal.

Despite being released over 30 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Scum has lost none of its punch. It is an unforgiving portrait of the British borstal system - 1 hour and 30 minutes of both physical and psychological abuse.The film examines the hierarchy of the borstal, looking at the behaviour and roles of both the officers and the inmates, questioning who's worse. This hierarchy is ruptured when Carlin (Ray Winstone) enters the borstal. Carlin claims to be looking for 'no trouble', but really he is equally or even more pugnacious and skullduggerous than the rest.Much like 'Cool Hand Luke' and 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', 'Scum' explores the infuriating frustration of injustice in 'correctional' institutions. Personally, I find few things worse than the abuse of power, whether it's within an institution, a family or any other context. I'm sure many would agree, subsequently making 'Scum' an engrossing and unpleasant watch for all.Asides from Carlin, the most significant character is Archer (Mick Ford), an intelligent, disaffected vegan who is a habitual troublemaker. Archer serves as an interesting plot device; he offers intelligent, biting monologues on the flaws of the institution, most notably to an officer's face, who retaliates by reducing their civil conversation into another officious, hostile procedure.It's Carlin's arrival, growth and ultimately tenure as 'The Daddy' that serves as the central narrative of the film, but thematically the film acts as a condemnation of the borstal system and its corrupt, vindictive employees. One may wonder if the film is hyperbolic, but the borstal system was abolished by government in 1982, replacing it instead with 'Youth Custody Centres'. This corroborates Scum's credibility.www.hawkensian.com