Make Me a Tory (TV 2007)

Director:

Daniel Cormack

Writer:

Daniel Cormack

Stars:

Anna Appleton, Robert Askey, David Cameron

Cast

Credited cast:
Anna Appleton	...	Herself
Robert Askey	...	Himself
David Cameron	...	Himself - Conservative Party Leader
Mark Clarke	...	Himself
Daniel Cormack	...	Himself
Clare Hilley	...	Herself
Russell Jackson	...	Himself
Mark Wallace	...	Himself
Ian Wellby	...	Himself

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

conservative | campaigning | british politics | young conservative | political apathy | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short | News

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Details

Official Sites:

Channel 4 [gb] Maverick Television [gb]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 May 2007 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Eltham, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maverick Television, Resource Base

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Mark Clarke: If you look at this paint that's here, the decoration that's going on, this isn't the council who are doing it! These are the people who live here who are doing it! These people having pride in where they live, want it to look good, is what they're doing. It's good.
Daniel Cormack: How do you know it's not the council?
Mark Clarke: I could be wrong. I don't know but it doesn't look like it. Shall we ask this chap? Hello. You're painting it all are you, you're painting everything. Do you work for the council?
[...]

User Reviews

I'd rather be blue...

The title of this telefilm set me up to dislike it. I expected 'Make Me a Tory' to be a Michael Moore-type screed from the left, with a smug liberal setting up a series of Aunt Sally conservatives to be made looking ridiculous. Fortunately, I was mistaken. 'Make Me a Tory' is a delightful documentary, as well as a showcase for the talents of emerging filmmaker Daniel Cormack.

The film opens with Cormack in the centre of the frame, narrating in voice-over while the camera performs a 360-degree pan round him. This is just the sort of show-off manoeuvre that usually raises my hackles: here, however, it actually worked very well and set the mood for what follows. Here and elsewhere, Cormack shows a strong sense of where to place his camera.

The film begins with Cormack's confession that he's been committed to liberal politics for his entire life (which would be all of 28 years), but he's now having doubts. Although he supported Tony Blair, Cormack is now disillusioned with Blair's Britain, and curious about the blue end of the political spectrum (the Tories). He's wondering what sort of Britons support the Tory agenda.

To his immense credit, Cormack proceeds to interview Tories who are roughly his equals in terms of youth and cultural relevance. It would have been easy for him to confine his interviews to doddering oldsters, thus creating the impression that the Tory party are senile. I was pleased that he didn't do this.

There are skillful frame compositions throughout this film, and I was relieved that this low-budget documentary was blissfully free of the hand-held jiggling camera movement that brings a dose of mal-de-mer to so many other low-budget documentaries. I eagerly look forward to more films from this emerging young talent. I'll award a blue rosette to 'Make Me a Tory', and I rate this telemovie 10 out of 10.