Meat the Campbells — Simon Hynd, 2005
WARNING: Please note this film contains strong images which may be distressing for younger viewers so might only be suitable for older primary and secondary school pupils. Teacher discretion is advised.
The new pupil at school, Pete Campbell, is rumoured to have some strange tastes and eating habits. Another pupil, Mark, finds himself invited around for dinner to the new boy’s house and becomes a little bit concerned about what he might find. His friends don’t do anything to set his mind at ease as they stoke his imagination, leaving him very anxious as he arrives at the front door. Will Mark make it through dinner in one piece, or will end up in pieces under the pressure (cooker)? This spooky tale is definitely not for the faint-hearted…
Classroom Activities
Print All- Critical
- Cultural
- Creative
- Clip Details
Critical
- Discuss the title. What do you notice? Is there anything that stands out? Why would “meat” be spelled this way?
- Sound On/Vision Off. Listen to the first 45 seconds of the film without visuals. Think about the music, sound effects, speech. What did you hear? What do you notice about music? How does it make you feel? Does it remind you of anything? What background sound effects do you hear? What does the conversation tell you? Now play the first 45 seconds with visuals. Did it meet with your expectations? Where is it set? Who is the main character? Who are the supplemental characters? What clues are there to justify your answer?
- How does the director create the unsettling feel throughout the film? Organise ideas under these headings: Colour, Sounds, Camera.
- How can you tell that, at its heart, this is a comedy film? Are there any clues in the way it has been filmed? How do each of the characters show this?
Cultural
- What do you like? What would be the perfect meal for you if you were going out for dinner? What would be the worst combination of food for you?
- How should Mark have acted? Was Mark’s behaviour acceptable? Which of Mark’s reactions would you consider rude? What should he have done instead? Debate with a friend, taking opposite sides of the argument.
- Making Links (1): What other stories/films does this remind you of? What other films have similar music? What other stories do you know that start in a school? What other stories involve three friends winding each other up? What stories involve a new pupil?
- Making links (2): This film is made with Scottish actors and a Scottish-born director. Can you name any other Scottish actors? Do you know any other stories set in Scotland, or that have a main character that has a Scottish accent? What do you think when you hear a Scottish accent on TV or film?
Creative
WRITE
- Pretend you are Mark. Write a letter of apology to the parents of Pete regarding your behaviour at dinner the previous night.
- Create a song about the events in the film to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”. The starting line would be… “I went over to the Campbells house…" Write 2-3 verses.
- Writing from Jacob’s point of view, write the next part of the story. What do you think happened to Jacob?
- Write an alternative ending for the film. How would you end it? The alternative ending should be in keeping with the rest of the film.
- Write a review of the film for a school magazine. It should consist of four parts: a synopsis, what you liked, what you didn’t like, If you would recommend it and why.
DRAMA
- Working in twos, imagine a conversation between Mark and one of his parents/carers. Mark should be trying to think of all the reasons that he shouldn’t go to the meal, all the while trying not let his parent/carer know the real reason for his reluctance.
- Create a conversation between Mark and another friend. The other friend should try and convince Mark that he has nothing to worry about the dinner party and be the voice of reason.
- Working in pairs and acting out different scenarios, try to politely turn down an offer or request in a range of different ways. These scenarios may include being offered a sweet you don’t like, asked to play a game you don’t enjoy, doing an activity you know is wrong (e.g. being encouraged to pick on a particular person) etc.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
- Design a menu for a dinner party for you and 5 people. One of your guests is vegetarian, one vegan, another has an allergy to wheat and the rest like to eat meat. The meal must satisfy everyone.
STEM
- Mark’s imagination goes into overdrive at the end of the film as he imagines what might have happened to Jacob. Design an alternative way that the Campbells may have of capturing Jacob. This can either just reach the planning stage, or a model could be built as proof of concept.
Clip Details
| Year of Production | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy, Horror |
| Curriculum Areas | Literacy and English, Religious and Moral Education, Technologies |
| Director | Simon Hynd |
| Country of Origin | UK |
| Medium / Content | Live Action, Fiction, Colour, Sound |
| Themes | Danger / Fear, Culture / Society, Food / Environment |
| Clip Length | 09:10 |
| Clip Length | 09:10 |
| Age Group | P5-P7, S1-S3 |
