Cinematographic representation of British society in the years 1990-2010Parzival, a young boy or a boy in crisis – representations of masculinities in British films.In the 1990s, British cinema intensified its attention towards men showing their needs and pain. Different images of men were presented in British films. This essay will examine various representations of masculinities in two film productions: Four Weddings and a Funeral (Mike Newell, 1994) and About a Boy (Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, 2002). The first representation of masculinity is the figure of the 'new man'. Sean Nixon in his text Resignifying Masculinity: From 'New Man' to 'New Lad' mentions three 'looks'. One of them is the "Buffalo" look associated with stylist Ray Petri, that is, young men with shiny hair and dark, shiny skin. Next up is an Italian influenced look. The characteristics of this look are: dark skin and strong features. The last is a version of Edwardian English. Lightly dressed man with greasy hair. This conservative look can be associated with Charles played by Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral. The main character of the film “is an archetypal hero present in all story cultures”. To win his princess, he must learn courage. This motif is well known in various fairy tales. Four Weddings is a romantic comedy, the story of Charles' childhood. Charles is presented as a handsome and very funny young Englishman. However, he is also a clumsy, disorganized, and accident-prone person. He can also be considered a man without manners. The film doesn't say what he does for a living. Charles is popular as a witness. He has to attend wedding ceremonies very often. He has a lot of f...... middle of paper ......n Masculinity' (www.academia.edu)Nixon S., Resignifying Masculinity: From 'New Man' to 'New Lad'Brayfield C. , He makes us nice enough for export, New Statesman, July 5, 1999New Statesman, July 5, 1999Ibidem.Maslin J., Reviews/Film: Four Weddings and a Funeral, March 9, 1994, The New York TimesPenguin Readers, Teacher's notes, Four Weddings and a Funeral, March 9, 1994, The New York TimesPenguin Readers, Teacher's notes, Four Weddings and a Funeral. a Funeral, Pearson Education Limited 2008Nixon S., Resignifying Masculinity: From 'New Man' to 'New Lad'Ibidem. Gill R., Henwood K., Mclean C., A Genealogical Approach to Idealized Male Body Imagery, The London School of Economics and University of East AngliaWeitz Ch., Weitz P., About a Boy, 2002Flowers Brashwell M., Sir Perceval of Wales, Kalamazoo, Michigan: Medieval Institute Publications, 1995Penguin Readers, Teacher's notes, About a Boy, Pearson Education Limited 2008www.goodreads.com