English director Danny Boyle was already well-respected (as the critically accliamed television director of Mr. Wroe's Virgins) before Shallow Grave was released, but this film attracted international renown. It was quickly followed by Trainspotting, which became an immediate cult and mainstream hit, being based on Irvine Welsh's bestselling novel. His collaboration with English cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (who worked on a number of Dogme films) began with the box office smash 28 Days Later and has continued with Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.
Clearly there are many thematic similarities to be found many of his films (urban decay, loyalty in relationships, drug use, found money, degradation of the self). Boyle also has cast a number of actors in more than one film, including Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston and Keith Allen. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these themes or trends in any of the films of Boyle's you've seen.
It kind of showed just how far one was willing to go for drugs(nursing home?). Seemed like this tied in with self-degradation and the recurring image of feces, such as in the instance where Renton goes to extreme depths(diving underwater) in a squalid bathroom to recover the drugs, or the humiliation Spud felt after having dirtied the sheets.
ReplyDelete"Trainspotting" is probably the first film I've seen by Danny Boyle, so I cannot offer a lot insight on the similar trends and themes found throughout his films; however, I do notice some similarities between "Trainspotting" and Freer's "My Beautiful Laundrette," for instance, disloyalty and avarice. The main characters within both films, poor but ambitious, stole money from their acquaintances in order to better their lives and to elevate their social status. Drug use and the dealing/selling of illegal drugs were apparent in both films. Both characters had sexual relationships that were discouraged by social constructs (homosexuality (My Beautiful Laundrette), and Age of Consent (Trainspotting). I think "Trainspotting" is one of the most compelling films I've seen so far in this class, since "My Beautiful Laundrette." Thanks, and I am definitely getting a copy for my own collection.
ReplyDeleteI found trainspotting to be very interesting. I particularly liked the different bits of the film where the characters exit reality and go into a weird dream world; the worst bathroom in Scotland was a perfect example of this. I found that using this technique of creating another world you can exaggerate objects, feelings or emotions to match what these junkies where feeling. The characters where not just feeling normal emotions their emotions where extreme and powerful due to their drugs and to capture that and present what they where feeling to us was incredible. I have seen this film many times and it has definitely gotten better and better each time.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed watching Trainspotting, especially with the dark humor and trippy effects (ie. the scene where the main character was recovering from his drug addiction) in it. I actually thought of Requiem For A Dream when we watched it, since they both have similarities in the plot and film making(drug use, urban decay, started out as novels). Only things that set both of these movies apart from each other would be the soundtrack and different purposes.
ReplyDeleteI say that in Trainspotting, the characters' desperation of getting to the drug is a lot more grotesque and amusing (ie. the worst bathroom in Scotland) than those in Requiem for a Dream. Their way of conveying the drug use has given me the creeps, such as the dead baby crawling on the ceiling. In a way, I felt that this given us more of a depth into each character's perspective of their surroundings (with and without drug use).
After seeing this film for the tenth or eleventh time it reminded me of the first time I watched it, I remember not understanding the depth the actors had to take to look the part as well as express powerful emotional states during the film. As a coming of age film it takes a look into the lowest parts of life and forced an outcome comprised of conflict and fear which each character expresses in there own way. I do believe many views wouldn't understand the strain a drug addiction has on a person and why a new life is the only way to get away from there past and would see this film as just another drug movie when it is a exploration of the young mind and the need to grow up while remaining young.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching Trainspotting, I feel as though the main character, Renton's primary struggle was an internal conflict of self. The viewer bears witness to his attempts at breaking his drug addiction and bettering his life, but perhaps his real moment of growth occurs when he is able to escape the tyrannical control of Begbie. As Renton initially quits his drug addiction with the help of his parents, we find that he inevitably gives in to it once again when he is reunited with his old gang of friends. However, it isn't the drugs that necessarily seize power over him, but his "friends" and particularly Begbie whose bursts of rage repress them all. Though Renton is clearly weak to their overbearing nature, he asserts an uncharacteristic strength of self in the final scenes as he chooses his own betterment over their power, anger and fear of their probable vengeance. It is in this moment that he is finally fully realized as an independent person, capable of developing his own thoughts on the fulfillments of life.
ReplyDeleteDuring the detoxing scenes in Renton's bedroom, the locomotive patterned wall paper reminded me of just how young Renton was; it reminded me that not too long ago he was a child and in many ways, still was. At about only twenty years old, he still has his entire life ahead of him...some people his age have already started living life but instead he used drugs to avoid living.
ReplyDeleteOn Friday it was explained to us that "choosing life" was a pro-life slogan in the U.S. when Trainspotting was being filmed. Knowing this bit of info about "choosing life" is significant because the presence of wasted youth is overpowering throughout the movie. When Renton gives up drugs and gives up the friends who were poor influences on him, he is choosing to enjoy his youth and live his life, in the same way that not aborting an unplanned pregnancy gives the baby a chance to live and experience life.
I was just wondering if there had been a sudden spike in heroin use immediately after this movie came out? Trainspotting most definitely glorifies the use of the drug and besides the terribly creepy withdrawl scene it doesn't depict heroin as being a very hard drug to quit. Although I love this movie and have never tried heroin, I wouldn't be surprised if this movie is responsible for ruining a lot of younger lives.
ReplyDeleteIt had been a long time since I viewed trainspotting and there was a lot more to it than I had remembered. The most riveting part of the story line for me was by far the element of chance in the character development. Tommy and Renton almost trade spots. That is, Tommy's demise occurs quickly and unexpectedly while Renton's is a slow moving process and takes unexpected turns upwards. The build up to these events and the eventual paths that both characters go down are extremely different and not what I had anticipated upon viewing the first part of this film. It leave me feeling rather apathetic; feeling like sometimes bad things happen to "good" people too.
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