Young Adam Set in Glasgow of the early 1950s, the film focuses on the internal crisis of Joe, a rootless young drifter who finds work on a barge owned by the down-to-earth Les and his young wife Ella. One afternoon Joe and Les happen upon a corpse of a young woman floating in the water. Was it an accident? Did the young lady commit suicide? or has there been a murder? Here is (Movie review) from the New York Times, it is quite interesting to look at an Americans perception of this modern Scottish film.
Based on a novel by Irvine Welsh, It is based on Mark Renton, a young man with few prospects and fewer ambitions, lives in economically depressed Edinburgh. It begins with the famous monologue ….
“Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself.
Choose your future Choose life.”
Like most of his friends, Renton is a heroin addict who loves the drug's blissful nothingness; financing his habit also provides excitement and challenges that his life otherwise lacks. Renton's two best friends are also junkies: Sick Boy a snappy dresser obsessed with Sean Connery, and Spud a guileless nerd who suggests Pee Wee Herman's debauched cousin. Renton and his pals also hang out with Begbie, a borderline psychotic who loathes junkies even though he drinks like a fish. After one too many brushes with the law, Renton kicks heroin and moves to London, where he finds a job, a flat, and something close to peace of mind. However, Sick Boy, Begbie, and Spud all arrive at his doorstep on the trail of a big score, leading Renton back into drugs and crime.–Here is a (Movie Review) from the Rolling Stones magazine.
Set in the working class Glasgow of 1968. Thirteen-year-old Lex Maclean is torn between his brothers, his only male role models. Alan is an aspiring artist who's on his way to develop his talent at school. Bobby is mentally disturbed and somewhat simple-minded and has become involved with a local gang, the Glens. While walking down the street with Bobby one day, Lex takes an air gun and casually shoots it at some boys, hitting Malky Johnson in the eye. The leader of a rival gang, the Tongs, Johnson is aware that his girlfriend Joanne Macgowan has a crush on Alan. Johnson's blinding injury turns him into a deadly enemy of Lex and his brothers. Offered protection by Bobby's gang, Lex must choose between two different paths. Here is an official Movie Trailer of the 1996 scottish film.
Comfort and Joy is a 1984 film directed by Bill Forsyth. It stars Bill Paterson as a Glasgow radio DJ whose life undergoes a bizarre upheaval when his girlfriend leaves him. It is a film, which is supposedly based on the real life ice-cream wars which were going on in Glasgows East end at the time. Here is a short Movie review.
Is set in Glasgow, this story involves a mixed-race relationship that causes problems for all involved. Casim Khan lives with his Punjabi-born Muslim family in Scotland. He wants to open a nightclub with pal Hammid, but his parents have arranged for him to marry his cousin Jasmine. Then he meets Irish schoolteacher Roisin Hanlon, whom he quickly falls for. After calling off his family-approved engagement, Casim is ostracized by his father, Tariq. Meanwhile, Roisin runs into a concerned priest when she tries to get a job at a Catholic school. Ae Fond Kiss won several prizes at the Berlin Film Festival in 2004. Here is a link to the Offical website for the movie.
Modern Scottish films
Young Adam
Set in Glasgow of the early 1950s, the film focuses on the internal crisis of Joe, a rootless young drifter who finds work on a barge owned by the down-to-earth Les and his young wife Ella. One afternoon Joe and Les happen upon a corpse of a young woman floating in the water. Was it an accident? Did the young lady commit suicide? or has there been a murder? Here is (Movie review) from the New York Times, it is quite interesting to look at an Americans perception of this modern Scottish film.
Trainspotting
Based on a novel by Irvine Welsh, It is based on Mark Renton, a young man with few prospects and fewer ambitions, lives in economically depressed Edinburgh. It begins with the famous monologue ….
“Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing, spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself.
Choose your future
Choose life.”
Like most of his friends, Renton is a heroin addict who loves the drug's blissful nothingness; financing his habit also provides excitement and challenges that his life otherwise lacks. Renton's two best friends are also junkies: Sick Boy a snappy dresser obsessed with Sean Connery, and Spud a guileless nerd who suggests Pee Wee Herman's debauched cousin. Renton and his pals also hang out with Begbie, a borderline psychotic who loathes junkies even though he drinks like a fish. After one too many brushes with the law, Renton kicks heroin and moves to London, where he finds a job, a flat, and something close to peace of mind. However, Sick Boy, Begbie, and Spud all arrive at his doorstep on the trail of a big score, leading Renton back into drugs and crime.–Here is a (Movie Review) from the Rolling Stones magazine.
Small Faces
Set in the working class Glasgow of 1968. Thirteen-year-old Lex Maclean is torn between his brothers, his only male role models. Alan is an aspiring artist who's on his way to develop his talent at school. Bobby is mentally disturbed and somewhat simple-minded and has become involved with a local gang, the Glens. While walking down the street with Bobby one day, Lex takes an air gun and casually shoots it at some boys, hitting Malky Johnson in the eye. The leader of a rival gang, the Tongs, Johnson is aware that his girlfriend Joanne Macgowan has a crush on Alan. Johnson's blinding injury turns him into a deadly enemy of Lex and his brothers. Offered protection by Bobby's gang, Lex must choose between two different paths. Here is an official Movie Trailer of the 1996 scottish film.
Comfort and Joy
Comfort and Joy is a 1984 film directed by Bill Forsyth. It stars Bill Paterson as a Glasgow radio DJ whose life undergoes a bizarre upheaval when his girlfriend leaves him. It is a film, which is supposedly based on the real life ice-cream wars which were going on in Glasgows East end at the time. Here is a short Movie review.
Ae Fond Kiss
Is set in Glasgow, this story involves a mixed-race relationship that causes problems for all involved. Casim Khan lives with his Punjabi-born Muslim family in Scotland. He wants to open a nightclub with pal Hammid, but his parents have arranged for him to marry his cousin Jasmine. Then he meets Irish schoolteacher Roisin Hanlon, whom he quickly falls for. After calling off his family-approved engagement, Casim is ostracized by his father, Tariq. Meanwhile, Roisin runs into a concerned priest when she tries to get a job at a Catholic school. Ae Fond Kiss won several prizes at the Berlin Film Festival in 2004. Here is a link to the Offical website for the movie.