NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Trainspotting (film)

Trainspotting is a 1996 Academy Award-nominated, BAFTA-winning cult classic film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. The movie is about a group of heroin addicts in late 1980s Edinburgh and their passage through life. It stars Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton, Ewen Bremner as Spud, Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy, Kevin McKidd as Tommy, Robert Carlyle as Begbie and Kelly Macdonald as Dianne. Author Irvine Welsh also has a brief appearance as hapless drug dealer Mikey Forrester. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Trainspotting movie poster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Danny Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and film producer, best known for his work on films such as Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. ... Andrew Macdonald is a British film producer, best known for his collaborations with screenwriter John Hodge and director Danny Boyle, including Shallow Grave (1994), Trainspotting (1996) and A Life Less Ordinary (1997). ... Irvine Welsh (born Leith, Edinburgh, September 27, 1958) is an acclaimed contemporary Scottish novelist, most famous for his novel Trainspotting. ... John Hodge is a British screenwriter, most noted for his adaptation of Irvine Welshs novel Trainspotting into the script for the film of the same title. ... Ewan Gordon McGregor (born March 31, 1971; pronounced [1]) is a Scottish actor who has had significant success in mainstream, indie and art house films. ... Jonny Lee Miller Jonny Lee Miller (born November 15, 1972) is an English actor. ... Robert Carlyle OBE (born April 14, 1961) is an acclaimed Scottish film actor best known for his performances as psychopaths or killers. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Kevin McKidd (born August 9, 1973) is a Scottish actor, best known for his roles as soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus on the joint HBO/BBC series Rome and as time traveler Dan Vasser on NBCs Journeyman. ... Kelly Macdonald (born February 23, 1976) is a Scottish actress, born in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Damon Albarn, (born March 23, 1968 in Leytonstone, London), is an English singer-songwriter who gained fame as the lead singer and keyboard player of rock band Blur. ... The Trainspotting Soundtracks are two soundtrack albums released following the film version of Irvine Welshs novel of the same name. ... Miramax Films is a film production and distribution brand that was a Big Ten film motion picture distribution and production company headquartered in New York City before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company. ... PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (PFE) was a London-based film studio, founded in 1991 as a European competitor to Hollywood, but eventually sold and merged with Universal Pictures in 1999. ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Danny Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and film producer, best known for his work on films such as Trainspotting and 28 Days Later. ... Trainspotting is the first novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. ... Irvine Welsh (born Leith, Edinburgh, September 27, 1958) is an acclaimed contemporary Scottish novelist, most famous for his novel Trainspotting. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... Ewan Gordon McGregor (born March 31, 1971; pronounced [1]) is a Scottish actor who has had significant success in mainstream, indie and art house films. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Jonny Lee Miller Jonny Lee Miller (born November 15, 1972) is an English actor. ... Kevin McKidd (born August 9, 1973) is a Scottish actor, best known for his roles as soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus on the joint HBO/BBC series Rome and as time traveler Dan Vasser on NBCs Journeyman. ... Robert Carlyle OBE (born April 14, 1961) is an acclaimed Scottish film actor best known for his performances as psychopaths or killers. ... Kelly Macdonald (born February 23, 1976) is a Scottish actress, born in Glasgow, Scotland. ...

The screenplay, by John Hodge, was adapted from Welsh's novel. It does not contain any references to the non-drug-related hobby of train spotting. The title is a reference to an episode in the original book (not included in the film) where Begbie and Renton meet "an auld drunkard" in the disused Leith Central railway station, which they are visiting to use as a toilet. He asks them, in a weak attempt at a joke, if they are "trainspottin'". As they walk away, Renton realizes the drunk was Begbie's father (p309, Minerva edition). Railfans practicing their hobby at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. ... The Water of Leith looking upriver from the docks, with the old buildings along Leith Shore including The Kings Wark and The Old Ship Hotel and Kings Landing. ...

Plot

Set in Edinburgh, the film begins with a narration from Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) as he and friend 'Spud' careen down Princes Street after shoplifting to raise cash, with security guards in pursuit. Renton states that unlike people who "choose life" (a traditional family lifestyle with children and material possessions), he and his cronies have opted out of ambitious pursuits, preferring to live in a blissful, meaningless heroin-induced stupor. We are introduced to his friends: film buff Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), hanger-on Spud (Ewen Bremner), keen footballer Tommy (Kevin McKidd) and unpredictable thug Francis Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Sick Boy, obsessed with Sean Connery, is also a heroin addict, as is the goofy, innocent Spud. In contrast, Tommy and Begbie openly criticise heroin use. Tommy lives an athletic, drug-free lifestyle. Begbie does not believe in heroin, but he is (ironically) a vicious drunk, eager to pick fights for the mere thrill of instigating physical altercations. This point is clearly illustrated when Begbie is seen casually throwing his pint glass off a bar balcony, injuring a woman and causing a large-scale pub brawl. For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... Ewan Gordon McGregor (born March 31, 1971; pronounced [1]) is a Scottish actor who has had significant success in mainstream, indie and art house films. ... Princes Street, as viewed facing west from the Scott Monument Princes Street and the Castle at twilight Princes Street is the main shopping street in Edinburgh city centre, although it was originally designed to be a residential street. ... Jonny Lee Miller Jonny Lee Miller (born November 15, 1972) is an English actor. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... A footballer is a person who plays one of the various games known as football â€“ especially association football, although the term is also used to refer to participants in Australian rules football and Gaelic football. ... Kevin McKidd (born August 9, 1973) is a Scottish actor, best known for his roles as soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus on the joint HBO/BBC series Rome and as time traveler Dan Vasser on NBCs Journeyman. ... Robert Carlyle OBE (born April 14, 1961) is an acclaimed Scottish film actor best known for his performances as psychopaths or killers. ... Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ... The pint is an English unit of volume or capacity in the imperial system and United States customary units, equivalent in each system to one half of a quart, and one eighth of a gallon. ...

Sick Boy and Renton decide to quit heroin, but struggle with temptation. They join Tommy, Begbie and Spud in a dance club where all five men are in pursuit of sex. The other three men have more complicated nights. After complaining about his relationship problems to his mates, Tommy takes Lizzie home for sex, wishing to make love while watching a porno video of themselves, until they discovered that their own tape was missing and instead, there was a football tape. Renton had previously stolen their personal tape in the film while claiming to borrow the football video. Tommy believes he returned it to the video rental store accidentally - a point of contention with Lizzie that later leads to the end of their relationship. Spud drinks too much alcohol, as he's in a temporary abstinent relationship with his girlfriend, Gail. That night when Gail tries to have sex, Spud passes out and defecates on her bed. Renton flirts with a young girl named Dianne (Kelly MacDonald), who quickly dissects his bad chat-up lines, but takes him home anyway. After the two have sex, Renton is forced to sleep on a couch outside her bedroom and discovers the next morning that he is actually at her parents' house and that she is under the age of sexual consent. He tries to end their relationship, but she blackmails him into staying in contact lest she call the police and inform them of their one-night stand. For other uses, see Temptation (disambiguation). ... Laser lights illuminate the dance floor at a Gatecrasher dance music event in Sheffield, England A nightclub (or night club or club) is a drinking, dancing, and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. ... In the contexts of sociology and of popular culture, the concept of interpersonal relationships involves social associations, connections, or affiliations between two or more people. ... Porn redirects here. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up Tape in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kelly Macdonald (born February 23, 1976) is a Scottish actress, born in Glasgow, Scotland. ... The ages of consent for sexual activity vary by jurisdiction across Europe. ... For other uses, see Blackmail (disambiguation). ...

With their quest to be sober not as thrilling as hoped, Sick Boy, Spud and Renton decide to get back on heroin. The film shows a montage of drug taking and dirty dealings, while Renton narrates that he and his mates tried all drugs available to them. Tommy is dumped by Lizzie and looks for solace in heroin like his mates, having been told it's "the ultimate hit... better than sex." Renton's life of stealing and drugs continues, but quickly takes many turns for the worse - beginning with the screaming of Allison at their flat. The group discovers Allison's baby daughter, Dawn, has died. The cause of death is neglect while they were all present: an infant's distorted wails play over the preceding drug montage. All are shocked and feel terrible - Sick Boy, the father, most of all. A short time later, Renton and Spud are caught stealing from a department store (in a reprise of the opening scene of the film). Spud goes to jail but Renton avoids incarceration by enlisting in a Drug Interventions Programme where he is supplied with the heroin substitute methadone. Montage is a French word, translated as a verb, to edit, or a masculine noun, assembly. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... The Drug Interventions Programme is a key part of the United Kingdoms strategy for tackling drug abuse[1]. It aims to engage substance misusing individuals involved in the Criminal Justice system in formal addiction treatment, thereby reducing drug related harm and reducing offending behaviour [2]. Introduced in 2003, it... Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and anti-addictive. ...

Even though his journey to sobriety begins with much love from his parents and mates (such as Sick Boy and Begbie), within hours Renton is back at the flat of his dealer - named "Mother Superior" for "the length of his habit" - and orders more heroin. Renton overdoses on the heroin and is dragged carelessly by "Mother Superior" and a taxi driver to the hospital, where nurses save his life. Seeing no other option, Renton's parents lock him in his own room to beat the addiction cold turkey. He has several hallucinations, including Spud in jail, a now drug addicted (and possibly HIV infected) Tommy, and Dawn, Allison's dead baby, crawling toward him on the ceiling, framed by a bizarre, dreamed or imagined TV gameshow in which host Dale Winton asks the contestants, who are Renton's mother and father, "Is he guilty... or not guilty?" The gameshow hints that Renton is free of AIDS, but his friend Tommy is not so lucky. The Mother Superior is the nun in charge of a Christian convent. ... The term drug overdose (or simply overdose) describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced. ... Cold turkey is a slang expression describing the actions of a person who gives up a habit or addiction all at once. ... A hallucination is a perception in the absence of a stimulus that the person may or may not believe is real. ... Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ... Dale Winton (born 22 May 1955 in London) is an English radio DJ and television presenter. ... Guilty is also the name of: A number of songs: Guilty, a 1931 song by Richard Whiting, Harry Akst, and Gus Kahn, popularized by Johnny Desmond and later Margaret Whiting. ...

Clean of heroin, Renton feels no purpose in life and decides to move to London and start a job as a property letting agent. Renton continues his sobriety while enjoying the vibrancy of London and saving up money on the side. His happiness is again short-lived, however, as Begbie arrives at his London flat seeking a hiding place from the police for armed robbery. Sick Boy also shows up and once again, Renton is frustrated that he cannot turn his "mates" away. As things are boiling over in the small space, the three are told of Tommy's death from toxoplasmosis back in Scotland. They return home and meet Spud, who is now out of jail and also sober. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Following Tommy's funeral, Sick Boy suggests a large and dangerous opportunity for them; the chance to buy two kilos of heroin for £4000 and sell it for up to £20,000. Begbie demands that Renton put up much of the money, having seen Renton's bank statements. Though he is wary about the deal, Renton agrees. The foursome meet a professional heroin dealer and sell him the heroin for £16,000, leading to an afternoon celebration between all four mates in a pub. However, Begbie draws a knife on a customer in the pub and beats him severely while accidentally slicing Spud's hand open. Renton has already been thinking about stealing all the money for himself. As Begbie stands over the beaten man and demands a cigarette to come down from his "high", Renton apparently resolves that he will steal the money from his mates, whom he has come to understand are not his mates at all, with the exception of Spud. UKP may stand for: Unbounded Knapsack Problem, see Unbounded Knapsack Problem for the algorithm Pound Sterling, the currency (correctly termed GBP) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Pub redirects here. ...

Early the next morning after the sun has come up Renton pulls the bag of money away from a sleeping Begbie. Renton looks at Spud, who is awake and has seen everything but he does not wake the others. Renton leaves and vows to live the stable, middle class life he described at the beginning of the film. When Begbie awakes he is furious and begins to destroy the room. The last time Begbie is seen, he is pulling a knife from his pocket as the police bang on the door. Spud later finds £2000 left for him by Renton in a locker.

Cast

Ewan Gordon McGregor (born March 31, 1971; pronounced [1]) is a Scottish actor who has had significant success in mainstream, indie and art house films. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Jonny Lee Miller Jonny Lee Miller (born November 15, 1972) is an English actor. ... Robert Carlyle OBE (born April 14, 1961) is an acclaimed Scottish film actor best known for his performances as psychopaths or killers. ... Kevin McKidd (born August 9, 1973) is a Scottish actor, best known for his roles as soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus on the joint HBO/BBC series Rome and as time traveler Dan Vasser on NBCs Journeyman. ... Kelly Macdonald (born February 23, 1976) is a Scottish actress, born in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Peter Mullan (born in 1959 in Peterhead, Scotland) is a Scottish actor who has been appearing in films since 1990. ... Shirley Henderson (born November 24, 1965) is a Scottish actress. ... Irvine Welsh (born Leith, Edinburgh, September 27, 1958) is an acclaimed contemporary Scottish novelist, most famous for his novel Trainspotting. ...

Critical reception

In the UK, the film garnered almost universal praise from critics. Time Out London called the film "a triumph", saying, "audaciously punching up the pitch-black comedy, juggling parallel character strands and juxtaposing image, music and voice-over with a virtuosity worthy of Scorsese on peak form, Trainspotting the movie captures precisely Welsh's insolent, amoral intelligence."^[1] The Guardian newspaper gave the film credit for actually tapping into the youth subculture of the time, compared to other (now forgotten) contemporary British cinema.^[2] Esteemed American critic Roger Ebert heaped praise on the film for its stark, realistic portrayal of addicts' experiences with each other.^[3] The distinctive Time Out logo, seen on all its publications Time Out is a publishing company based in London, England. ... A voice-over is a narration that is played on top of a video segment, usually with the audio for that segment muted or lowered. ... Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (b. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ...

Its release sparked some controversy in some countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, as to whether it promoted drug use or not. U.S. Senator Bob Dole decried its moral depravity and glorification of drug use during the 1996 U.S. presidential campaign, although he later admitted that he had not actually seen the film. This echoed sentiments Dole had made three years earlier, attacking Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers while lauding more mainstream films like James Cameron's True Lies as being more "family friendly". Despite the controversy, it was praised as an inventive, highly effective film and received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in that year's Academy Awards. In 1999 the film came 10th in a BFI poll of British films, while in 2004 the magazine Total Film named it the 4th greatest British film of all time. The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Â§ Robert Joseph Dole (born July 22, 1923) was a United States Senator from Kansas from 1969-1996, serving part of that time as United States Senate Majority Leader. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... For the song, see Natural Born Killaz. ... True Lies is a 1994 action/comedy remake of the 1991 French film La Totale!. It was directed by James Cameron, and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Charlton Heston and Art Malik. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... In 1999 the British Film Institute surveyed 1000 people from the world of UK film and television to produce the BFI 100 list of the greatest British films of the 20th century. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Total Film, published by Future Publishing, is the United Kingdoms second best-selling film magazine, after the longer-established Empire from Emap. ...

The film's release was supported by an imaginative marketing campaign using flyers inspired by rave culture and posters of each of the main actors. Owing to illness, Kevin McKidd went on holiday having finished shooting for the film and did not attend the photoshoot for the posters. This article is about a form of party. ... Kevin McKidd (born August 9, 1973) is a Scottish actor, best known for his roles as soldier/politician Lucius Vorenus on the joint HBO/BBC series Rome and as time traveler Dan Vasser on NBCs Journeyman. ...

Metacritic^[4] and Rotten Tomatoes^[5], sites which search for multiple reviews of films, gave it marks in the high 80s. Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Other versions

Upon its initial release in the United States, the first 20 minutes of Trainspotting were re-edited with alternate dialogue. Because of the strong Scottish accents and language of the characters, it was believed that American audiences might have difficulty understanding them. The original dialogue was later restored on the Criterion Collection laserdisc in 1997 and then on the re-release of the "Director's Cut (Collector's Edition)" DVD in 2004. Scottish English is usually taken to mean the standard form of the English language used in Scotland, often termed Scottish Standard English[1][2]. It is the language normally used in formal, non-fiction written texts in Scotland. ...

Sequel

Boyle has stated his wish to make a sequel to Trainspotting which will take place 9 years after the original film, based on Irvine Welsh's sequel, Porno. He is reportedly waiting until the original actors themselves age visibly enough to portray the same characters, ravaged by time; Boyle joked that the natural vanity of actors would make it a long wait.^[6] Porno is a novel by Scottish writer Irvine Welsh, and is the sequel to Trainspotting. ...

According to the director's commentary, the dealer to whom they sell the heroin is actually Hugo from Shallow Grave, Boyle's first film. According to Boyle, Hugo re-sells the heroin, thus obtaining the money he has at the beginning of Shallow Grave, and therefore making the storyline chronologically later than Trainspotting. For this reason, Boyle had actor Keith Allen playing the same character in both movies. Movie Poster Shallow Grave is a 1994 British thriller film, directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge. ... Boyle is the name of some towns: Boyle, Mississippi (and others) in the United States of America. ... Movie Poster Shallow Grave is a 1994 British thriller film, directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge. ... Trainspotting refers to: Train spotting, the hobby Trainspotting, the novel by Irvine Welsh Trainspotting, the film based upon the above-mentioned novel. ... Boyle is the name of some towns: Boyle, Mississippi (and others) in the United States of America. ... Keith Philip George Allen (born 2 June 1953) is a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and writer. ...

Soundtracks

The Trainspotting soundtracks were two best-selling albums of music centred around the film. The first is a collection of songs featured in the film, while the second includes those left out from the first soundtrack and extra songs that inspired the filmmakers during production. The Trainspotting Soundtracks are two soundtrack albums released following the film version of Irvine Welshs novel of the same name. ...

Locations

Despite being set in Edinburgh almost all of the film was filmed in Glasgow, apart from the opening scenes of the film which were filmed in Edinburgh and the final scenes which were filmed in London. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Princes Street, as viewed facing west from the Scott Monument Princes Street and the Castle at twilight Princes Street is the main shopping street in Edinburgh city centre, although it was originally designed to be a residential street. ... This article is about the spy series. ... Thornliebank is a small suburb in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, 6 miles south of Glasgow. ... Movie Poster Shallow Grave is a 1994 British thriller film, directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge. ... Corrour railway station is a railway station on the West Highland Line, Scotland. ... Buchanan Street looking southward. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... West Kensington is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of Philadelphia. ... The A4 at Hotwells in Bristol The A4 crosses Picadilly Circus in central London The A4 is a major road in England, also known as the Great West Road. ... Bayswater is an area of London in the City of Westminster. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Back cover The back cover of the original 1969 UK LP. Note that Her Majesty is not listed, unlike later reissues and the compact disc versionâ€”originally making it a hidden track. ... Jordanhill School Crest Jordanhill School is a school for children from 4 to 18, located on Chamberlain Road in Glasgow, Scotland. ...

Parodies

Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... The Regina Monologues is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired November 23, 2003. ... Cold turkey is a slang expression describing the actions of a person who gives up a habit or addiction all at once. ... Family Guy is an Emmy Award-winning American animated television series about a dysfunctional family in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. ... â€œLove Thy Trophyâ€ is an episode from the FOX animated television series Family Guy. ... The Exorcist is an Academy Award-winning 1973 American horror and thriller film, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl, and her motherâ€™s desperate attempts to win back her daughter through an exorcism conducted... The Adam and Joe Show was a British comedy television show, written and presented by Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish (Adam and Joe), which ran for four series on Channel 4. ... Drawn Together is an American animated television series that uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting. ... Bazura hosts Lee (left) and Shannon (right; up) The Bazura Project is a television show broadcast on Channel 31 Melbourne, 31 Brisbane and Television Sydney starring Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah. ... Take That are a British pop boy band formed by Nigel Martin Smith in Manchester in 1990. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

Notes

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