Scotland in Film by Kyle Young ©
But despite the heart of darkness in the tale there was an essential truth about the tale and a series of comedic takes on the characters that allowed them to make something much lighter than might have been supposed from the source material. The film makers did not make drugs cool – in fact their vignettes depicting the use of drugs and the lifestyle that followed thereof were a dramatic example of why taking banned substances was bad for you.
But the filmmakers also examined the problem of drugs with an unflinching glare that gave an insight into a twisted and interesting world. Many people were cheering for Renton – Ewan McGregor – when he said he was nicking the money to get out and ‘chose life.’
In 1995 Gillies McKinnon directed Small Faces in which he worked with his brother Billy to use their autobiographical experiences to show what it was like for three brothers growing up in the rough areas
of Glasgow in the 1960’s. It is a classic take of conflict. The youngest brother is torn between becoming an artist like one brother, or a gangster like the oldest. His emotions are shown as he is torn between following one path or another.
For a new filmmaker Gillies MacKinnon is good at getting his story across, making excellent use of both camera and actors. The early nineties were a time of rising talent on both sides of the camera in Scotland. Small Faces featured many actors such as the young Kevin McKidd who was given a part in Trainspotting thanks to Danny Boyle having spotted him in the former film. Other faces from the film crop up regularly in both film and television.
Though not strictly speaking set in Scotland when Harry Potter arrived the Scottish film changed forever. The spectacular and beautiful Glen Nevis is the setting for both Hogwart’s and for the game of Quidditch. The fact that these settings are supposed to be in some alternate Universe does not detract from the fact that when Harry and Ron are in a flying car swooping over a viaduct with a steam train puffing over it, they are flying over a train going along the West Highland line.
The falls featured are the falls of Nevis and the films use extras, including distance doubles, from the town of Inverness, which is close to Glen Nevis. Glen Nevis itself is
at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the landscape is a character in the films, adding to the magic
of Harry, Ron, Hermoine’, Malfoy, Dumbledore and the rest.
Scotland has contributed to the film industry much more than is often realised. The above films are just the tip of the iceberg and I could have reviewed another twenty films made, or associated with Scotland quite easily. It is obvious that this is a country with a large amount of acting, writing and production talent. Let us hope that the film industry can make use of these talents in the future.
