The 23rd of February 1996. Trainspotting makes its way into cinemas and would go on to cement itself as an icon, and become one of the most beloved films of all time.
So if you have not seen the film before you might be wondering what is it all about? Trainspotting follows the life of a man called Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) who is a Heroin addict who will stop at nothing in order to get his fix and reach that all time high. Robbing and stealing to fund the addiction is the main order of the day, until Renton decides that he wants to go clean and get off the Drugs and have no part of the lifestyle he has become so accustomed.
Along the way we get to meet Renton’s friends, Sick Boy, Spud, Tommy and last but not least Francis Begbie played by Johnny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Kevin McKidd and Robert Carlyle respectably.
The characters throughout are a real mix, an assortment of folk that you most probably would not want to hang out with, even at a park.. Adapted from the Irvine Welsh novel of the same name, Trainspotting is a real assault on all of the senses, sex, violence, drugs and some very disgusting moments indeed are to be seen, but nonetheless this film has acquired legendary status and is now regarded as a landmark film of its time. A scattering throughout of classic scenes and dialogue, mixed with an A grade soundtrack. Combine all of this into one and you have one darn pretty cool movie, it depicts both sides of addiction, the fun side, the bad, the effects that Drug abuse can take on friends and family and so on.
It is by no means an easy watch obviously due to content and subject matter but within the film are scenes that have etched there way into folklore and the public psyche, legendary status gained through posters, merchandise, music etc. Trainspotting’s source material comes from the novel by author Irvine Welsh, the book is made up of short stories that focus on the lives and activities of the very dysfunctional group of addicted friends. It was followed up ten years later with “Porno” a sequel that was set ten years after the first and reunites the characters as their paths seemingly cross once more. This book was taken and adapted for T2, the sequel for Trainspotting, exactly twenty years after the original was released, it featured the same director and cast, and if I am totally honest was a pretty decent follow up. Sometimes films that are made years later can really be not good, however this was a nice exception and I would recommend it also.
So why does Trainspotting continue to have the effect and impact it has today? Well that certainly is food for thought, is it the characters? Yes we know they are a bunch of undesirables and down and out heroin addicts but this makes them nonetheless very colourful and intriguing. Is it the way it’s directed and made? The film in motion is very slick, it moves along at a very nice pace and more or less throws you right into the heart of the matter, making fantastic use of music, sound and visual imagery. Even now some of the seems can leave you wincing a tad.
Danny Boyle’s 1996 film has gone on to make waves and its popularity does not appear to be halting in any way, it is a staple of British film making and revered rightly so as a classic of its time, a real slice of the era. We would most certainly advise you all to watch this film, even as said before the second one is worth a shot too.
So folks get yourself ready for one hell of a ride if you have not seen it, you will most definitely be sure to remember this one.
-Otto
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