Difference between revisions of "Trainspotting"
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| − | '''Trainspotting''' (1996) is a [[British]] film based on the novel by Irving Walsh depicting the lives of a group of young men in seedy, 'wrong side of the tracks' [[Edinburgh]]. The film is notorious for its depiction of the Edinburgh drugs scene, and its plot, depicting the ostensible efforts of antihero Renton to escape that milieu. The drug scenes are constructed and filmed in brilliant colour, to emphasize the 'highs' that they supposedly provide, by contrast with the depiction of clean, everyday life as grim and colourless. The film's most cited line emphasizes its cynical promotion of drugs, by depicting 'life' as an endless cycle of suburban boredom: ''Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. But why would | + | '''Trainspotting''' (1996) is a [[British]] film based on the novel by Irving Walsh depicting the lives of a group of young men in seedy, 'wrong side of the tracks' [[Edinburgh]]. The film is notorious for its depiction of the Edinburgh drugs scene, and its plot, depicting the ostensible efforts of antihero Renton to escape that milieu. The drug scenes are constructed and filmed in brilliant colour, to emphasize the 'highs' that they supposedly provide, by contrast with the depiction of clean, everyday life as grim and colourless. The film's most cited line emphasizes its cynical promotion of drugs, by depicting 'life' as an endless cycle of suburban boredom: ''Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin’ else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?'' |
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| + | The film's opening song, ''Lust for Life'', was performed by obscure-but-influential punk rocker Iggy Pop, who has struggled with heroin addiction himself. The lyrics include the lines ''"Yeah, I'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk / No more beating my brains / No more beating my brains / With liquor and drugs / With liquor and drugs."''<ref>LyricsMode.com, ''Lust For Life lyrics by Iggy Pop'', retrieved 10/24/08[http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/i/iggy_pop/lust_for_life.html]</ref> The song made UGO's list of the Top 11 Uses Of Classic Rock In Cinema.<ref>UGO.com, ''Top 11 Uses Of Classic Rock In Cinema, 10. "Lust For Life" by Iggy Pop in Trainspotting'', retrieved 10/24/08[http://www.ugo.com/filmtv/top11-classicrock/?cur=trainspotting#top]"Despite protestations from the filmmakers and the inclusion of a horrific detox scene, Trainspotting makes being a Scottish junkie look totally awesome. Why? Because when you run from the cops, smash into cars and the movie freeze-frames to show your nickname you have "Lust For Life" thumping underneath."</ref> | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:Cinema]] | [[Category:Cinema]] | ||
Revision as of 16:22, October 24, 2008
Trainspotting (1996) is a British film based on the novel by Irving Walsh depicting the lives of a group of young men in seedy, 'wrong side of the tracks' Edinburgh. The film is notorious for its depiction of the Edinburgh drugs scene, and its plot, depicting the ostensible efforts of antihero Renton to escape that milieu. The drug scenes are constructed and filmed in brilliant colour, to emphasize the 'highs' that they supposedly provide, by contrast with the depiction of clean, everyday life as grim and colourless. The film's most cited line emphasizes its cynical promotion of drugs, by depicting 'life' as an endless cycle of suburban boredom: Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a starter home. Choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future. . . . But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin’ else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin?
The film's opening song, Lust for Life, was performed by obscure-but-influential punk rocker Iggy Pop, who has struggled with heroin addiction himself. The lyrics include the lines "Yeah, I'm through with sleeping on the sidewalk / No more beating my brains / No more beating my brains / With liquor and drugs / With liquor and drugs."[1] The song made UGO's list of the Top 11 Uses Of Classic Rock In Cinema.[2]
References
- ↑ LyricsMode.com, Lust For Life lyrics by Iggy Pop, retrieved 10/24/08[1]
- ↑ UGO.com, Top 11 Uses Of Classic Rock In Cinema, 10. "Lust For Life" by Iggy Pop in Trainspotting, retrieved 10/24/08[2]"Despite protestations from the filmmakers and the inclusion of a horrific detox scene, Trainspotting makes being a Scottish junkie look totally awesome. Why? Because when you run from the cops, smash into cars and the movie freeze-frames to show your nickname you have "Lust For Life" thumping underneath."