We discussed how director Danny Boyle usually takes a shot from the middle of the movie and uses it for the opening scene, that turned out to be true. I also noticed the reference to a Stanley Kubrick's a Clockwork Orange (1971), which I happened to find very disturbing. I couldn't get through the entirety of the film. Boyle also used a lot of heavy electronic music throughout the film, which I think helped set its tone and mood.
2. Find a related article and summarize the content:
Trainspotting was one of the first and few British films to mirror some of the violence and hardcore drug use of popular American movies in the 90's such as GoodFellas and Pulp Fiction. It is very graphic and shows some of the rough truths about being apart of the lower class living in Scotland. Renton's "choose life" quote was thought to be pretty dynamic for that time as he struggles mightily trying to get off heroin and attempting to make more sense of what life actually is. Trainspotting inspired a lot of future gangster-like British films and also planted a seed for the Scottish independence campaign.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/12/trainspotting-review-danny-boyle-classic-t2
3. Apply the article to the film screened in class:
The article definitely supported the way I thought about and analyzed the film. I'm not so sure about GoodFellas, but it definitely reminded me a bit of Pulp Fiction (which is one of my favorite movies). Some of the music and scenery that was used reminded of it, as well as the obvious graphic of the hardcore drug use and violence. It was clear the director got some tips from Quentin Tarantino's classic film.
4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material, and the article:
The film is obviously very graphic and gritty and maybe even hard to watch at times for some people, which is understandable. From the drug use, vomiting, and scenes like where Renton went all the way into that disgusting public toilet just to fetch some sort of pill he so desperately needed. But I think the director was just trying to depict what life was like for the working low class at that time in Scotland, and I think he did a very good job. The constant use of drugs I don't think was shown to condone it in any way, but to show that this is the harsh reality of many places throughout the world. That's why I loved the "choose life" quote. That's what I think the director was trying to get viewers to take away from the film. Life is all about choices, and the choice is ultimately up to you at the end of the day. I also thought the director did a good job of mixing in some good humor with the obvious grittiness and harsh realities.
Sidebar: I really liked the character Diane, who was played by Kelly Macdonald acting in her first major role. She is in one of my favorite shows on HBO, Boardwalk Empire (great show!).
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( ^ ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
2) ( ^ ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.
3) ( ^ ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.
4) ( ^ ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
5) ( ^ ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
6) ( ^ ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
7) ( ^ ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.
8) ( ^ ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
Name: Cameron Beall______________________________________ Date: _______1/31/18_____________________
1) ( ^ ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
2) ( ^ ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.
3) ( ^ ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.
4) ( ^ ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
5) ( ^ ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
6) ( ^ ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
7) ( ^ ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.
8) ( ^ ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
Name: Cameron Beall______________________________________ Date: _______1/31/18_____________________
Citations:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/trainspotting/reviews/?type=top_critics
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/12/trainspotting-review-danny-boyle-classic-t2
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