She smiled at you boy

[Chassis 33]

Trainspotting...good bad indifferent?

I've just watch it for the first time in years; in fact I think it’s the first time since I was over 18!

When it was released it was a very controversial film, "glamorising drugs" etc etc.

Does it glamorise drugs, does it reflect contemporary society or was it just another of the mid-90's shock arts tactics in the same vein ('scuse the pun) as the Royal Academy's Sensation Exhibition in (i think if memory serves) '98, trying to re-invent the ideas of the likes of Warhol Pollock et al?

Regards
Iain

[DanBoy]

3 DVDs for £20 in the forthcoming HMV sale (yes, folks - it's a different sale every month and we just love having to organise them every month) and TS is one of them.

I recommend Trainspotting ('coz I reckon it's good), The Usual Suspects and the Scarface Special Edition thingy.

I need to get a life.

>> Edited by DanBoy on Saturday 9th April 21:42

[Chassis 33]

DanBoy said:

3 DVDs for £20 in the forthcoming HMV sale

Nah, Sainsbury’s 2 for a tenner actually.

All I remember from when it was released, I was about 14/15 then, was all the 'hard' lads, the Begbie's if you will, raving about the drugs and sex(...all 2mins or so of it!) cos they got into see it at the cinema, the comments in the likes of NME and Melody Maker and authoritarian adults tutting whenever it was mentioned.

Have we moved on in 10years? a parallel I guess is Marilyn Manson, no-one gives a damn about him no but in the late '90's he was public enemy number 1...then 9/11 happened.

Regards
Iain

[little red]

Chassis 33 said:

Trainspotting...good bad indifferent? I've just watch it for the first time in years; in fact I think it’s the first time since I was over 18! When it was released it was a very controversial film, "glamorising drugs" etc etc. Does it glamorise drugs, does it reflect contemporary society or was it just another of the mid-90's shock arts tactics in the same vein ('scuse the pun) as the Royal Academy's Sensation Exhibition in (i think if memory serves) '98, trying to re-invent the ideas of the likes of Warhol Pollock et al? Regards Iain

Absolutely love the film! It’s been too long since I watched it. That’s my Sunday Night viewing sorted out!

[parrot of doom]

I think you'd have to search pretty hard for any part of the film that glamorises drug use - although it does start on a drug high, any person with even the smallest gleaning of an IQ soon gets the message.

[DanBoy]

If you want a good film about drugs...

It has to be Requiem for a Dream!

[Pigeon]

The book of Trainspotting is MUCH better than the film. There is SO much missed out and what they have included they have generally modified in such a way as to make it harder to figure out what's going on.

[Frik]

DanBoy said:

If you want a good film about drugs... It has to be Requiem for a Dream!

With this film there's no doubt that Darren Aronofsky didn't set out to glamourise drugs...

[wedgepilot]

DanBoy said:

If you want a good film about drugs... It has to be Requiem for a Dream!

...or, on a different note, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.

[seafarer]

Saw it when it came out, but not since. It certainly doesn't glamorize drugs. In fact, you could show it to kids in order to discourage them. The gross stuff that happens, the people in some inescapable loop of addiction, the way they seem to live in the gutter; it was a really depressing film. I think one druggy female has a baby and it dies because they're too doped up to properly take care of it (if I'm not mistaken). It really had a feeling of hopelessness.

Artistically, the film was interesting. It seems to start at the end of the story and sort of loop back around, like the cycle the characters go through.

I can't believe anyone would think it glamorizes drugs. Remember that one scene where the point of view is as the guy looking up out of his coffin? That was weird. Plus "the worst toilet in Scotland" was probably the grossest thing I've ever seen on film.