Trainspotting Flashcards
T Social Contexts
The film is based on the 1993 Irvine Welsh novel of the same name. The film and book are set near the end of the long conservative government reign, the effect of thatcher era is clearly depicted in the film.
1990s saw drugs well and truly embedded in middle class culture. There was a media moral panic on the rise of ecstasy in youth culture
Was the start of the underclass movie cycle, with films such as This is England, Attack the Block and City of God being just a few.
T Institutional Context
Trainspotting was made on a £1.5 million budget and generated £48 million worldwide on its release. It was produced by channel 4 films, not known as Film4. Danny Boyle was the director.
Danny Boyle has directed, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting 2.
T Narrative
The film gives a youth to the youth underclass. Even though it is more hyperreal than social real it still presents a picture of this under represented social group. Trainspotting was on of many drug films that was being produced in the UK and hollywood in the 1990s.
T Ideology
The 90’s Britain was dubbed cool Britannia due to its cultural influence in the arts with a surge of cool young British artists on the scene like Damien Hurst. The movement was reflected in the film output, with Britain releasing world wide successes.
T Aesthetics
Although the film deals with gritty themes such as addiction and AIDS, it isn’t a realist film. The enchanced dark tone of the lens and exaggerated gritty mise en scene creates hyper realism. The film is drenched in irony, the characters dins themselves in comedic situations such as Spud’s job interview when he is high on Speed.
T Cinematography
Low level camera movement and framing communicates a sense of a life of limited perspectives and ambition.
A number of Renton’s overdoses are POV shots. The fleshy carpet and having lost touch with reality.
T Mise en Scene
The shabby brown tones of a dilapidated junky den perfectly communicated through set design, costume and colour choices. However it isn’t social realism but is hyper realism, heightened reality.
The scene where Renton is walking down the street, there are colour-coordinated cubes on the windows. they symbolise the restrictions of society and is what Renton is attempting to escape from
T Sexuality
Liberal approach to genders, stating that “in 1000 years from now there will be no guys and no girls just wankers… it’s all about aesthetics and fuck all to do with morality”. The film features nudity from both male and female characters.
Th sexually active schoolgirl, Dianne, who Renton meets at a club is perhaps the most shocking representation - followed by Renton removing a condom from his penis.
However all of the characters have regular girlfriends (heroin is their lover), when Tommy looses his girlfriend he quickly becomes a heroin addict.
T Sound and Music
The music in Trainspotting usually has significant narrative importance.
Iggy Pop’s Lust for life augments Renton’s choose life speech.
Lou Reed;s Perfect Day acts as a counterpart or juxtaposition to Renton’s overdose.
T Addiction and Drugs
Renton is infantised by is addiction, he is carried into his childhood room by his parents. Perhaps from his old nest he will be reborn.
Controversially Heroin within the film is stated to have a pleasurable high, simply to show the audience why the characters are even using the drugs.
T Protagonist
The audience is able to align with Renton thanks to a few special narrative devices, firstly he’s the first character the audience sees, secondly he’s the first character to have his name shown, his narration through help give insight to the audience as to what he is thinking.
