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Scottish films, books etc that are not stereotypically Scottish


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On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 8:20 AM, EddardStark said:

I recommend Lanark: A Life in Four Books by Alasdair Gray.  Unashamedly stolen Amazon's overview as it describes the book rather well.

Lanark, a modern vision of hell, is set in the disintegrating cities of Unthank and Glasgow, and tells the interwoven stories of Lanark and Duncan Thaw. A work of extraordinary imagination and wide range, its playful narrative techniques convey a profound message, both personal and political, about humankind's inability to love, and yet our compulsion to go on trying.

Widely recognised as a modern classic, Alasdair Gray's magnum opus was first published in 1981 and immediately established him as one of Britain's leading writers. Comparisons have been made to Dante, Blake, Joyce, Orwell, Kafka, Huxley and Lewis Carroll. This timely new edition should cement his reputation as one of our greatest living writers.

 

I first read it in the early 80's and it made a massive impression on me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Lanark-Life-Books-Canongate-Classics-Alasdair-Gray/1841959073

 

 

 

 

I bought the book a few years back but just couldn't get in to it really.  Favourite book is the Old man and the sea.  Read it three times over the years.  And there is a collection of Burns books written in the 1930's by James Barke.  The collection (I think 7 books in all) is called the Immortal Memory.  When at Uni in Edinburgh I manage to get them all from various Antique book shops.  Gave them to my grandad for his 80th.  Very well written.  

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On 1/28/2019 at 5:12 PM, Eisegerwind said:

You can't really comment on those two and not give a mention to the 'prequel', That Sinking Feeling.

That Sinking Feeling is a film I love. It should be known and shown more widely. A screwball comedy in Glasgow.

Aberdeen, Dundee, Embra, Perth - youse cunts will never beat the sheer, sweet, heartbreaking image that is Glasgow in the rain. 

Would recommend buying the BFI's recent crystal clear restoration of the film that is out on DVD and Blu-Ray. The bonus features include comes with a  directors commentary by Bill Forsyth and four or five interesting short films he made in the seventies 

To conclude, it is a great film about The World's Greatest City. 

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On 1/28/2019 at 5:12 PM, Eisegerwind said:

You can't really comment on those two and not give a mention to the 'prequel', That Sinking Feeling.

I just realised That Sinking Feeling was already mentioned on 1st Jan 2017. 

I was going to complain that I found Bill Forsyth's film titles dull. Then realised "Sinking " is a pun on sinks (of the stainless steel variety). 

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On 1/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, Rouf said:

I don't have time to read all the above but:

One film that sticks out is Orphans. It's a movie that does not get enough credit.

I hadn't heard of Orphans. I looked it up. Apparently it's "a 1998 Scottish black comedy film written and directed by Peter Mullan and starring Douglas Henshall, Gary Lewis and Rosemarie Stevenson." Also "Channel Four Films decided not to distribute the film as they did not think it would attract a large commercial audience." then "in interviews, Mullan has said that once Orphans started winning awards Channel Four apologised and asked if they could distribute it, an offer he refused."

Anyway, it seems the whole film is available online...

 

 

 

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14 minutes ago, exile said:

I just realised That Sinking Feeling was already mentioned on 1st Jan 2017. 

I was going to complain that I found Bill Forsyth's film titles dull. Then realised "Sinking " is a pun on sinks (of the stainless steel variety). 

Hadn't realised this was a 'resurrected' thread either!

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On 1/28/2019 at 4:46 PM, Rouf said:

A book that stands out for me is Children of the dead end. I don't even know if that would qualify as Scottish but it's mostly set in Scotland. All slightly morbid examples but f*** it.

"Patrick MacGill’s autobiographical novel roams from the tenant farms of Ireland and the grinding poverty of Dermod Flynn’s childhood, to the byways and backroads of Scotland and the navvying life....  tramping between the model lodging houses of Paisley and Glasgow and work at the building of the Kinlochleven Dam...."

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On 1/1/2017 at 4:54 PM, ErsatzThistle said:

I'd nominate the great English film director Michael Powell's two superb films set in the Western Isles - "The Edge of the World" and "I Know Where I'm Going". Two beautiful films. The former with a tragic theme and a real docu-drama feel to it. The latter is a more upbeat, life affirming affair.

The book (by Muriel Spark) and film "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" would be another one one too.

This may be an uncommon choice but I loved Comfort and Joy most out of all Bill Forsyth's films. An honourable mention too for "That Sinking Feeling". 

Apparently available in full online 

Link here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x39x656

 

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My Name is Joe is more Glasgow bittersweet grit. With a brief scene with piper ("bonnie Scotland, right enough"). Full film available online... 

 

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1 minute ago, ParisInAKilt said:

Sad one that but a good film, Ken Loach I’m sure. 

Yes it has some Loach traits, like ordinary people in difficult circumstances ending up with extraordinary problems, but not unsympathetic to some of those in 'the system' either. 

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Ken Loach has made some tremendous films using Scotland as a background rather than the subject. Sweet Sixteen is another example, the very young Martin Compston is brilliant in it.  My mother in law and her pals had a day out at the pictures to see it as it was a film about Greenock,  I think they were a bit surprised :-)) 

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31 minutes ago, Toepoke said:

Ken Loach has made some tremendous films using Scotland as a background rather than the subject. Sweet Sixteen is another example, the very young Martin Compston is brilliant in it.  My mother in law and her pals had a day out at the pictures to see it as it was a film about Greenock,  I think they were a bit surprised :-)) 

I was the year above him in school. Still never seen it, sure it’s a right uplifting sunny west coast delight haha. 

Still never forget his dad moaning at me for a supposed hospital pass when we played u13’s 

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23 hours ago, ParisInAKilt said:

I was the year above him in school. Still never seen it, sure it’s a right uplifting sunny west coast delight haha. 

Still never forget his dad moaning at me for a supposed hospital pass when we played u13’s 

I follow Compston on Twitter 😳. To be honest he comes across as a right good lad. For a TIm 😀

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