September 27, 2021
'Trainspotting'
The Ringer's Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald choose life after rewatching the 1996 British black comedy-drama 'Trainspotting' starring Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle. Directed by Danny Boyle.
Cast
Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton
Robert Carlyle as Begbie
Jonny Lee Miller as Sick Boy
Ewen Bremner as Spud
Kelly Macdonald as Diane
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Written by: John Hodge
Notes
- 1.5 million pound budget with an 800,000 pound marketing budget.
- Kelly Macdonald was a 19-year-old Scottish waitress who responded to a flyer to get the role of Diane.
- Danny Boyle showed the cast 'Goodfellas', A Clockwork Orange, 'The Exorcist', and The Hustler as preparation.
- Robert Carlyle gave Begbie a backstory as a closeted gay man, which Danny Boyle supported.
- Christopher Eccleston was originally supposed to play Begbie. Ewen Bremner originated Renton in the stage production but plays Spud in the film.
- Oasis was asked to contribute to the soundtrack but Noel and Liam saw the title, thought it was about hobbyists who watch trains, and said 'fuck off.'
- Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle fell out for nearly 20 years after Boyle chose Leonardo DiCaprio over McGregor for The Beach.
- The American version had softened accents (ADR) for the first 10-20 minutes and slightly edited needle injection shots.
- Danny Boyle is not Scottish – he's from Manchester. His collaborators John Hodge and Andrew MacDonald are Scottish.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“It uses a colorful vocabulary, contains a lot of energy, elevates its miserable heroes to the status of icons. But what else does it do? Does it lead anywhere? Not really. That's the point.”
Most re-watchable scene
- Begbie's story vs. Tommy's version – with freeze frames, flash forward, cutting to Renton stealing Tommy's porno (Chris Ryan).
- Spud's job interview – 'In a word, pleasure'.
- The entire opening rush / first 40 minutes (Andy Greenwald).
- The nightclub/sex sequence (Andy Greenwald).
What aged the best?
- The soundtrack – Iggy Pop's 'Lust for Life,' Underworld's 'Born Slippy,' Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Primal Scream, Blur, Pulp.
- The Choose Life monologue / poster – in every college dorm room 1997-1999.
- The surreal flourishes (toilet dive, overdose sinking into the carpet).
- The humor – very dark, very Scottish.
- The 'It's shite being Scottish' speech.
- The iconic poster and marketing (orange and gray color scheme).
What aged the worst?
- Dead babies (the baby death scene, baby crawling on ceiling during detox).
- Feces (worst toilet in Scotland, Spud's sheets).
- Underage sex – Diane is 14 in the book; the blackmail scene.
- The single-gender (male) POV – the women get short shrift.
Casting what-ifs
- Christopher Eccleston was originally supposed to play Begbie.
- Ewen Bremner originated Renton in the stage production but plays Spud in the film.
- Robert Carlyle auditioned for Shallow Grave, lost it, then was called back for 'Trainspotting' and offered Begbie.
Over-acting award
Begbie (Robert Carlyle) – screaming for the entire movie, 'the lassie got glassed'.
Best "that guy"
- Keith Allen as the drug dealer – one scene at the end.
- Peter Mullan as Mother Superior (Swanney).
- Irvine Welsh as Mikey Forrester.
Apex Mountain
- Jonny Lee Miller – Yes.
- Ewen Bremner – Yes.
- Robert Carlyle – strong nominee.
- Born Slippy by Underworld – the greatest needle drop of all time (Andy Greenwald).
Half-assed (internet) research
- Movie is set in Edinburgh but largely shot in Glasgow.
- Kelly Macdonald was a 19-year-old waitress who responded to a flyer.
- Oasis was asked for the soundtrack but thought 'Trainspotting' was about hobbyists who watch trains.
- The prop department used melted chocolate for the feces scenes.
- Kevin McKidd missed the iconic promo photo shoot because he was on vacation.
Picking nits
- How did Renton get Spud the bus locker key if he needed it for his passport?
- AIDS/HIV suddenly appears as a concern 50 minutes in with no prior buildup.
- Begbie's fugitive status is murky – 'on the run' but takes the bus back to Scotland.
(Probably) unanswerable questions
- What happened to the junkie kid who tested the drugs in the bathroom during the final deal?
- Do 19-year-olds today get a generational-defining movie experience like 'Trainspotting' was in 1996?
Who won the movie?
- Danny Boyle – his vision and creative unlocking of the material (Chris Ryan).
- People who were 19 in 1996 – 'they threw a fastball and we caught it' (Andy Greenwald).