With Scotland refusing to be independent on Friday, hitlist points out some of the films that might have had foreign production houses behind them but gave us a peak into Scottish milieu...
Scotland, Scottish Cinema, Scottish independence movement, Late Night Shopping, Morvern Callar, Sweet Sixteen, Young Adam, Red Road, Stone of Destiny, The Angels Share, Brave, Filth, One Day, Rob Roy, Braveheart, Trainspotting, Breaking the Waves, Ratcatc
A ruthless dictator by the name of Idi Amin used to call himself the last king of Scotland. What-s worth noting here is he assumed this sobriquet simply on the basis of his admiration for the aforementioned place and its people.
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At least that-s the conclusion one can derive from that 2006 film which won Forest Whitaker his Oscar. In any case, a cinephile can-t possibly overlook Caledonian cinema although s/he might have complaints against the indiscernible accent.
Although few in number, seldom does one come across a film from this particular location that doesn-t exude a hint of pride in their unique identity.
And with Scotland refusing to be independent on Friday, hitlist points out some of the films that might have had foreign production houses behind them but gave us a peak into Scottish milieu...
Late Night Shopping 2001
Director: Saul Metzstein
Lowdown: If you remember The Breakfast Club 1985, all the young characters in it do very little other than talking. Something similar happens in this Scottish comedy as four friends who don-t think too highly of themselves meet in the club to talk. Sensibly, sometimes.
Morvern Callar 2002
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Lowdown: They say a Scot can be brutally honest, even at the risk of being extremely annoying. The Scottish protagonist in this British drama is far from honest as she wants to take credit for something her dead boyfriend wrote. And thus begins a regrettable journey.
Sweet Sixteen 2002
Director: Ken Loach
Lowdown: If one were to compile a list of finest onscreen performances ever by a teenager, Martin Compston must figure somewhere in the top five. His portrayal of a Glaswegian youngster fighting against odds to maintain a crime-free life is as dramatic and convincing as it can get.
Young Adam 2003
Director: David Mackenzie
Lowdown: Adapted from a novel by the same name, this hauntingly beautiful film allows us into a world where two Scottish individuals — separated by different convictions — converge at a point. However, it doesn-t last long enough, as one of them must drift away.
Red Road 2006
Director: Andrea Arnold
Lowdown: Employed as a CCTV operator, the protagonist-s job is restricted to observing people and their behaviour on the streets in Glasgow. This routine existence changes when she chances upon a person she-s determined to meet in person as soon as possible.
Stone of Destiny 2008
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Lowdown: A British-Canadian production, this adventure revolves around Scottish nationalists who succeeded in removing the fabled Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey in London and successfully brought it back to Scotland — back in 1950.
The Angels- Share 2012
Director: Ken Loach
Lowdown: Whiskey and Scotland might be synonymous in some parts of the world but not many are aware of the art of distilling. This comedy has a yarn spun around characters who-d do anything to have the best of whiskey but without really paying the price. Okay, they-ll steal it.
Brave 2012
Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Lowdown: She-s a Scottish princess but doesn-t wish to lead a protected life. On the contrary, she wants to be free and wild. And to her good luck, she faces problems which makes her prove that she has what it takes to be brave in an otherwise
man-s world.
Filth 2013
Director: Jon S Baird
Lowdown: A Scottish cop has way too many things on his mind, to the point that he can-t really trust his brain cells anymore. He hates bagpipes and isn-t really proud of being a Scot either but he knows the rules of the dirty game he-s got himself into unfortunately.
One Day 2011
Director: Lone Scherfig
Lowdown: A boy and a girl meet after their graduation from the University of Edinburgh. They spend the night together but fall short of being lovers and prefer to be friends. They meet each other exactly 23 years later to notice the difference.
A worthwhile decade
Intriguingly, the -90s witnessed the rise of influential Scottish filmmakers who eventually made a mark in global cinema
Rob Roy 1995
The struggle between the British nobility and Scottish nationalists never ceases to amuse. Nor does this Michael Caton-Jones film on one such epic clash starring Liam Neeson.
Braveheart 1995
Even though the historians were displeased with the historical inaccuracies, Mel Gibson delivered a film that ranks high on cinematic chart of Scottish jingoism.
Trainspotting 1996
Just make sure you watch Ewan McGregor-s 35-second long rant against the British Empire before shifting the blame on Scots in Danny Boyle-s cult film.
Breaking the Waves 1996
In this Lars von Trier film, a mentally unstable Highlander marries a Norwegian man who eventually turns out to be more of a deviant than initially presumed.
My Name Is Joe 1998
If there-s whiskey around, can Alcoholics Anonymous be far away? And if love is blind, can-t it happen anywhere? Well, it does in this Ken Loach feature.
Ratcatcher 1999
Directed by Lynne Ramsay, it walks us through the troubles of a young boy-s merciless life in a tenement that has very little to offer in terms of a concrete future.
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