Trainspotting opening/closing sequences

1.) How is the opening scene set ?

The opening scene shows Renton fleeing from a shop he has just stole from, his over voice narrative saying , choose life, being ironic saying how all these things like, choose a film, a mortgage have a nice car are just mundane things compare to the ways the he chooses life, the music is Lust for life by Iggy Pop really shows the era of 1990's and punk rock music usually associated with pessimistic worthless youths.

2.) How does the closing sequence contrast to this ?

The end scene is really contrasted in how the scene is set in the way that the use of Born Slippy by Underworld which is a much more up to date Britpop music scene which shows Renton leaving the punk rock and anarchy and lack of rules/structure, Born Slippy truly represents Renton discovering a new heart beat as it were, he is crossing a bridge which is a perfect representation of a new way of life.

3.) How does the voiceover add to the sequences ?

The voiceover of Trainspotting is Ewan McGregor a Renton, the way he voiceover in the opening scene shows us a very pessimistic person, how he says "why choose life when you have drugs", but in contrast in the final scene we get a very optimistic voice over of him explaining that he has broken away from his drug addiction on heroin.


4.) Political context- What was Thatcherism ?

Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, and political style of the British Conservative Party politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990. Her policy was that the reduction of the government interference with thing like the railways and manufacturing companies, gas and electric companies, so they were privatised and marketed to any being wealthy enough to run it, of course the government still oversee every so often to check things are running smoothly.

5.) What evidence of Thatcherism is there in Trainspotting ?

We see this when Renton goes through the process of being a heroin addict, to him 'choosing life', he moves away and gains his own independence and stop relying on drugs and his mates, in the same way that Margret Thatcher chose a new life fro Britain on the way it was run, rather than Britain relying on the government they gained independence away from the government.

6.)  There are various references, The first reference to aids is when Tommy dies when him and Renton do a hit, bearing in mind this is the first ever time Tommy has done drugs, him and Renton share a needle and so happens to catch aids from it. The second reference to aids is when Renton taking an aids test. The third reference to aids is when he is coming down from drugs and he hallucinates a game show with Dale Winton which is about aids.

7.) 1990s and its Music.

As Renton runs through the streets of Edinburgh, it becomes clear he is up to no good. The character is never running towards anything. He and his mates, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie, are only ever running away. They run from authority, from employment, from loved ones. They run from accepting responsibility not only for their own lives, but lives around them. The reason for this is heroin, their Lust for Life. It is the Iggy Pop song of the same name that opens this film. We are treated to a very ironic use of classical music of Georges Bizets Carmen Suite No.2 and an instructional montage on how to quit drugs, this choice of music is is a really ironic up beat peace of classical music, but it really contrasts nicely with the opening song, acting as a comedown from Lusts high. As Sleepers cover of Blondies Atmoic begins, Renton finds his girl. The songs repeated lines of "Make me tonight" completes the picture as Renton and his other friends are shown in various stages of sex, Renton seeing his girl as "Atomic". As a song Lou Reeds Perfect Day is the exact opposite way to describe the situation. as Renton is unceremoniously dumped into a taxi by his drug dealer, to live or die on his own. In a way this is Rentons "Perfect Day" but to look at his situation in the cold day of the light he is truly not having a perfect day. Renton betrays his friends and leaves with £16,000. Underworlds Born Slippy appears, the title representing Renton "choosing life", the beat serving as the music in his head for his triumphant march across a bridge, this represents him crossing a bridge and choosing life.