Older people– After Renton’s overdose, his parents take him in and care for him. Being some of the older characters who have a semi-prominent role in the story, they are shown as caring and nurturing as they look after Renton while he recovers and becomes sober.
Scottish people– during this scene, Renton talks about how he is not proud to be Scottish. He calls them ‘the lowest of the low’, and talks about how people hate the British, while they’re colonized by them. This is showing Scottish people as angry at the British, which is a common stereotype.
Addicts– There is two sides of addicts shown in Trainspotting. Towards the beginning, addicts are shown to be carefree and in a very positive light. They talk about how heroin is ‘better than sex’ multiple times though out the film. Which is then echoed by Tommy when he’s asking Renton for heroin after his breakup, which then leads t his downwards spiral and eventual death. Which is where the other, and much more prominent viewpoint comes from. Trainspotting shows how life as a drug addict is with little to no sugar coating, showing how it can impact someone’s social life, their reputation and relationships. Overall the portrayal and representation of addicts is very negative, but that is the films point.
Men– during this bar fight scene, all of the men are shown to be very aggressive, while the women leave. the confrontation starts very quickly and kicks off and while it started with only two people, it now involves the whole floor, which implies that men are aggressive and always wanting to fight.
Women– this scene is showing the women as cunning and well planned. Gail talks about how she enjoys seeing spud suffer from waiting. In the following scene they ask the boys what they where talking about, and when they get asked themselves, they reply with ‘shopping’ which pulls humour from a common stereotype that women like shopping
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations.
Performance – age, ethnicity, costume, facial expressions, body language + gestures, etc.
Stereotype – A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Countertype – challenging stereotypes of certain beliefs. Example: having a black president of America.
Sarah Connor:
Sarah Connor looks like an average stereotypical American diner waitress in Terminator 1. She seems to be fed up with her job, as she shows up late and has to deal with demanding and annoying customers – whether that be a boy putting ice cream in her pocket or people forgetting which orders are theirs. She looks like she is in her early-mid 20s, and has stereotypically feminine traits.
Sarah Connor in Terminator 2 is far more built and muscular, which makes her a countertype of the stereotypical nurturing and caring female character. She looks like she is the heroine in an action film, as she seems comfortable with guns and ready to fight.
Representation in Trainspotting:
1.) Who is doing the representation? Danny Boyle, the director of Trainspotting.
2.) Who is being represented? Drug (specifically heroin) addicts, young, white Scottish men, parents.
3.) What social groups are omitted from the representations? People of colour, wealthy people
4.) What messages about about particular social groups are being conveyed? They seem to be trying to convey that drugs are not only bad for a person’s health, but also their general lifestyle by showing the very un-glamorous life they live.
5.) Which characters or social groups have power within the representations? People such as the people who interviewed Spud made it clear that they have the power in that situation, which I think shows how more middle-upper classes look down on the lower classes and people who are struggling with addiction.
6.) Do the characters adhere to or challenge stereotypes? I think that the main characters stray away from the previously glamorised lifestyle that is mostly associated with rich rockstars and musicians. However, it does adhere to the stereotype of what heroin-addicted people are like.
7.) Are the characters typical of films in that genre? The characters reflect some traits of characters in a drama, but this type of explicit representation of heroin addicts was very atypical.
8.) What do representations tell audiences about society at the time the film was made and/or set? Representations are good to show underrepresented or common types of attitudes/people of the time period.
9.) How are elements of film form (mise en scene/performance/sound/editing/cinematography) being used to construct the representations? Different elements of film form help to contribute to the verisimilitude of the film, which constructs representations. For example, the performance of Ewan McGregor is very effective in presenting what an addict would act like in real life. As well as the performance, costuming in Trainspotting reflects clothing of the time.
Trainspotting Representations:
Older people:
Elderly people in homes are represented in this film briefly as the main group of characters steal their television and drugs. They are shown as a bit of a stereotype as they sit around, sleep and don’t do anything as their TV is stolen. As well as this, there are other older people such as the people that interview Spud, who seem very above him and seem to think that they are superior.
Addicts:
Addicts are represented a lot throughout Trainspotting whether it be when they are taking drugs with the Mother Superior, taking speed before going to an interview, or even just when they are smoking consistently throughout the film.
Scottish people:
Scottish people are shown a lot in pubs in general, for example the beginning of the film when Begbie is being introduced they are in a very busy pub, with people drinking and chatting all around, which is a staple of Sottish and British culture in general. There are other parts of Trainspotting that represent the general Scottish population such as the nightclub scene and in the second pub scene towards the end of the film.
Women:
Women are represented scarcely in Trainspotting; the only woman that is part of the ‘main group’ being an addict as well. Other than that, Tommy and Spud’s girlfriends are presented to be fed up with their boyfriends, especially Tommy’s, who breaks up with him after he becomes addicted to heroin, suggesting that a lot of the women in their lives won’t put up with their addictions. Finally, the only other woman that is in the film is rather coercive and doesn’t tell Renton that she is underage before he sleeps with her, which is a very negative depiction of her.
Throughout the film, the young people, known as Generation X, are portrayed as nihilistic and unknowing of what they want to do with their lives, shown by the fact that the vast majority of the main cast are heroin addicts and that the characters of Sick Boy and Allison unsuccessfully being able to care for a new life and maybe even this could be seen as them being unable to care for the next generation. A contrasting representation is portrayed to the audience by the character of the school girl, Dianne. She, unlike most of the characters in the film, knows what she wants to do with her life and sexual, whilst also being knowledgeable about the way in which the new generation is heading.
Older People
The main depiction of older people in the film ‘Trainspotting’ is that of Renton’s parents, who are depicted sympathetically as a caring loving couple, deeply concerned for their son. However, I also think there is a bit of hypocriticalness in their behaviour, as through Renton’s dialogue and the visual depiction of the mother and father, the audience knows that they too are drug addicts constantly drinking and smoking. The difference they are socially acceptable drug addicts and this depiction may be the director socially commentating that these people too should be shunned for their unhealthy habits.
Working class people
Working class people are depicted as something for the main protagonists/drug addicts to take advantage of, for the their own beneficial gain, evidenced in the airsoft gun scene, where Renton and Sick Boy shoot a pit-bull and get it to maul it’s master and the scenes of Bigbe’s irrational outbursts, such as the multiple bar fights throughout the film, cause we know thanks to Renton that Bigbe finds pleasure in other people’s pain. A major sequence which echoes this message of working class people being taken advantage of is when Bigbe and Sick Boy move into Renton’s new flat without asking and turn it into a dump.
Scottish People
The key representation of Scottish people that comes to mind for me and most likely many viewers is when the character of Tommy tries to make the group go on a hike through the Scottish hillsides, which they then reject, resulting in Renton’s infamous ‘it’s shite being Scottish’ monologue/speech towards the rest of the group. Though it is fuelled by his realisation that his lover is a school girl, it stills represents the key representation of Scottish people in this film that being they don’t have a very view of themselves and, even though they hate England, they realise its probably a better place to live. This thought is thrown to the curb when Renton moves to England and he realises its just a big of a dump as Scotland is.
Addicts
In ‘Trainspotting’, the obvious portrayal of addicts is that of the main cast of protagonists, who are addicted to heroin. Their addiction is shown to be something that hurts all those around them, key examples being Renton’s parents constantly being disappointed in him throughout the film and the death of Sick Boy and Allison’s baby. Other addicts in the film are Renton’s parents, who are seen throughout the film constantly smoking and drinking. As Renton says, they are ‘socially acceptable addicts’ and perhaps Boyle’s inclusion of these characters carrying out these actions may be him critiquing society and saying that all drug addicts, socially acceptable or not, should seek help.
Men and Women
The entirety of the film is told from the white male perspective of Renton, meaning the views expressed throughout the film are that of a white male. Men in the film of ‘Trainspotting’ are pictured as being careless, not thinking about if their actions are hurting anyone, as shown through the heroin addiction of the main protagonists and the robbing montage, where the main protagonists rob all types of different people, including old people. The women in the film are pretty much in there for love interests for the main protagonists. However, the character of Dianne does give some insight to how the next generation will get on with life. Renton saying ‘one thousand years from now there will be no guys and no girls’, does show that he thinks there will be gender equality down the years, whilst also suggesting his views on sexual fluidity.
In Trainspotting, addicts are portrayed desperate for drugs and they are all very strong addictions, they are very clear and a prominent addition to their characters, seen in the graphic scenes of heroin use and overdose. In this scene Renton has lost his drugs down the toilet and so he has dived in afterwards. This highlights Renton’s dependence on drugs and his willingness to do anything to have them. The tranquil music in this scene adds to the representation of addicts and how the drugs bring a relaxation to them to create a clearer, more hyper realistic view to the audience of addiction.
Scottish people:
In the film, many of the Scottish people are presented to often dislike being Scottish, they are rarely proud of their culture. In this scene Tommy drags the rest of the friend group on a walk in the Scottish highlands, a common stereotype of the county and known for its beautiful scenery. However, Renton and the friends are unimpressed and say it’s “shite being Scottish” before leaving to return to the city and go back on heroin. In addition, this scene also highlights the characters priority of drugs and how they come above everything else, even their culture and country.
Women:
There is little female representation in transporting, they are only on screen when it is related to their partner, or having a one night stand. Women are presented to be empowered and sexually active such as when Renton and Dianne meet at a club and their one night stand becomes a casual, on/off relationship. Dianne’s representation can be quite shocking for the audience as she is portrayed to be almost promiscuous despite being a schoolgirl.
Young people:
Age is prominently represented as many of the characters are young adults, but the most clear representation of age is Allison’s and Sick boy’s baby that passes away due to the neglect caused by drugs leading to Sick boy’s addiction swiftly increasing. Age and authority do not co ordinate in the film often as the younger characters are mostly free-willed apart from when Renton is locked in his room by his parents after his overdose.
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations.
ideology- a system of ideas and ideals, a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual.
Performance- what carries representation?
age, costumes, gestures, body language, setting/background
Stereotype- A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Countertype- Countertypes can construct an alternative ideology which reflects a less mainstream view point. Casting someone against the stereotype.
Sarah Connor, Example.
In the first movie, Sarah Conner is a young woman working a job as a waitress. She doesn’t have ambition to succeed in her job, as we see her turning up late and not being attentive to customers when but in a stressful situation in the diner.
In the second movie, terminator 2. We see Sarah Conner dressed in masculine clothes unlike the previous movie. She’s also extremely comfortable about guns and smokes. In this movie she is transformed into a action heroine
Representation in Trainspotting.
Who is doing the representation? – Danny Boyle, the director.
Who is being represented? – white young Scottish men and people who abuse drugs.
what social groups are omitted from the representations? – People of colour, wealthy people
what messages about particular social groups are being conveyed? – Drugs have a negative impact on people, leading to them to do things out of character.
which characters or social groups have power within the representations? – people who interviewed spud had the power to turn him down, due to their wealth and position within the company. They looked down on spud due to his working class nature, this can be shown through clothes.
Do the characters social adhere to or challenge stereotypes? – It shows the negative impact of drugs and how bad your life can get.
Are the character’s typical of films in that genre? – The characters actions could be typical of a drama, with the arugementive nature of the character’s and suspense in the storylines
What do representations tell audiences about society at the time the film was made and /or set? – I think the representation of the young men doing drugs shows that there wasn’t a lot of educational push or information about drugs, this stands out to me in the choose life monologue where the film is set young people don’t have a interest in leading a normal materialstic life and instead choose drugs.
Consider the ways in which the following groups are represented in the film-
Young people
In train-spotting the young people are seen often acting against following a ‘normal life’ for example in the choose life monologue it shows the uninterested nature of the young people to live a simple life with families and jobs. I also see the young people in train-spotting to have a great influence on each over, showing that young people are subject to peer pressure. For example Tommie who lived a normal life is suddenly introduced to drugs by his friends. We also see this effect with Diane who often smokes due to Renton.
Older people
The representation of older people in transporting from my point of view is they are the people who do choose life, for example Renton parents are seen to own their own home and have a family with a quiet life.This is everything the younger people act against. We also see the young people steal perceptions from the older generation making them seem gullible and vulnerable.
Working class people
The working class in trainspotting is represented in the way that you are never going to get any fulfilment from the job you work, the scene which represents this to me is spud in his job interview. He is applying for a job in leisure which he has no real interest in. The scene is shot in a gloomy grey room showing the mundane nature of the job he is applying for. This shows that the working class aren’t given any opportunities to build their career.
Scottish people
In the movie the scene which stands out to me about Scottish people is when they are waiting nearby the trains tracks looking at the beautiful Scottish mountains, however none of the boys there are proud to be Scottish and talk about how they dislike where they live. This belief is also followed up by Renton moving to London showing that it was easy for him to leave Scotland behind.
Addicts
The addiction in trainspotting is not glamorised like some over films choose to do. In trainspotting we see the characters do drugs in dirty rundown spaces and the movie also shows the negative effects drugs can have on your life. Addicts are represented in the movie by constantly being in a battle against moving away from drugs but being quickly pulled back into the world. ” one last hit” the phase is used a lot in this movie showing how the characters addiction never truly disappears.
Men
The men in the movie, are represented by having toxic relationships with each over but also by violence. Throughout the movie the men betray and lie to each over. For example tommie’s video tape which is his downfall but little reaction or guilt is shown to his death, showing that the men in this movie are represented as morally bankrupt.
Woman
The woman in this movie are reperneted as almost side pieces to the men, for example Renton in the nightclub is searching For a woman just because his friends have one brings on the desire not because he wants to form a romantic relationship. The woman in the movie such as Diane also are only present due to their male relationships showing that they are seen through the male gaze.
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations.
Performance
age
ethnicity
costume
facial expression
body language and gestures
Task 2
Stereotype -a general belief about a certain category or person countertype – goes against a stereotype of certain beliefs example a black president of America rather than a white president of America.
Sarah Connor
Sarah Connor looks stereotypically of an American waitress. In Terminator one and in this scene she is late to her job and she seems careless about it, she is being called from every direction e.g. people missing drinks, somebody putting ice-cream in her uniform dress pocket. However she shows many feminine traits she looks kind and maternal and caring.
In this scene and in the second movies, Sarah Connor is more of a countertype of a stereotypically self in the first movie. Sarah also show more masculine traits as she is holding a gun while is not conventional of a female. She looks like she is the hero and she is trying to protect something. She is wearing a tight shirt and we can see her muscles showing the audience that she is a countertype of a kind, maternal looking waitress self in the first movie.
Representation in Trainspotting
Who is doing the representation ? Danny Boyle – the director
who is being represented ? drug addicts, white ( sort of youngish) men who are Scottish
what social groups are omitted from the representation ? people with money, coloured people, old people, women are underrepresented
what message about particular social groups are being conveyed ? don’t try drugs as they are bad for mental health and physical health
which characters or social groups have power within the representation ? the main character have a main power of how drugs can have a harmful impact and them representing what they can do to you
do the characters adhere to or challenge stereotypes ? they adhere to the stereotype of young people in the backstreet of a city.
are the characters typical of films in that genre ? As the genre is crime/ drama you do suspect that the characters convey characteristics to fit into the genre for example Spud going to jail – crime. However drugs is more countertype of a crime/ drama genre.
what do representations tell audiences about society at the time the film was made and or set ? it shows the audience the time the film was made in and the society that was around and the ideology people have in that time and how films represent them.
how are elements of film form being used to construct the representation ? for example the drug den in the opening scene where they are taking heroin for the first time, the mise en scene of the place creates an ideology and representation of the characters and how they have a living of off drugs, and a unclean and messy lifestyle.
Scottish, young white men being represented in the film as drug addicts who are quite scary, mean and unkind people.
Older people being represented in the film as being kind, fun caring people compared to the younger people in the film. For example Renton’s parents are a loving couple who are deeply concerned for their son and want to make him a better person.
Women are being represented as the girlfriends to the main characters in the film. They are more represented as an object through the men’s eyes
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age) including the ideological nature of those representations.
Ideology: a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
Films create meaning and creates response though mise en scene, cinematography, sound, editing and performance.
Performance
Age
Ethicity
Costume
Facial expressions
Body language/ gestures
Stereotype: A widely held, fixed and oversimplifies image of belief of a particular type of person or thing. For example, all black people are criminals.
Countertype: An attempt to create an opposite, or different idea or view compared to their stereotype that is already in place, for example a black or female president instead of a white man.
Sarah Connor Representation
Sarah Connor was a stereotypical American, girl next door waitress at the start of the film (terminator 1). She is presented as weak, frantic and slightly unbothered as she is bad at her waitress job, seen when she spills drinks and gets orders mixed up.
In the follow up movie (Terminator 2) Sarah becomes a countertype and her new character almost juxtaposes her previous role as she is now shown as a fearless heroine, she has gained a lot of strength and confidence and is no longer the innocent waitress viewers have previously seen.
Trainspotting Representation
WHO IS DOING THE REPRESENTATION?
Danny Boyle, the director
WHO IS BEING REPRESENTED ? (Identify specific social groups)
Drug addicts (specifically heroin addicts), Scottish white males, younger generation
WHAT SOCIAL GROUPS ARE OMITTED FROM THE REPRESENTATIONS?
Characters of colour, upper class, non-addicts, diverse women
WHAT MESSAGES ABOUT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS ARE BEING CONVEYED?
That drug addicts are negative and irresponsible (seen when the baby dies of neglect as everyone was too high). The little amount of women are presented as promiscuous.
WHICH CHARACTERS OR SOCIAL GROUPS HAVE POWER WITHIN THE REPRESENTATIONS?
In the film the male characters predominantly have more control over the female characters as they are only shown in relation to the men. Overall, there is little control between the different generations of the characters as they are rarely shown. However, when Renton overdoses his parents do take control and lock him in his room but this is one of the few signs of control.
DO THE CHARACTERS ADHERE TO OR CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES?
They adhere to stereotypes as the characters all present addiction accurately, as well as the women in the film conforming to the gender stereotypes of the time period.
ARE THE CHARACTERS TYPICAL OF FILMS IN THAT GENRE?
The genre of the film is dark comedy and because of the many young male characters I think they do fit the genre as their humour and stories are quite similar
WHAT DO REPRESENTATIONS TELL AUDIENCES ABOUT SOCIETY AT THE TIME THE FILM WAS MADE AND/OR SET?
That there was a lot of drug use between that stereotype of person when the film was set. For example, many drug addicts such as Renton, his friends and in Scotland.
HOW ARE ELEMENTS OF FILM FORM (MISE EN SCENE/PERFORMANCE/SOUND/EDITING/CINEMATOGRAPHY) BEING USED TO CONTRUCT THE REPRESENTATIONS?
Film form is cleverly used during Renton’s withdrawal from heroin after his overdose. He experiences vivid hallucinations which have been well edited and the matching sound used to put them into Renton’s head as they experience the sights and sounds he does. This creates sympathy for Renton as the use of film form creates a clear representation of heroin withdrawal.
All aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity, and age) including the ideological nature of those representations.
Performance
Can cover: age, ethnicity, facial expression of character and body language, costume.
Stereotypes = A stereotype is a fixed general image or set of characteristics that a lot of people believe represent a particular type of person or thing.
Countertype = An opposite type or a parallel or corresponding type.
An example of a countertype in film would be the character of Sarah Connor in the Terminator I and II. In the first film she is the typical stereotype of a clumsy American actress, however she has a drastic change in the second film where she becomes a typical action movie heroine sort of character.
Representation in Trainspotting
1. WHO IS DOING THE REPRESENTATION? (DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT)
Renton and his group of friends – By Danny Boyle.
2.WHO IS BEING REPRESENTED ? (Identify specific social groups)
They are being represented as a group of delinquent white Scottish men that are addicted to drugs- specifically heroin. Also: the lower class, parents, adults.
3.WHAT SOCIAL GROUPS ARE OMITTED FROM THE REPRESENTATIONS?
People of colour, the upper class and women.
4.WHAT MESSAGES ABOUT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS ARE BEING CONVEYED?
The message of how an addiction to drugs can ruin a persons life, and the power and influence of it. It’s a social commentary that shows the unglamorous part of drugs that is not often shown.
5.WHICH CHARACTERS OR SOCIAL GROUPS HAVE POWER WITHIN THE REPRESENTATIONS?
The characters that provide them with the drugs such as “Mother Superior” Swanney (Peter Mullan). Also the police force and Renton’s parents.
6.DO THE CHARACTERS ADHERE TO OR CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES?
I’d say that yes, Renton and his friends represent the typical stereotype of a drug addict very well and this is supported by the mise en scène, the setting, the costumes and the cinematography.
7.ARE THE CHARACTERS TYPICAL OF FILMS IN THAT GENRE?
The main genres of Trainspotting is crime/drama and to an extent the character subtype of a drug addict could be typical for it.
8.WHAT DO REPRESENTATIONS TELL AUDIENCES ABOUT SOCIETY AT THE TIME THE FILM WAS MADE AND/OR SET?
Representations such as gender, age and race can tell the audience a lot about the time was made/set because of the way they behave, the stereotypes they adhere to (like women being housewives in the 1900s) and the way others react to them. It helps make the film feel real when there is a specific date to its timeline. Certain representations, such as working class people vs higher class people can also tell a story about the society within a film and tell the audience how their world works.
^ In this image older people are being represented. More specifically, Renton’s parents. The audience watch as Renton is being almost infantilised as his parents tuck him into his own bed and take care of him. This presents them as responsible and neat, they are the target type of “adult” that Renton and his friends should aim to be instead of drug addicts. And for their outfits, they are dressed all smartly and clean amidst Renton’s dark and shabby room while he is dressed in clothes from the day before- this shows the stark difference between them and the lives they both live.
In Trainspotting, young people are presented in a disadvantaged position. All young people we see in the film are or will be going through something. Renton suffers addiction, Begbie is a violent mess who has to crash in Renton’s London apartment, Tommy goes through a rough breakup that results in his death, etc. Young People in Trainspotting are represented as having little future and little ambition, or so they believe themselves. This changes by the end when Renton runs away with the money and he realises he can make something of his life, which is a positive note to end a movie that often shows only the negatives of youth.
Older People
Older people are not very present in Trainspotting. There are a few scenes involving the character’s parents,. namely Renton’s, Gail’s and Diane’s . From what we are shown, the older people in Trainspotting are represented usually as quite kindly and at least attempt to be friendly. There is the dinner scene with Renton’s parents where his dad snaps at him for his drug abuse, but aside from that, they attempt to help him kick the habit by forcing him to go cold turkey. Gail’s parents are kind to Spud and are understanding of the fact that he made a mess while drunk, and Diane’s parents are very nice and welcoming to Renton. They are represented as a group of people who grew up with more opportunities than the current youth of Trainspotting.
Working Class People
Trainspotting is not a glamourous film, and it’s portrayal of the working class is a good example of this. A lot of the ensemble cast are of the lower classes, explaining their need to go to drugs to feel something in a world where they haven’t been given anything to experience. The only people at the start of the film who don’t do drugs are Tommy and Begbie, who both seem well off. Tommy however loses his comfortable social state when Renton inadvertently causes his girlfriend to kick him out of her house, bringing him down considerably. He’s forced into a grimy looking, very cheap apartment, absolutely nothing inside, not even a proper bed. This display of the poor working class, in dirty housing with little possession, also allows the audience to sympathise more with the character’s reasoning of turning to drugs. The working class are presented as struggling and in need of help, which leads them to drugs as an attempt to get something out of a life they have nothing in.
Scottish People
Due to the story taking place in Scotland, the main characters are obviously Scottish. The movie doesn’t really bring a lot of attention to this, though. The Scottish people are presented as the status quo of the story, and so we are led through normal Scottish lives. There is a scene where they go see some Scottish mountains, which in any other movie would be a big moment of beauty and awe in the characters, but in Trainspotting they really don’t care about it, and don’t see the point in going all the way there to look at them. It would just be normal to them. Scottish people are not represented in a romanticised light, nor in a negative one: what the characters see as normal is presented to the audience as normal.
Addicts
The addicts in Trainspotting, despite making up the main cast, are not presented positively in the film. All scenes of drug taking is not glamorous at all, quite the opposite. They are most often seen cooking up and shooting heroin in a dingy backroom, which looks disgusting and not somewhere people should be. The scenes in which Renton takes drugs are always presented as a low point: he betrays his family and friends by going to get a hit from Mother Superior immediately after being let off a prison sentence under the promise of going to rehab, he OD’s and is treated without any care by Mother Superior who just lugs him around and by the taxi driver who takes him to the hospital, who dumps him on the ground, and when he shoots up in a bus toilet, which is a low point due to him being totally clean up to that point. While not presented positively, the addicts are given a lot of sympathy, like Tommy resorting to heroin to feel better after his life is ruined. Addicts aren’t even really presented in a villainous way either: the worst character in the whole movie, Begbie, is totally clean throughout the entire film. Addicts are presented as human beings deserving of sympathy and care.
Men
Men make up the main cast of characters in Trainspotting, giving us a lot of different representations of men. Trainspotting gives us aggressive men like Begbie or sensitive men like Tommy, etc. There is a lot men have in common in Trainspotting, though. All of them want relationships, which is shown in the scene where the above screenshot is from, where Spud and Sick Boy talk about their gripes with their respective partners, and in the same sequence at the bar Renton gives narration on how he wants company and gets with Diane. Other aspects of male representation is the constant banter between the characters and the stereotypical male pastime of football, but opposed to what these stereotypical representations would suggest, the male characters are allowed to be emotional, like the scene where the aby dies and all the characters are very upset about it.
Women
Women don’t have as much representation as men by a lot. Often the women are restricted to roles of girlfriend, wife or mother. They are given little screentime compared to the male characters as well, but they aren’t totally sidelined. While they usually are in the role of girlfriend to the main characters, they are given moments that characterise them and give them strength, like Spud’s girlfriend Gail saying that she’s been refusing to have sex with him just because she finds it funny that it annoys him. But compared to male characters, there isn’t much representation of women in the film.
WHO IS DOING THE REPRESENTATION? (DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT) Danny Boyle
WHO IS BEING REPRESENTED? (Identify social groups) Heroin addicts in Edinburgh, the parents of addicts, partners of addicts, authority figures, children and regular people.
WHAT SOCIAL GROUPS ARE OMITTED FROM THE REPRESENTATIONS? People of colour, leading female characters, LGBTQ+ characters.
WHAT MESSAGES ABOUT PARTICULAR SOCIAL GROUPS ARE BEING CONVEYED? It’s shown that heroin addicts/addiction isn’t glamorous, that drug abuse does have its highs of euphoria as well as dark and grimy lows.
WHICH CHARACTERS OR SOCIAL GROUPS HAVE POWER WITHIN THE REPRESENTATIONS? White men, specifically Begbie – he’s aggressive, violent and controlling to whoever is nearby.
DO THE CHARACTERS ADHERE TO OR CHALLENGE STEREOTYPES? They challenge the stereotype that Edinburgh is the nicer region of Scotland, unlike Glasgow which has been deemed “rougher”. Showing the underbelly of the city and its people.
ARE THE CHARACTERS TYPICAL OF FILMS IN THAT GENRE? No, they’re all unique characters for the black-comedy/drama genre. For example, Creep (2014, Patrick Brice) is considered a black-comedy, and its characters are very different to the ones in Trainspotting.
WHAT DO REPRESENTATIONS TELL AUDIENCES ABOUT SOCIETY AT THE TIME THE FILM WAS MADE AND/OR SET? The representations shown in Trainspotting tell the audiences around the world that Edinburgh in the late 90s wasn’t always light and friendly – revealing the darker sides of the city and population, how drug abuse flies under the radar for the most part, as well as the destruction that heroin addiction can cause for the user and the people around them.
HOW ARE ELEMENTS OF FILM FORM BEING USED TO CONSTRUCT THE REPRESENTATIONS? A good example of mise en scene being used in this film is when Renton dives into the toilet, searching for his drugs, however it is depicted in a surreal way; transitioning from the disgusting reality of the toilet, into a bottomless body of blue, clear water, this is probably used to visualise the sense of euphoria that heroin can give you. This constructs the representation of desperate, young addicts in Edinburgh. In this same scene, the music used changes when Renton dives into the toilet, going from fanfare to a tranquil ambience, synchronising with the split between reality and euphoria.
For reference, these are the people represented in Trainspotting (in order): Drug addicts, young people, old people/authority figures, men, and women.
This scene depicts drugs addicts in a drug den, shooting up heroin in a social setting. This conveys to the spectators that drug addicts can find a sense of community within addiction, using it as a reason to hang out, it’s an activity for some.
Young people are depicted in this film, specifically this opening scene, as reckless and unpredictable. For the spectator, this provides an alternate perspective on the youth as in most films they’re portrayed in a generic way, such as mediocre acts of defiance, then having a linear life of finding a job and marriage. In Trainspotting, it sways away from that stereotype, presenting us as the audience the darker and grittier side of young people – drug abuse and law breaking.
Older people and authority figures do play a strong role throughout Trainspotting, for example, Renton’s parents. In this scene we see his parents take care of him after overdosing on heroin, despite the disappointment of Renton going against the one condition which the court gave him – to stay clean – in order to not go to jail. This makes the spectator understand that a lot of the authority figures in this film still aim to help the young people despite all of their mistakes.
Men are heavily represented throughout Trainspotting, all leading characters are male. This scene in particular shows them being careless, anti-social (mostly on Begbie’s part) and socialising together.
In Trainspotting, women aren’t explored in depth as characters, they’re only ever shown if they have some kind of relation to the main group of men, either that being girlfriends or parents. This shows to the audience that women are accessories to the story, not the centre.
