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Amazon.co.uk Review
The film that effectively launched the star careers of Robert Carlyle, Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller is a hard, barbed picaresque, culled from the bestseller by Irvine Welsh and thrown down against the heroin hinterlands of Edinburgh. Directed with abandon by Danny Boyle, Trainspotting conspires to be at once a hip youth flick and a grim cautionary fable. Released on an unsuspecting public in 1996, the picture struck a chord with audiences worldwide and became adopted as an instant symbol of a booming British rave culture (an irony, given the characters' main drug of choice is heroin not ecstasy).
McGregor, Lee Miller and Ewen Bremner play a slouching trio of Scottish junkies; Carlyle their narcotic-eschewing but hard-drinking and generally psychotic mate Begbie. In Boyle's hands, their lives unfold in a rush of euphoric highs, blow-out overdoses and agonising withdrawals (all cued to a vogueish pop soundtrack). Throughout it all, John Hodge's screenplay strikes a delicate balance between acknowledging the inherent pleasures of drug use and spotlighting its eventual consequences. In Trainspotting's world view, it all comes down to a question of choices--between the dangerous Day-Glo highs of the addict and the grey, grinding consumerism of the everyday Joe. "Choose life", quips the film's narrator (McGregor) in a monologue that was to become a mantra. "Choose a job, choose a starter home... But why would anyone want to do a thing like that?" Ultimately, Trainspotting's wised-up, dead-beat inhabitants reject mainstream society in favour of a headlong rush to destruction. It makes for an exhilarating, energised and frequently terrifying trip that blazes with more energy and passion than a thousand more ostensibly life-embracing movies. --Xan Brooks
Special Features
This new release includes a brand new 40 minute feature with interviews from director Danny Boyle, screenwriter John Hodge and stars Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Ewan Bremner and Kelly MacDonald.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having bought the original DVD away back in 1999 (in the old-style transparent plastic case and everything), I have to say I was aprehensive about paying the extra money for the extra scenes and interviews. However, it was well worth it.
To recap, Trainspotting follows the lives of three junkies (Renton, Sick Boy and Spud) and a psychopath (Begbie) in Edinburgh (although quite a lot of the film is actually shot in my home town of Glasgow). Having recieved a mixture of acclaim and controversy when it was released, those who make the effort to watch it will realise it is not about glamorising drugs. It is essentially about the break up of friendships between men who have been pals since school and whose lives decay in a furore of drink, violence, sex, and drugs. It also makes an important statement of how mundane junkies' lives are.
The most disturbing aspect of this film is actually the amount of humour: from the bookmaker's toilet to the psychopath Begbie, quite simply a nutter, to use a nice vernacular phrase. Also look out for Sick Boy's great impressions of Sean Connery.
The extras on the DVD are great and a perfect length. Various missing scenes are included on the first disc. On the second disc, there is a mixture of interviews (including one with the author of the book, Irvine Welsh), and good behind-the-scenes material, including some nice multi-angle material.
Admirers of Trainspotting will have already appreciated its pulsating and eclectic soundtrack: from Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' to Sleeper's cover of 'Atomic'; from Iggy Pop's 'Lust For Life' to 'Habanera' from Carmen. This DVD explains the choice of sound, as well as other aspects such as visuals and colour, and was interested to find out the music is designed to move the audience from the 1980s where the story begins to the 1990s. Indeed, Renton, the hero (?) of the film begins as a person with his mind stuck in the era of Iggy Pop, before eventually waking up to the 1990s with Pulp and Damon Albarn. Incidentally, also look out for the vox-pops of Albarn at the Cannes film festival on the second disc, as well as the likes of Oasis and Ewan McGregor himself.
This a film which deals with a controversial subject in a perfect manner with an excellent cast, great visuals, and a racing sountrack. ***** Five Stars! *****
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
My favourite British film of all time, Trainspotting is everything but a comedy film it is made out to be on the promotional posters and trailers. Black comedy, yes, but on the surface, Trainspotting is a gritty, brutal emotional rollercoaster showcasing the effects of heroin abuse and how it can turn the most unapprehensive of characters into broken inhabitants. It's hard to watch, particuarly watching these extremely likable group of characters corrupt their own lives. But for every somewhat remorseless scene on the affects of drug abuse, is waves of scenes which show the characters we come to care for happy, and often one step closer to the route of a clean life. The script as absolutely incredible, very accurate to real life situations. And some of the best quotes/one liners in a film I have ever seen. The soundtrack truly represents what the 1990's where all about, with it's signature song being arguably the greatest trance song of all time, "Born Slippy". Not to mention perfect usage of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" and Lou Reed's "Perfect Day". All characters are top notch, particuarly the support cast. The stand out for me is Robert Carlyle who plays Begbie, considered the psycho of the group, despite being completely clean of drugs. Although he stays away from heroin, he is just as much low life as the lead Renton, say in a more immoral way. Overall, Trainspotting is a graphic film when it comes to portraying the affects of drugs, and easily one of the best films to touch on the topic. It's daring, clever, hilarious, disturbing and just phenomenal.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
A twisting, riff-filled, almost plot-free story this is a film that shows what makes heroin addictive without glorifying it, Trainspotting is without a doubt, a popular and controversial British film.
My wife was very surprised by the content of the film because, before I put the Blu-ray in the player, she thought the film was actually about train spotting! Of course she wasn't far wrong as the act of spotting trains is used in the title, as a metaphor for wasting time.
The one problem I had with this film, was a problem that I have quite often with films like this, half the time I couldn't understand what the characters were saying! The regional Scottish accents and the speed at which they spoke made it nearly impossible to understand what was going on in some of the scenes. So I was very grateful for the club scene where there were subtitles to compensate for the loud music. But apart from that little niggle I have very few bad things to about this film.
Exploding with morbid wit, kinetic energy, and insight, it has the ability to shock you regardless of whether or not you actually liked it.
Trainspotting is not merely about drug addiction, but about the relationship between wasted youth and the spiritually bankrupt society that has alienated them.
One of the film's great strengths was its casting of Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle. McGregor and Carlyle, turned in star-making performances as Renton, the film's easy-going narrator, and Begbie, its resident psychotic drunk. Their work, and that of their co-stars, makes for such compulsively enjoyable viewing that, fittingly enough, you'll have a hard time coming down afterwards.
My wife was very surprised by the content of the film because, before I put the Blu-ray in the player, she thought the film was actually about train spotting! Of course she wasn't far wrong as the act of spotting trains is used in the title, as a metaphor for wasting time.
The one problem I had with this film, was a problem that I have quite often with films like this, half the time I couldn't understand what the characters were saying! The regional Scottish accents and the speed at which they spoke made it nearly impossible to understand what was going on in some of the scenes. So I was very grateful for the club scene where there were subtitles to compensate for the loud music. But apart from that little niggle I have very few bad things to about this film.
Exploding with morbid wit, kinetic energy, and insight, it has the ability to shock you regardless of whether or not you actually liked it.
Trainspotting is not merely about drug addiction, but about the relationship between wasted youth and the spiritually bankrupt society that has alienated them.
One of the film's great strengths was its casting of Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle. McGregor and Carlyle, turned in star-making performances as Renton, the film's easy-going narrator, and Begbie, its resident psychotic drunk. Their work, and that of their co-stars, makes for such compulsively enjoyable viewing that, fittingly enough, you'll have a hard time coming down afterwards.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An absolute classic
Funny, gritty, moving and powerful, a true modern British classic. Just a shame they didn't include the Vicks scene from the book, although certification may have been an issue if... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert
trainspotted
This is another movie I feel would have been better for me to remember it as I saw years ago and not bothered watching again. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JandP
Train spotting dvd
I recently read the book and thought i must watch the film again. I wasn't disappointed it was really good.
Published 3 months ago by Laura
Pointless Rubbish
This film did nothing for me. It was neither informative or entertaining, just crass, vulgar and vile. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Zextrom
Fantastic!
Trainspotting is one of my favourite British movies, it's hard hitting, dark, funny in parts and very informative. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ReviewBlog51
Trainspotting film scratch
It's fine until a third of the way through when it is scratched and I had to forward a bit to keep on watching it. Annoying!
Published 7 months ago by mill
Trainspoting
This film is boring and unenjoyable to watch beacuse it makes me so board to watch its like watching paint dry.
P.S My spelling is a bit rubish by the way.
P.S My spelling is a bit rubish by the way.
Published 7 months ago by T.J Cool
Trainspotting dvd
OMG...forgot how good this film is. Its dark, hardwatching, informative and funny. Everything a film should be. Great acting. Just a pure work of art!
Published 8 months ago by kirstiekv
Awesome and terrifying
I saw this one when I was just a kid and I just watched it again a couple of weeks ago.
It's a movie about drugs, and alcohol and violence... and friendship, and struggle. Read more
It's a movie about drugs, and alcohol and violence... and friendship, and struggle. Read more
Published 12 months ago by nakipa
The high score on here is very misleading! JUDDER!
I'm no expert but just watched the Blu Ray collectors edition of this and very disappointed!
There is a definite judder and the quality is not great for Blu Ray. Read more
There is a definite judder and the quality is not great for Blu Ray. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Stella Dave
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