Trainspotting Essay

How does the aesthetic quality of ‘Trainspotting’ depict youth and drug addiction?

Throughout the intense, emotional plot line of ‘Trainspotting’, many key elements from the 1996 Danny Boyle film show the true power of addiction and the impact of life choices. Shot from Renton’s (Ewan McGregor) point of view, with a voice over flowing through most of the film, the audience views the movie through the eyes of an addict who lives life in a complex spiral of love, hate, and heroine. The terrible conditions of most locations in the film truly portray the horrible atmosphere that surrounds the main characters, and just how little they care about it due to their addiction. Cinematography and the colour schemes used for the movie contain deep meaning toward how the film makers want to make the viewers feel, and how other aesthetics can convey an important meaning. In this analysis, I will examine two scenes from ‘Trainspotting’. (Renton’s Nightmare/Choose Life-End Scene) These two scenes stood out for me when watching the movie, due to the combination of camera angles, dialogue, and non-diegetic sound/music which plays throughout both clips. 

Renton’s Nightmare

This first scene occurs after Mark Renton’s parents take drastic measures to completely destroy his addiction to drugs. Locked in his room with nothing but his bed, a TV, and disturbing thoughts circling in his mind, the clip provides a disturbing atmosphere for the viewer. I am analysing this scene from the point which Renton’s parents lock him in his room. Two extreme close up shots of the locks being shut on the door are clearly seen and heard, to emphasis the secure space that Mark has suddenly been trapped in. As the camera zooms in and very quiet non-diegetic music begins to play, a voice over can be heard by the character. (‘The sickness is on its way. Sweat, chills, nausea, pain and craving’) These lines of dialogue convey a sense that the pain can only get worse, as it hasn’t even arrived yet and it’s on its way. This is portrayed physically, as a backwards tracking shot moves along with the headboard of Renton’s bed, looking back at the elongating room, perhaps showing the distance Mark has to go to stop the addiction, or even how an escape (the door) is close but still so far. In addition, a long shot of Diane occurs with her singing on top of Renton’s bed still in her school uniform. This mise-en-scène shows his deep thoughts and the mistakes that have been made along the way. As well as this, because she is positioned cross-legged with one hand under her chin, this portrays a child-like manner, again demonstrating the embarrassment that Renton faces because of her shocking age when compare to his. As the door locks release, we see Mark’s mother and father walk the long distance of the extended room and try to help him by bringing him food. A series of low shots looking up at the parents from Renton’s eye level, portray the power they currently have. The fact that they have him isolated and are supplying him with food (almost like a helpless child) prove his inability to do absolutely anything and the struggle to function like a normal human being. They are the ones in control due to them being able to stare down directly at the protagonist, while they represent responsibility and control. A series of cuts continue on from this as the more mature generation state how they’re going to help Renton in any way they can. As they leave the room he becomes desperate to escape, expressing how maybe he should ‘go back to the clinic.’ The frustration in Ewan McGregor’s performance is shown here as he yells towards the closed door: ‘I just need one more fucking hit!’ The ‘craving’ that he was speaking of earlier in the clip is truly visualised here for the audience. As Mark continues to toss and turn, the viewer is ale to notice the black covers that he is hiding under. This form of mise-en-scène portrays how he is hiding under a thick layer of fear and evil. (Black often represents emotions linked with unhappiness.) As his entire body becomes covered by the quilt, a close up of his face shows his struggle that is never ending. The striped red pyjamas that he is wearing could also represent aggression and rage due to their colour. In addition, a hallucination of Begbie is then seen under the covers with him, warning him to ‘sweat’ the addiction out of himself or he’ll do it himself. This is a clear indication for the audience that Renton’s mind is a complex place where his problems come in many forms. For example: Begbie, Diane, Sick Boy etc. As Renton appears from the covers, a babies which can be heard, as it crawls along the ceiling slowly towards him. The dutch angle used here can symbolise something slightly off/disturbing with the scene. The next few cuts switch between a low shot of the baby crawling, which appears as something that terrifies Renton, showing his guilt, and a close up of the emotions of fear and pain felt in his mind. Also, The single window that can be seen in certain shots provides the only light in the scene. This miss-en-scène could represent how the light (freedom) is above Renton, and due to the low key lighting in the room, it shows how there is not much of it in his life currently. He is trapped and isolated with his worst fears and anxieties in location that doesn’t show his room, but acts as the inner workings of his mind. This could be analysed further because of the train wallpaper that covers most walls. Trains show speed and rush, linking to how his mind sees the world with all of his current issues. The camera cuts to an extreme close up of the TV, showing a game show where the questions asked link to viruses and HIV. These both link to illness and death, symbolising the fact that Renton will not have long left on his current path in life. This could be represented by a game show due to the idea in Mark’s head that taking drugs is just a game and how he is not taking it seriously. A medium long shot can be seen taken from the protagonists feet, looking toward the top end of the bed, once again visualising distance. Soon, another hallucination appears of Sick Boy and Renton’s mother. He is sitting in a chair cross legged describing how ‘there comes a time when you have to turn your back in that nonsense’. His posture and the way he is speaking (mise-en-scène) describes how he is professional and gives off a sense that he is more sensible than Renton. Before another high shot of the baby moving closer toward the character, showing how his regrets and guilt are moving closer toward him, a scream from earlier in the film when the baby died can be heard. From the babies eye level, a high forwards tracking shot is seen, once again providing a sense to the audience that Renton is extremely weak. The camera swings in and outs of another close up on Renton (edging on extreme close up) letting the viewer feel just how uncomfortable he is due to the disturbing scene. Furthermore, what follows is a slow pan past the train wallpaper to the right. Spud is sitting on top of the green cupboard. This colour often symbolises life and health. However, the opposite emotions are given here due to this character being locked in prison in an earlier scene. He too is isolated away from anyone and anything much like Mark. The slow knocking that he is creating with his feet whilst locked in chains, represents how the guilt keeps approaching Renton. Tommy’s body drifts eerily along the wall, with an extremely dark shadow cast. ‘Better than sex’ is spoken by him in a sarcastic way, showing the effects that it has had on him, and what will eventually happen to Renton if he continues taking heroine. For the final part of the scene, extremely quick cuts follow an extreme close up of the game show presenter asking ‘is he guilty or not guilty?’ As the baby’s head twist a full 180 degrees round to face Renton from the ceiling, this creates a disturbing, gruesome atmosphere, showing a very unrealistic clip in a socially realistic film. With one final knock on the cupboard by Spud, the baby falls down directly towards Renton’s face, as all of his agitation and distress is released. Finally, the repetition of the steady electronic music in the background, more specifically: the song ‘dark and long’ by ‘Underworld’, symbolises the never ending nightmare that Marks mind is in. The song name itself represents the environment that the creators of the film placed him in. 

Choose Life-End Scene

The ending scene to ‘Trainspotting’ contrasts greatly to the start of the film. The famous ‘Choose Life’ speech that Renton gives at the beginning of the movie is flipped on its head entirely, as everything he said was a complete waste of time due to heroine, is now going to happen to him. He has stolen the £16,000 from Begbie’s very hands, and intends to start a life for himself. (I am analysing this from the point which Renton leaves the hotel room with the cash) From the start of this scene, the camera pans left and tilts down as Mark walks down the steps and along the road away from his ‘so called mates’. This scene is set in the morning to represent the fact that this is a fresh start for Renton. As well as this, the non-diegetic music once again by ‘Underworld’ (Born Slippy) plays throughout the ending scene. The fact that the protagonist can be seen walking towards trees at the end of the street away from the three friends, shows how he is truly ‘choosing life’. Also, it could show how he is healthier now that he has escaped his addiction, and is now escaping the main issues in his life. The line ‘A minor betrayal, or…we’d outgrown each other, that sort of thing’ spoken by Renton describes how although it was £16,000, that is completely besides the point. This was about him escaping more than the money. The next cut leads to a shot where the camera has been rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise to represent how the story has suddenly been flipped on its head, and things have suddenly taken a turn, with Renton doing something that may surprise many viewers. He walks towards the camera and as it pans right, an extreme close up of the bag is quickly seen. Therefore, this implies just how important the bag of cash meant to some of the characters as it moved away from the main protagonist and instead focuses on a social construct. In addition, the line ‘But Begbie, I couldn’t give a shit about him’ has certainly been placed into the clip as soon as the bag fills the screen for a reason. The editing here shows just how much he truly doesn’t care about him, as he knows the thousands of pounds will upset him the most. As the character says he feels sorry for Spud, he takes his passport from a well reflected locker and instead replaces it with £4,000 (which we later realise has been left for the character he is referring to) The glass sides, ceiling, and floor to this small container symbolises reflection. Because of this, the viewer can gather that Renton still cares about Spud although he has taken most of the money, and that he still thought about him. The many reflections that we see of the money (which is the focus of this medium close up shot due to Mark being off to the left side) also represents how £4,000 almost acts as triple that amount for a member of the underclass such as Spud. We see around four or five reflections of the cash because of the purposely implemented mise-en-scène, showing how it actually feels like a lot more for certain characters. An example of parallel editing is then shown, visualising Begbie’s rage after finding out the money is gone. The walls outside the hotel room, Begbie’s top, and the bed are all pink-therefore contrasting with the mood of the scene. Pink often symbolises happiness or emotions such as being content. The characters would have been feeling this if it weren’t for Renton, hence the positioning of the colours around the environment, showing the power of mise-en-scène. Begbie’s rage is further shown due to the high shot looking down at the terrifying character. This portrays how he has suddenly become weak because of the sudden loss. As an extreme long shot shows Mark Renton walking along a bridge to a new life, the ‘Choose Life’ speech repeats itself, this time with his intentions in his new and improved life away from the other characters. As well as this, no traffic can be seen moving back towards the city, only in the same direction that Mark is moving, therefore portraying moving forwards and not living in the past. The audience immediately realises that the protagonist has changed because of how he states he is ‘Going starlight and choosing life.’ The audience can also be emotionally moved as a close up leads to a blurred extreme close up after Mark says ‘I’m gonna be just like you.’ Because his ‘Choose Life’ speech continues with the objects he will own and the lifestyle he hopes for over the ending title, it shows how he could go on and on about what he is able to achieve in life now that he has overcome his addiction to heroine. 

Choose Life

‘The job, the family, the fucking big television. The washing machine, the car, the compact disc and electric tin opener, good health, low cholesterol, dental insurance, mortgage, starter home, leisure wear, luggage, three piece suite, DIY, game shows, junk food, children, walks in the park, nine to five, good at golf, washing the car, choice of sweaters, family Christmas, indexed pension, tax exemption clearing gutters, getting by, looking ahead, the day you die.’