In homage to this blogs Scottish roots and link to the Leither Magazine (link on the right) lets raise our glasses of whisky and say slaand jivaa to the best genuine representations of Scotland on the silver screen.
Walter Scott is not the only one responsible for wrapping us Caledonians in tartan and force feeding us haggis. True, the propaganda drive originated with him but we have embraced it. This fictitious reality has been our saint but has also sinned against us. Tourists flock to this beautiful country each year in search of falsified folklore, reality as depicted on a shortbread tin. We know it’s a bit of a sham but we play the game because it’s fun and it’s profitable. But for every William Wallace there’s a Groundskeeper Willie. Our stereotype stares at us in the mirror as we raise a glass to it and to self fulfilling prophecies.
Film and literature reflects this, as it does all aspects of life and culture. The representation of Scotland on screen has too often followed the international consciousness of what the country is, of glen roaming and caber tossing. So, let’s look past that and think of more genuine slices of Scottish life, from kitchen sink reality to surreal dark humour. Let’s wander down from the picturesque mountains to street level at look at how we see ourselves rather than how others see us.
Continue reading ‘Six of the best – Scotland on film’
