OK, my last post was about the Scottish Referendum vote in my office, and I think it’s the Scottish sense of humor of not being able to vote as they are expats living outside Scotland. Hence they wanted to take part in the history. Regardless of the result which has nothing to do with me, as I am not Scottish nor am I English or British, I still like Scotland as a place to remember. I love the landscape where we toured around Scotland for our honeymoon for a week.
As Scotland will now always be part of my history, I think I should try to understand their story and watch movies that are set in Scotland or about the Scots as it always brings back good memories for me…. and that includes the language / accent which I find so hard to understand.
Anyway, here are my favorite movies about Scotland or set in Scotland in no Particular order as each are different.
Cover art of BRAVEHEART
BRAVEHEART
A production in 1995, I guess everybody knows about the epic movie by Mel Gibson, about Scotland’s first war for Independence, in the 13th century. In this movie we saw the original character of the Scots who have been fighting the English for independence since then, and this movie also sort of recreates the nationality of the Scottish, as Prof. Sally Morgan of Messey University recalls that “Braveheart facilitated a reconstruction of the Scottish imagination and encouraged the belief that Scotland needed to separate from England, even if it had to create its own opportunities to do so”.
Although I don’t like Mel Gibson as William Wallace, especially as young William Wallace, but he represents the bravery and macho men of Scotsman, and I think this is how a Scotsman wants to be portrayed, very brave in war!
Cover art of Angels’ Share
ANGEL’S SHARE
This movie maybe less popular than BRAVEHEART, and certainly not an epic movie, however, this movie is unique by itself as it represents the ever popular and top Scottish industry of Scotch. Watching this movie may not give the nationalist powerful effect as the previous movie, but it still gives the same pride of being Scottish.
It’s a Drama-Comedy about a Glaswegian father who narrowly avoids a prison sentence. He is determined to turn over a new leaf and when he and his friends from the same community payback group visit a whiskey distillery, and find a route to a new life.
What I love about this movie is the story about the spirit of a young person, even though they are a bit second rate in the community… yes this is only a story but, a fighting spirit that only the Scots have.
One more thing is that to watch this movie, you need to turn on the subtitles all the time, other wise you won’t understand either the language or the accent.
Sunshine on Leith
SUNSHINE ON LEITH
Unlike the movies above, this 2013 movie production is a musical based on the sensational stage hit with the same name, featuring the pop-folk band The Proclaimers. The storyline is not so much of bravery and nationalistic, yet still represent what Scottish people are. It is more of chick-flick movie really, but to me this production is simply brilliant; great choreography, cinematography and photography, beautiful setting, which is off course is Edinburgh modern times, showing the ins and out of Edinburgh city life.
The best scene of this movie is at the end, set in the city center and hundreds of cast dancing as a flash mob.
I think this is the best musical film after Mamma Mia! I can watch the DVD again and again; as a matter of fact I just watched it again today, just for the sake of Scotland and off course a remembrance of my wedding location just over 4 years ago… a brilliant movie that makes you want to travel to Edinburgh.
Just to convince you how good is Sunshine on Leith this is the trailer that I love so much: