Amongst this weekend's film viewing was the wonderful Scottish film Ratcatcher from 1999, directed by Lynne Ramsay. It's about events on a tough Glasgow housing estate during a strike by the binmen, and mostly told through one boy's eyes. It's unsettling, uncomfortable, touching, funny and sad.
I also watched the first of the new Sherlock BBC TV series. I really enjoyed it (nice modern take - loved the bit with the phone boxes and security cameras and the quote about the three-nicotine patch solution). Did anyone else see it?
Scottish arts organisations face funding cuts.
A video interview with Louise Welsh.
Murder Most Scottish from the Caledonian Mercury with some Scottish serial killers and ne'er-do-wells through the ages.
The lovely Caro Ramsay guest blogs on Murder is Everywhere.
Biblio Baggins made me smile with this letter to Kate Atkinson.
The Scotsman debates whether it's a hard time for hardbacks.
Catch Stuart MacBride along with Mark Billingham in Liverpool and Manchester on 18th and 19th August.
Conspiracies, death-threats, pharmaceutical shenanigans - all over who's going to provide pile cream in Millport.
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I have got Sherlock recorded, so I am looking forward to watching that during the week. How ironic that Dr Watson had just returned from duty in Afghanistan in the first novel A Study in Scarlet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing Ratcatcher to my notice. I can stream it online with Netflix. Huzzah. it looks interesting. One reviewer wrote "I only understood about 25% of the dialogue I know they're speaking english but still"
ReplyDelete"Island" in a drug war - and I though their main weapon was their ash cloud?
ReplyDeleteI saw the premiere of Ratcatcher at the Edinburgh Film festival -- beautifully photographed. My favourite line -- somebody picks up a dead dog from the mountain of rubbish in the back court and goes, 'Look at this. Somebody threw out a perfectly good dug.'
ReplyDeleteNorman - there were a few wee winks like that.
ReplyDeleteMack - it certainly doesn't make any concessions to non Scots but worth sticking with!
Dorte - you're so punny :o)
Val - yup - that was one of my favourite bits as well. Really funny...and very Scottish!
I just watched Ratcatcher and it is as you described - "unsettling, uncomfortable, touching, funny and sad." The ending caught me off guard. Reminded me a bit of the way Brazil ended. It was subtitled but I followed about 75% on my own, probably because I've read Old Dogs and your tales from the 62 bus.
ReplyDeleteI was also able to see the first episode of the new Sherlock Holmes. I enjoyed it enough to pre-order the DVD set from Amazon.
Totally agree about the ending. And LOL at being able to understand 75% :o) I think the first one was my favourite, but they're all good.
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