Trainspotting - 30 years on.

23 Feb

“I thought Trainspotting would be a cult book, but not generation-defining’, said Scottish author Irvine Welsh about his generation-defining novel of thirty-three years ago. I wonder then how he’d feel knowing the movie (of the book), released thirty years ago today, is still discussed, still highly regarded as a cultural touchstone of that period…

During my recent organisation of my photography archive, now housed at the University of St Andrews Photography Collection, I came across my negatives of the night of the film’s premiere at the then Odeon Cinema, in Renfield Street, Glasgow, with all the star actors in attendance, as well as director Danny Boyle, and producer Andrew MacDonald.

Guests included American actress Angelina Jolie, news media journalists Kirsty Wark and Muriel Gray, artist and former criminal Jimmy Boyle, playwright Peter McDougall and actor Robbie Coltrane, amongst others.

Trainspotting premiere red carpet

A line up of actors of the movie Trainspotting, standing inside a cinema, looking at the cameras, there are 6 men and one woman. The photo is in black and white. — *Left to right: Kevin McKidd, Kelly MacDonald, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner, director Danny Boyle, and Ewan MacGregor. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.*

Three white middle aged men look at cinema tickets as they enter a room. They're all wearing suits and smiling. — *Left to right: Peter McDougall, Jimmy Boyle, and Robbie Coltrane, arrive for the Trainspotting premiere. ©Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, all rights reserved.*

Trainspotting - the After-Party

I attended the red carpet event of the premiere, although I forget who I was photographing for, perhaps a London agency, and after the premiere I soldiered on into the event’s after party, only recently reminded (if indeed I ever knew) by a friend and colleague that “it was only you who was allowed to photograph the party, you were the only photographer with access”.

From the after party I remember the police line-up wall, I remembered Damon Albarn of Blur not being happy about being photographed with his then girlfriend Justine Frishmann of Elastica, What I didn’t remember about the evening and party was Angelina Jolie being there, as then girlfriend of Trainspotting actor Jonny Lee Miller. Perhaps I didn’t know who she was at the time. It’s funny what you find from looking at your negatives, the little moments in life that have dimmed in your memory.