Restless Natives

 

Hi reader

Today I'm reporting from Glasgow, and although I've been here a few days, I haven't done any actual sightseeing as yet. I've been staying in one of the city's nicer suburbs, Milngavie. My parking spot isn't very scenic, but it's quiet and it feels safe. I've been staying in the car park of an Aldi supermarket.

A week or so ago, I watched one of my favourite films, Restless Natives (1985). I first saw it on video when it was quite a new release, and I've watched it many times since. I always loved the modern day Robin Hood theme of this comedy, action adventure set in Scotland.

The Premise

The story follows the adventures of two Scottish youths from the Wester Hailes district of Edinburgh. Ronnie (played by Joe Mullaney) and Will (played by Vincent Friell) rebel against their drab lives in urban Scotland in the mid-1980s and become modern highwaymen. Donning masks of a clown and a wolf-man and riding a Suzuki GP 125 motorbike, they waylay and rob tourist coaches in the Scottish Highlands using a toy gun. In the process they become a tourist attraction themselves. They proceed to become heroes, doling out money to the poor of their city by scattering it on bike rides through its streets.

Music Score

I love the music in this film and it really suits the drama and action of the story. The soundtrack features music from the band Big Country. It wasn't released on an album but was combined into two lengthy tracks, each featuring various pieces of music and clips of actors from the film's audio, which appeared on limited edition formats of two Big Country 12" singles. The soundtrack was released on CD for the first time on the 1998 Big Country collection Restless Natives & Rarities, where it is presented as a single 35-minute track.

Alone among the hills and stone

Through summer sun and winter snow

The eagle he was lord above

And Rob was lord below

Sighthill Cemetary

Although the film is set in Edinburgh and the Highlands, a lot of it was actually filmed here in Glasgow. For example, Hardwick's Joke Shop, where Ronnie works, was filmed in a shop which is now part of Glasgow's Radisson Hotel.

Yesterday I set out to Sighthill Cemetery to find a gravestone where some of the film's key scenes were filmed. The problem - the cemetery covers 46 acres of land. I'd done some online research and I had screenshots from the film to help me home in on the filming location.

In the story, Ronnie comes to this gravestone to air his thoughts and feelings whenever he wants to be alone. He talks to the gravestone about things he can't tell anyone else, including his new life as a criminal.

 

Sighthill Cemetery opened in 1840, and stands on a hill 400 metres above sea-level. It offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. My friend, Jimmy, warned me that Sighthill isn't one of the city's nicer areas, and I might find myself confronted by a gang of 'neds' (non-educated delinquents). But I pretty much had the cemetery to myself as I wandered between the rows of headstones, trying to match the view to the screenshots on my phone.

And after half an hour or so, I found it!

Cool Movie Trivia

Spoiler alert! The last time we see the friends at the grave, Ronnie reveals to Will that he isn't related to the person buried in the grave at all. He just adopted a random grave and he's been sharing his innermost thoughts with a random unknown all this time. Here's the scene:

Ronnie: You just haven't got a clue, have you? What does that say?

Will: Beattie

Ronnie: Right. So what's my name?

Will: Ronnie. Ronnie Witherspoon!

Ronnie: Look, I don't know who's down there. I just picked him.

And ... the name on the gravestone really is Beattie! I love that. 

Sacred to the memory of William Beattie.

Oh and the final scene as the film's credits roll, shows Ronnie, Will and Will's girlfriend, Margot, standing on the peak of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, which I visited five days ago.

As my friend, Gideon, said, this is probably just a post for one person. Most people haven't heard of Restless Natives and it's kind of a forgotten eighties classic. If you haven't seen it, treat yourself and watch it. It's such a fun film. 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes! Maybe this review from the Guardian will convince you. 

Enjoy!

Time for some dinner

After Sighthill Cemetery, I headed to College Street and reunited with my friends from Bangkok, Lori and Adrian and my favourite French bulldog, Jimmy.

These guys have got such a lovely flat in the city centre and it was great to catch up. Jimmy was high energy and I felt sure he could remember me from Bangkok. He looked very stylish in his winter fleece.

Lori made us a lovely vegan dinner. We had bruschetta followed by spaghetti bolognaise. Sorry, forgot to get pics of the spaghetti, but it was delicious. Thanks so much, Lori.

Around half past eight, I said cheerio, headed back to the van and drove back out to Milngavie to watch another favourite film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. 

Good night, Jimmy!

Today I've got another dinner invite from past British Council colleagues; I'm being spoiled in Glasgow. First though, time for some sightseeing.

Thanks for reading,

Brian