FEATURE REVIEW OF 1995
5
How was it for you?
The List asks those in the know for their own highlights of ’95.
Tommy Sheridan
‘Favourite things of 95 would include the film Land and Freedom — Ken Loach’s excellent tribute to the courage and commitment of the working class of Spain and the thousands of others who joined the POUM and lntemational Brigades from other countries. Braveheart - was a firmly anti-establishment film, not anti-English. It reminded me of my all-time favourite, Spartacus. Both told of the oppressed battling bravely to overthrow their more powerful oppressors. Favourite single would have to be Pulp’s ‘Common People’, favourite book, Seamus Milne’s The Enemy Within and favourite event — the Tories being routed and humiliated at the local elections throughout Britain in April and May.’
Tommy Sheridan, Scottish Militant Labour Councillor for Pollok Ward, Glasgow, champion of Scotland '3 anti-poll tax campaign and general man of the people.
0. J. Simpson: looking tor s new pair oi gloves tor Christmas?
Parrot
‘Two of the best films 1 saw were The Shawshank Redemption and Brave/wart. I don’t want to sound too nationalistic but it’s good to see the Scottish film industry get a boost. l was also pleased to see the band Whiteout making it, partly because they’re from Greenock too. Another local guy is Alec Galloway. who makes big sculptures out of stained glass and unfinished wood. He’s not famous, but he will be. And it was good working with Jo Brand and Greg Proops on my show Stuck in the Middle — partly because they did it for nothing!’
Parrot has been writing and performing on BBC Scotland ’s Pulp Video, which was piloted earlier this year and will continue in ’96. Otherplans include setting up a high-profile comedy club in — you guessed it — Greenock.
Ali Smith
‘I really enjoyed the film Heavenly Creatures for the way in which it humanely explained violence and it was very good on adolescent fantasies. As for good romps Brave/zeart was brilliant — both sensitive and Hollywoody — I just didn’t notice how long it was. My political highlights were the peace in Bosnia, the Queen apologising to the Maoris and the fact that 0.]. walked.’
Winner of the First Book of the Year award at this year's Saltire awards for her book Free Love, Ali Smith was born in lnvemess and now lives in Cambridge.
Mel does his bit tor Scottish tourism. the SIP and anyone else who cared to hijack the ilim
Rosanna Cunningham
‘Celtic Connections’ last January was by far and away the cultural highpoint of the year. i saw Anuna, an lrish group who I’ve never seen before. They go back to purely
vocal church music. medieval and Latin chants through to Scots and lrish Gaelic songs and polyphonic singing. It’s strange and stunning. They knocked me out. Brave/zeart
" fl. '1
was far better than I expected;
especially as a nationalist, to be able to see a bit of our history on the big screen was brilliant. Winning the by-election was practically the biggest event of my entire life. never mind the year.’ Rosanna Cunningham is the SNP MP for Perth and K inross having won the Irv-election there following the death of Nicky F airbairn earlier this year:
iio hum. Another toy day for Jarvis
10 The List 15 Dec 1995-11 Jan 1996