k A.
Hightimes
WHAT WE NEED IN SCOTLAND IS A WAR ON FEATURE FILMS
Shifty is the best drug scene drama in years. But, argues Paul Dale, we shouldn’t be making films about dealers, we should be copying their business models
I‘il‘tilli /'.iu\\' Nil/(T‘s doomed \\Iltl litigs lti
I)en/el \Vashington's IIarIem kingpin in .liiu'rit'un (it/newer. I‘ve enjoyed every moment I‘ve spent with einema's dealers and peddlers. I‘ve laughed my socks oil with ('heeeh and ('hong land their natural sueeessors Harold and Kumarl and I've been known to get drunk and impersonate .'\l I’aeino‘s 'I‘ony .\Iontana in Slur/um:
I‘\e nev er regretted the titne I spent with (‘hristopher \Valken's \enal I-irank White in .-\bel l‘errai‘a's still astonishing /'/n' King or .Vr'ir Iiii'lt or James I‘raneo's Saul Silver in I’mi'u/i/i/t' lat/m'vv. Hell. sometimes when I‘m lonely I even go baek and visit (iary ()ldman‘s ridieulous white Rasta dealer |)re\yl Spivy il‘rom Ii‘m' l\)('IHlHI('('l or I'll tnake it a long weekend with I’ai/on |.o\e's eurler teased Big \Vorm l‘roin (iary I‘letlens I‘N5 bro—manee lift/try;
I've got a lot ol' time tor these outlaw l‘olk. l-or all their peculiarities and eeeentrieities the pusher man is
‘ lsatd (iod damn. (iod damn the pusher man.‘
really only guided by t.\dami Smithsonian notions ol~
supply and demand. lree trade. sell-interest and trader inventiveness. ’l‘hese lietional ereations always seem to have read and understood the Seotsman‘s seminal le\l I'llr' IIi'u/l/t (if Mil/tiny with its concepts till .the invisible hand‘ and the ‘speeialisation ol' skill‘. When it eoines to erime boss Stringer Bell in The Bin: who takes eeonomies elasses at Baltimore (‘in (‘ommunity ('ollege. that‘s literally the ease.
It's also true ol‘ Ri/ .»\hmed's titular Shitty in Iiran (‘ree\_\\ impressiv e new low budget Brit thriller. \Vell educated. well organised and with an understanding ol‘ elient liaison and the market‘s debt
to the community. Shitty is a very modern breed ol'
small time drug dealer. That his best-laid plans ultimately begin to la“ apart has tnore to do with others‘ eorrupt business models is something we can all now relate to.
Slit/iv is a very good e\ample ol‘ publie sector investment in young linglish lilmmakers: the lilm was l‘unded by I-‘ilm London's Microwave scheme. and deli\eretl alter a shooting schedule ol‘ just I8 days. \Vatehing it made me think that maybe what we need in Scotland is a war or better a prohibition on feature lilms. It sounds ridieulotIs. but think about it for a moment. Its e\eellent short film sehemes aside. Scottish Screen has invested in leatures over the last ten years to produce w hat‘.’ Stone of. Destiny"? ()n a (Year l)u.\".’ (iii/nerd? The living .S'i'utsmun'.’ I'iilms I would only revisit as part til at government sanctioned non-invasive torture chamber routine in some unnameable l’aeilie hellhole.
Better we make all l‘eature lilm production illegal north ol Berwiek upon Tweed. Pushers. pimps. gangsters and thieves society‘s natural economists ,_ would move in and create the lilm studio equivalent ol‘ a still in their back gardens. There would be no more wine and eanape receptions tor the employees ol‘ eultural l'unding bodies. just money generation lrom making lilms people really want to see. namely ones leaturing se\. blood. eomedy and maybe a little romanee. When the going gets good the prohibition eould be repealed and all eriininal assets seized to reinvest in some tosh middle-class Scottish art movies and we ean all begin again.
Shifty, selected release from Fri 24 Aor. See review, page 47.
THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES
www.list.co.ukltilm
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* Encounters at the End of the World Werner Herzog hits Antarctica with nutty results in this wonderful documentary. See review. page 47. GFT, Glasgow 8 Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 24 Apr.
Ill In the Loop Armando Iannucci's hilarious political satire with ihe Thick of It alumni Peter Capaldi and Chris Addison plus James Gandolfini. See review, page 46. General release from Fri 17 Apr.
# Shifty See feature, left, review and profile, page 47. Selected release from Fri 24 Apr.
1' State of Play Kevin Last King of Scotland MacDonald's adult and intelligent political thriller based on much praised 2003 British TV series. The good cast includes Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Helen Mirren. See review, page 46. General release from Fri 24 Apr. Ii! X-Men Origins: Wolverine Enjoyable prequel spin off to popular comic book inspired franchise. See review, page 48. General release from Fri 29 Apr.
Ill From Russia With Love New digital print of delightful 1963 Bond. See Also Released, page 48. Selected release from Fri 24 Apr.
III Let the Right One In Fangs for the friendship. Out now on selected release.
I Geneva Michael Winterbottom’s ghostly tale. Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri
7 7—7'hu 23 Apr.
It in the City of Sylvia Lost loves and high art in meditative. dreamy Strasbourg-set tale. Cameo, Edinburgh (matinees only), Fri 17- Thu 23 Apr.
* The Small Back Room Powell and Pressburger's 1949 noirish thriller romance reissued on DVD. See review, page 58. Out Mon 27 Apr (Optimum).
I Stone Cult Australian biker gang thriller released on DVD in UK for first time in lovely two disc set. See review, page 58. Out Mon 20 Apr (Seven'n).
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