Reviews for Manufacturing in Transition

The average rating for Manufacturing in Transition based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-05-03 00:00:00 John Falkinburg Duncan Petrie's Screening Scotland is a comprehensive overview of the evolution of Scottish cinema from the 19th Century up to the dawn of the 21st Century. The book charts the development of a distinctively Scottish national cinema that has long struggled to distinguish itself from the domination of the "London-based British film industry." (p. 1) This struggle resulted in a Scottish film boom that gained steam in the 1990's with the international success of movies like Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, and that continues today with the critically acclaimed work of directors like Bill Forsyth, Lynn Ramsay and Peter Mullan. Petrie's book is fascinating; not for any deep philosophical reasons, but simply as a document of the various mechanisms that have contributed to the creation of a distinctively Scottish (and not just British) national cinema. Among these mechanisms are: the talents of particular Scottish filmmakers; the emergence of Scottish nationalism; the creation of government run film commissions that fund, train and generally encourage the production of Scottish films; the self-conscious marketing of Scottish films on the art circuit; and the interest of Hollywood filmmakers in making films set in the country. Over the course of the book it becomes clear that a "national cinema" is not something that just happens out of the blue and without calculation. Rather, it is something that is methodically constructed and that oftentimes gains a boost from unexpected successes that are then carefully capitalized upon and exploited. Why is a national cinema so important for a country like Scotland? Petrie hits the nail on the head when he suggests that films are part of the culture of a nation, and a vibrant film industry is indicative of a vibrant and healthy culture. In the past, Scotland has been thought of (and perhaps feared itself) as simply lingering on the periphery of England, but in recent times it has begun to establish itself as a unique and distinctive nation in its own right, possessing its own culture, its own unique character, and its own ideals. The nurturance of a national cinema is key to giving voice to the hopes, dreams, fears and aspirations that are part of the Scottish experience. As Petrie writes, "The new Scottish cinema has an opportunity not only to project Scotland to the rest of the world but also to play an important role at the heart of a revitalized national culture in reflecting the diversity of contemporary Scottish experience, interpreting and reinterpreting the past, and providing a space for social criticism and the imagination of alternative possibilities." (p. 226) The films that a nation produces are windows into its soul, and the more healthy and vibrant a nation's soul, the more diverse, creative and thought provoking will its films be. I think one must be careful, however, not to confuse cause and effect here. Manipulating the cinema will not necessarily lead to a healthy culture. We only need to look at the examples provided by the Nazis and the Soviets to see that very sick cultures can produce interesting films. A vibrant national cinema should, instead, be a natural outgrowth of a healthy culture, and not just nationalist propaganda. Is this the case in Scotland? If films like Trainspotting, Ratcatcher, Red Road, and NEDs are any indication, it would appear to me that the Scottish film industry is not overwhelmingly concerned with the projection of a squeaky-clean image that would make Scotland a safe and pleasant destination for tourism, nor does it appear that these filmmakers are afraid to wrestle with national fears and cultural insecurities. The films that have recently come out of Scotland seem to be the very antithesis of nationalist propaganda. Instead they appear to indicate artistic engagement with an authentic cultural crisis that the Scottish people are currently in the process of working through and coming to terms with. Scottish Screen keeps an archive of Scottish films, many of which can be viewed online at:

Review # 2 was written on 2013-07-22 00:00:00 Victor Gomez Great research tool.