Intellect's World Film Locations book series explores and reveals the relationship between the city and cinema. The city continues to play a central role in a multitude of films, helping us to frame our understanding of place and of the world around us. For the Glasgow volume, I took on the task of representing my hometown and Scotland's biggest city.
Although it is seen as a gritty, overcast town, Glasgow's potential and versatility for filmmaking is evident, if not well-known. There are lots more locations in which its films are viewed, set, and shot than first come to mind, and it's a city steeped in cinematic history.
Aiming to capture important moments and movements through Spotlight essays and scene reviews, 38 films are featured in the book, along with essays on Glasgow as a Hollywood film set, grassroots filmmaking, Scottish comedy and the Glasgwegian sense of humour, and Glasgow's historic film-going culture.
World Film Locations: Glasgow is a guide, in the literal sense and for viewing's sake. It is impossible to be all-encompassing, and in order to select a representative sample of Glasgow on film, a few films – some of them real Glasgow gems – did not make the final cut.
Fortunately, we are able to share more moments from Glasgow's cinema history with you here. As an exclusive for Park Circus fans we have compiled a few of the additional web exclusive scenes from World Film Locations: Glasgow.
Part 1: Living Apart Together (1982)
Director: Charles Gormley
Location: NatWest, 14 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4AU
Their teasing only encourages the film's star – Scotland's most famous singer-songwriter – who responds by standing tall, regaling them with a round on where they can stick their apologies. The location, a bank on the corner of West George Street and Blythswood Street, has not been known to host impromptu concerts, but is still the financial centre of the city. [Coincidentally, the bank is also directly across from Creative Scotland's Glasgow offices.]
Read more additional web exclusive scenes from World Film Locations: Glasgow on The Big Picture Magazine blog
Living Apart Together premieres Sunday 24 February at the Glasgow Film Festivals worldwide and will also be available on DVD in the UK from 4 March.
