Stalinist plot returns John Hodge to National attention >>

John Hodge’s most celebrated piece of writing originated 50 miles across the M8 via someone else. The “Choose life…” speech uttered by Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting first came from the pen of Irvine Welsh. The Glaswegian’s first taste of success as a screnwriter came in the capital with Shallow Grave, which heralded the reign of three amigos:... Read more

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YouTube if you want to: Ten things wrong with The Iron Lady >>

1 – Anyone is allowed to make a film about Margaret Thatcher – just don’t make it dull For all the silly howls of protest about giant Maggies on a bus, they were perfectly entitled to make a film about Baroness Thatcher if Idi Amin, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein’s brother, Richard Nixon and countless serial killers can be immortalised on the... Read more

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Gerald Laing, pioneer of Pop Art, 1936–2011 >>

By Bill Heaney The artist Gerald Laing has died at his home, Kinkell Castle on the Black Isle, aged 75. Laing was best known for his iconic images, which included as the remarkable 1962 portrait of French film star Brigitte Bardot and, more recently, his paintings of Amy Winehouse, who herself died earlier this year. Always operating on the pulse of... Read more

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Daniel Craig, Sam Mendes and the Crinan Canal: 007 heads for Argyll >>

By Elizabeth McQuillan Scotland is to once again set to host a maelstrom of Hollywood action, with another film crew and movie entourage set to commandeer the “wilds of Scotland” as a backdrop. The 23rd Bond adventure, Skyfall, will see Daniel Craig return for his third film as James Bond 007, along with a healthy cast that includes Javier... Read more

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Review: Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra at Linlithgow Arts Guild >>

By Alex Wood The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra hit Linlithgow on Saturday with verve and a tight panorama of jazz from the last 90 years. Directed and led by Tommy Smith, the boy from Wester Hailes who now graces the international jazz world, they covered work by Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Randy Brecker, Smith himself... Read more

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Review: Dick Gaughan at Glasgow City Halls >>

By Alex Wood Dick Gaughan’s set at Glasgow City Halls set started with his now standard introductory number, Si Kahn’s What You Do With What You’ve Got, as close to individualism as Gaughan gets. The Leith troubador remains the champion of solidarity, but his interpretation of Kahn also challenges individuals. The whole gig delighted and challenged... Read more

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Review: Jon Ronson at the Edinburgh Book Festival >>

By Diane Maclean Jon Ronson, the audience was warned, was just off the plane from America, so was jetlagged and liable to fall asleep. If he did, we weren’t to take it personally. In fact, the author – at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to discuss his latest book, The Psychopath Test – was bubbling in enthusiasm, keeping the audience... Read more

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Friday song: Oui Oui, Je Suis Gérard Depardieu >>

The Sensational Alex Salmond Band have interrupted their frantic Edinburgh Fringe schedule to produce another video to accompany their excellent album. This week’s Gallic-themed offering, written and performed by Tommy Mackay, Fife comedian of the year, is Oui Oui, Je Suis Gérard Depardieu. Donate to us: support independent, intelligent, in-depth... Read more

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Review: The Wound and the Gift, by Ron Ferguson >>

By Alex Wood With The Wound and the Gift, Ron Ferguson – journalist, church minister, writer – has produced a stunning, insightful and unorthodox biography of the Orcadian poet, George Mackay Brown. Ferguson knew Mackay Brown. When he was minister of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall he became close to the poet and to the landscape which nourished... Read more

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Review: Alan Hollinghurst at the Edinburgh Book Festival >>

By Diane Maclean The Stranger’s Child, the latest novel by Alan Hollinghurst, was never intended as a full-length book. Hollinghurst had hoped, after the rigors of writing his 2004 Booker prize-winning novel The Line of Beauty, to concentrate on short stories. He wrote one, and from there the idea for The Stranger’s Child developed – or, as he... Read more

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Highlights from the World Press Photo exhibition in Edinburgh >>

By Graeme Murdoch “To collect photographs is to collect the world. Movies and television programs light up walls, flicker, and go out; but with still photographs the image is also an object, lightweight, cheap to produce, easy to carry about, accumulate, store.” Wise words from Susan Sontag. And so to Kazan, New York, Osaka, Ottawa, Seoul, Wellington... Read more

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So is this the real Michele Bachmann – or just a cover story? >>

Funny how? Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has made the cover of Newsweek magazine, which should represent a triumph for her. Unfortunately, there is an easy consensus from both left and right that the senator for Minnesota looks, to be frank, odd. While focusing on the funny-ha-ha, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart contends that the... Read more

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You’re hired! James Spader has another good day, over at The Office >>

No one is irrepaceable. Ricky Gervais on the British Office was close – co-creating the show will give you that leverage. David Brent clearly wasn’t, as those who saw him begging for his job back from Neil Godwin will recall. After Wernham Hogg had thrown its last Christmas party and Gervais won his Golden Globes (he doesn’t like to mention them),... Read more

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Be careful out there: the Edinburgh Festival is a dangerous time >>

By Diane Maclean As Edinburgh once more puts on its glad rags and prepares for the deluge, it would be inhospitable of us here at The Caledonian Mercury not to pre-warn visitors of a few hidden dangers lurking between the cobbles and the disintegrating tram-tracks. (That’s two dangers for starters and they don’t even make the list.) As you pack... Read more

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The 2011 Edinburgh International Book Festival – a preview >>

By Elizabeth McQuillan Charlotte Square Gardens in Edinburgh is currently undergoing the annual transformation where it emerges as a home – or should that be tome? – of literary talent, the book equivalent of Glastonbury. Expect tents, celebrity, Chardonnay, a little mud – and to be thoroughly entertained. The Edinburgh International Book Festival... Read more

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Festival or fantasy? – some thoughts as Edinburgh readies itself >>

By John Knox As I sat watching the dress rehearsal for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, I found myself wondering again – as I do each year – about the relationship between this, the world’s greatest arts festival, and the real world. As one of the Fringe show adverts puts it: “The world has been naughtier than usual this year”. So how can we... Read more

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Amy Winehouse, 1983–2011: rare intuition and tragic lost potential >>

At the moment, Amy Winehouse’s story is about many things. It’s certainly not about that collection of coincidence, the 27 Club. (For the record, John Bonham and Keith Moon died at 32, Marc Bolan at 30, Tim Buckley 28, Gram Parsons 26, Sid Vicious 21.) This is a story about untapped potential and bad company. There is only so much to be said... Read more

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Phone Hacking: The Movie >>

There is little doubt a film, or TV drama, will be made about the phone hacking story, the scandal which led more TV reports (if not items in newsprint) will be made. It could be a thriller. It could be a farce. It could be a bittersweet tragedy. Or a Richard Curtis romantic comedy, The Chipping Norton Set, with a Prime Minister pulling out all the... Read more

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Ten bands that will be bouncin’ in Balado >>

Scotland’s biggest festival is now comfortably Britain’s second biggest. U2 aside, the biggest stars who graced Glastonbury – Coldplay, Beyonce, the reformed Pulp, Tinie Tempah – are present and correct at Balado this weekend. As Mrs Carter is on just before Coldplay, it’s not inconceivable Chris Martin will help her out on Halo.... Read more

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Book review: The Love and Death of Caterina, by Andrew Nicoll >>

Andrew Nicoll has already successfully challenged several conventions: he is a former lumberjack who became a political journalist and he is a Sun reporter who writes sensitive short stories. But perhaps his greatest achievement is in confronting that waspish little comment from Russell Lynes about journalists and novels: “Every journalist has a novel... Read more

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