Author Irvine Welsh Breaks Down Film & TV Adaptations of his Books

Author Irvine Welsh joins us at Penguin to break down some clips from both film and TV adaptations of his books including Trainspotting, T2, Filth, Ecstacy and Crime. His new book, The Long Knives is out now: amzn.to/3cW4Qxf
Ritchie Gulliver MP is dead. Castrated and left to bleed in an empty Leith warehouse.
Vicious, racist and corrupt, many thought he had it coming. But nobody could have predicted this.
After the life Gulliver has led, the suspects are many: corporate rivals, political opponents, the countless groups he's offended. And the vulnerable and marginalised, who bore the brunt of his cruelty - those without a voice, without a choice, without a chance.
As Detective Ray Lennox unravels the truth, and the list of brutal attacks grows, he must put his personal feelings aside. But one question refuses to go away...
Who are the real victims here?
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[@MrAnperm]

Around 2000 I found a soggy (from the rain) copy of Trainspotting on the ground at a bus stop near my house in Australia. I was in high school. I took it home with me, dried it out and read it. What a book.

[@harleythesalami6956]

That in itself is a cool thing. The idea of this forgotten relic of a novel.

[@rossmcleod7983]

I was amazed when I saw the film because it so closely mirrored my life growing up in Australia. Had no idea Scotlands culture so closely mirrored ours. Only the accent varied.

[@RealElongatedMuskrat]

@@rossmcleod7983 there is a huge amount of crossover when it comes to Aussie, Scots and Irish culture, especially the working class. I guess so many Scots and Irish ended up being shipped down under, with class structures, opportunities and lack thereof... patterns repeated or developed in parallel even from separate hemispheres. We have a funny kinship that way. Even the sense of humour is so similar, we're all mad in the same way.

[@chchedda]

@@RealElongatedMuskrat same with northern England

[@frankcastle6006]

That's the best story I've heard of someone finding a book and falling in love with it.

[@antonleimbach648]

Mr Welsh is an amazing author. The films are great but the books are priceless.

[@jamescarr5818]

I can honestly say as a 16-year-old kid growing up on the outskirts of Glasgow in 1996 already dabbling in drugs by that time for 4 years but never came across heroin before I had seen this movie I like to think this movie saved me from taking that junk just wish the movie had the same effect on some of my friends who are no longer with us.

[@caseybald5482]

Feel you James, lost about 10 close friends in the past

[@tapset]

Chews lyfe

[@DarkAngelEU]

Are drugs that present in Scotland?

[@jamescarr5818]

@@DarkAngelEU Scotland has the biggest drug death rate in Europe

[@DarkAngelEU]

@@jamescarr5818 That sucks, man :/ I thought it'd be less bc drug laws are so strict in the UK

[@Samouraii]

What I like about Irvine Welsh is even despite his success he is still capable of writing on the pulse stories about social issues affecting the working class. Part of it I suppose is that it never really changes as poverty is a vicious circle.

[@dejavu011]

Does he still live in Scotland? Had his head gotten bigger as a result of his success, the Scots would have told him to 'pess off'. They probably keep him in check, and maybe he doesn't live any differently than before. Some people are like that..

[@dannymcintyre3819]

@@dejavu011 I saw him in Leith yesterday. He definitely has a home in Edinburgh and therefore pays some tax here and spends a lot of his time here. I think he might also have a home in one or more of the places he's lived over the decade - Dublin, Amsterdam, Miami, Chicago, London.

[@TheGamerThing]

@@dannymcintyre3819 god forbid someone leave scotland!

[@dannymcintyre3819]

@@TheGamerThing eh clown

[@fraser145]

@mimo I’ve not found it like that personally. There’s always some that’ll resent your success but they’re not your friends so who cares. The “keep them in check” attitude - from my experience in Scotland at least - is more about staying grounded and remembering where you came from. No one wants to sit in the pub with some big headed faux middle class buffoon who’s all of a sudden so high and mighty they can’t take a slagging anymore. It teaches you humility and I think it’s a good thing.

[@seth5143]

Trainspotting is possibly my favorite film of all time, so awesome to get this insight from the author of the book, even if I must strain to understand him at times as an American midwesterner.

[@twomindz79]

Top 5 for me of all time .

[@scottmartin8840]

Glue is, in my opinion, his greatest work. One of only two books to ever make me cry.

[@brody_savana]

Marabou Stork Nightmares, made me cry, out of disgust, pain & finnaly resolution

[@thundersweetiex2912]

Both brilliant

[@mrnice7570]

Glue, massively underappreciated and this coming of age story , wee gogsy , had me bawling as A man in my 30's

[@mrnice7570]

What was the other?

[@nvrvnjv6362]

As a Enlisgh-as-second language user, thanks God this video had subtitles. Love Welsh's books and adaptations and didn't want to miss what he had to say about them.

[@alexisbuchanan2028]

Fully agree about Filth... always seen Bruce as being much older looking. The film was great but the book had me in tears on a few occasions. Love his work and his books are the only fiction I read now. Keep at it Irvine. Much love from a weegie

[@aurteekay6339]

Irvine welsh is my favorite author and director. Trainspotting being my favorite movie next to Trainspotting 2. As an addict who’s sober now I can relate to the story so much. I love the way he closed the story with the second movie. It was as great as I knew it would be

[@hulme187]

Love Irvine Welsh. Should be called Irvine Scottish!! Trainspotting will always be a classic. Filth is one of my all time fave books and the film adaptation is amazing!! I enjoyed The Acid House especially Stephen McCole and Ewen Bremner!! Crime was also decent, Dougray and John Simm were great!! I need to check out Long Knives!! I'll give Ecstacy another viewing. Please keep writing!!

[@Chameleonardodavinci]

Irvine Scottish lmao

[@vksasdgaming9472]

I didn't like Filth as movie. It is so dependent on it's literary medium to build it's character and movies can only show actions. Actions show Robbocop as completely character you want to see suffering and dying in some humiliating way. Trainspotting was great book and adaptation and T2 Trainspotting was even better than book it based on.

[@s_____3913]

I went to a book signing and asked him to write "The kitten was fine" in my first edition of Filth on the day it was released. He asked me where the lines from so I had to remind him it's when Tommy's death is being described to Renton.

[@cs4887]

I love it that his take on "Filth" is that James McAvoy is an amazing actor 😅👍

[@emk9253]

Just saw Trainspotting live in Edinburgh fantastic take on a film that has aged so very well. Loved Irvine’s cameo in the newly released Dick Dynamite 1944 hilariously brilliant! Love the man where would we be without him x

[@TC8787-yq7og]

“Quite an iconic opening scene” is an understatement

[@Pingebont-blumptrot]

He got a wee “fucking” past the bleep machine!

[@cathalmacsiurdain7762]

Enjoyed that. Thanks for posting.

[@joeburchett8237]

Read a fair amount of his books, seen a bunch of the adaptations.... only just found out he was In Trainspotting.

[@exquisitecorpse__]

"The Toilet was horrendous." Yeah, Irvine. We can see that.

[@kommissar.murphy]

I wish Irvine would write an autobiography some day. I always had the impression he was EACH of the skagboys at different times of his life,so it would be interesting to untangle.

[@the_local_bigamist]

I think he might've shared some experiences and he's said before I think that he was closest to Renton, but I reckon that he was more of an outside observer. He was a cooncil worker by the time Trainspotting was being published as a novel.

[@rossleeson8626]

He said he was never an addict more a tourist, but as a Scotsman judging by his accent he probably genuinely grew up amongst the stuff he wrote about.

[@magnus1001]

I ordered the book Trainspotting from my favorite bookstore in Chicago before it was even available. I had one of the first copies back then. The lady who owned the bookstore had never read anything by Mr. Welsh but she read the synopsis on the back of that copy after calling me to tell me it was in and ordered one for herself and many for her store. I loved the novel, the movie adaptation (the cast was spot on for their parts) and it was awesome in T2 to see a continued storyline with the lads older and more mature (?!) and with grown-up problems. Mr. Welsh seems like a chill guy but you can see the raver he once was by the glint of mischief in his eyes!

[@rageagainstmyhairline5574]

Respect to Irvine. Great writer, conjures filth and depravity better than almost anyone. He was a damn good sport about the films made from his work considering they've mostly been sanitised and warped from what he wrote. Still, when the films follow the book closely, you get The Acid House, and that got panned on its release IIRC. And, you know, was almost as fucked up as the book.

[@vksasdgaming9472]

Try reading Williams S. Burrough's books like The Naked Lunch or Junkie and you see how filthy and depraved stuff OG-drugged up weirdoes came up with.

[@danielmarshall4587]

The Acid House is glorious, "BOAB" especially..... the depiction of God is one of the best yet. Many thanks Mr Welsh.

[@owenjnelson-fb9mg]

Granton Star Cause and A Soft Touch are dynamite, real amazing British cinema, the Acid House part with the baby and Spud pt2 really did fuck all for me. Maurice Roeves as god is one of the best scenes of British cinema, hugely underrated.

[@kewltony]

I'm happy he is satisfied with the trainspotting movie.

[@felixjones9198]

Irvine is a mate of mine. Proud of him.

[@yourdasellsavon9928]

He’s only 35 he’s just supported Hibs all his life

[@felixjones9198]

Aye me an aw.

[@ClarkyGuitar]

Irvine Welsh is a legend! Didn't mention his wee cameo in The Granton Star Cause. Creator of some of the best characters I've read about. Porno is my favourite of his novels. Trainspotting 2 is great but a true to the book Porno would have been a good (and challeging) film to make.

[@utrapzab]

maribou stork nigtmares as a movie would be epic and it would be banned

[@well1012]

@@utrapzab Ever watch the Sopranos? Join The Club is the closest we’ll ever get to Marabou Stork Nightmares

[@cameronashworth1981]

Love Irvine and all his work - but for the love of god please tuck that watch strap in. :D

[@Thomas.harding]

Currently reading trainspotting and fuck me, took me a while to understand the lingo

[@dejavu011]

and that's in writing (..a whole different beast when you listen to it!)

[@sorscha1308]

Haha - i read it as a teenager and passed it on to my brother (after embarassing myself, laughing my arse off on the bus more than once) after. I could always tell when he was reading it because he couldn't read it in his head, i could hear him reading it aloud in a Scottish accent in the next bedroom 😆

[@OneEyedJack1970]

There's a glossary in the back.

[@ENGLISH_TRUTH]

Took me a while to be able to read it at my normal pace but you do get into the groove eventually.

[@heikkijhautanen4576]

Trainspotting and Life of Brian are the best British films of alltime.

[@kommissar.murphy]

Its ironic that James Mcevoy more closely resembled Ray Lennox, while Dougray Scott more closely resembles Bruce Robinson, at the time the books came out, at least.

[@the_local_bigamist]

Always loved how Begbie was imagined to be this big, physically imposing Scottish nutter and he ends up played by wee Robert Carlyle. He captures those scary Scottish nutters so well though - the ones that will slash you for no reason and exist in numbers in every town and city in beautiful Scotia. Also, I truly love his films but his books are something else. The socioeconomic commentary on Thatcherism/neoliberalism, the decimation of the working class during that process and how heroin neatly fit into that scenario. I saw Trainspotting way before I ever read the book but reading the book is a great introduction to Scottish working class culture - and lumpen culture to some extent. You'll see guys like Spud at Buchanan Street bus station asking for twenty pence for the phone box 'cos their phone's out of battery and all that. My only criticism of Welsh (spoilers) is how his characters have miraculously nearly all left Leith and gone on to be international jet setters. Renton, the kid from Glue (the DJ), Ray Lennox ends up in Miami and perhaps most absurdly of all, Begbie becomes an internationally renowned artist living in California. The last book in the Trainspotting series shows him living that life and, whilst it is unbelievable that all of many of Welsh' characters would follow Irvine Welsh himself on his own successful journey, Dead Man's Trousers was brilliant. Best one since Trainspotting itself in that series. Haven't read The Blade Artist yet but I will, just because Begbie is so fun to read. I've known many Begbie's and while they are terrifying, they can also be very entertaining. Anyway, fun vid!

[@well1012]

The Blade Artist is mediocre but I think it’s just a prelude to Dead Men’s Trousers.

[@Otzchieem]

I’ve never been disappointed with penguin books. I regret not getting the Witcher books from them even though the covers weren’t as good the paper and print is so much better

[@markdickens968]

Here I am surrounded by my family and my so called mates and I've never felt so alone. I sooooo relate. 7 years 5 months clean and sober

[@richardthomas598]

Welsh is very forgiving, when you consider T2 isn't Porno. The only part of the film that crosses into his book is Spue'w sub-plot. I enjoyed both takes, but usually authors disown movies like T2. It just goes to show how Welsh is so relaxed about these things.

[@samuelgarrod8327]

The best author. Ever.

[@L.C.Sweeney]

I can just imagine all the Americans watching going "what is he saying?" through squinting eyes.

[@ryanduray1]

I'm American and understand him clearly.

[@L.C.Sweeney]

@@ryanduray1 good for you. You're not culturally ignorant.

[@fergaoneill5323]

Irvine Welsh one of the best writers in the world

[@X-boomer]

“Small nutters are always the most dangerous in Scotland”. It’s not just Scotland

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

We need an adaptation of Marabou Stork Nightmares

[@FreeCatCheese]

McAvoy did a heroes job, but Filth as it was filmed isn't even remotely satisfactory. The novel introduced me to Frank Sidebottom/Chris Sievey's work, which I presumed was an entirely fictitious hallucinatory element at first. To find out later that this was a real person was truly wild.

[@VersusArdua]

I saw the film first before I read the book, which is so much more effective imo. The casting is so good though that I can't read the novel without seeing them all as their 2013 counterparts.

[@johnmitchell2269]

The side of Edinburgh (at least in the 90's) that tourists never knew about.

[@darren_mcgarvey]

Great impersonation of a soon to be sun stroked Glaswegian there big man

[@kevomusica]

Orite Irvin👍 I remember speaking to you in the phone. 20 minutes after the hibs hearts 6 2 game. My cousin was having a bevvy with you in a pub in London. I remember addressing you as Mr Welsh ❤😂😂😂

[@kevomusica]

The mobile phone 😂😂

[@scenczyk1429]

Never knew what he looked like. It's. Toss up between him and George Orwell for my favourite author

[@mistertoad1364]

Crime was my first book from Irvine Welsh but I have not seen the show yet. Does anyone who read both the novel and seen the TV show recommend it?

[@baby_joe]

I see some of the fi-lm was filmed in ful-ham

[@adamcheklat7387]

The Simpsons even referenced the Trainspotting opening scene in The Regina Monologues when Bart and Lisa were on a sugar rush.

[@MrWayout74]

I always thought that Robert Carlyle would have made a decent DCI Bruce Robertson. Ewan McGregor as Raymondo Lennox and Martin Clunes as brother Blades. Then it the filum got made and they crushed it. Respect

[@dct1]

Fantastic 👍🏻

[@Onewonton]

"Take it while you can get it" ...this is the real Irvine Welsh

[@wadehaws8613]

Love his books. You're tha big man! Sorry, sir.

[@demonsaint1296]

Granny always told me to never get off the bus in Leith.

[@themadplotter]

Irving always looks like a guy in the pub who just got a delivery from Jacamo.

[@AussieRoos]

Acid House & Trainspotting 👏

[@hwizell7478]

I take pleasure in other people’s leisure

[@VersusArdua]

Fucking love Filth. Currently watching the tv adapation of Crime and my feelings are mixed.

[@psy-boparadox3416]

Wasn't he in trainspotting 2? Buying tv from begbie and son

[@vksasdgaming9472]

Mikey Forrester does appear in that film. It is small role, but it is there.

[@SeanDee-b6g]

Saw him talk about his book Skagboys a number of years ago-was honest enough to say that it was largely composed of material that didn't make it into his other books, and he figured some other f**ker would find it when he was dead and make stash from it. So he decided to do just that instead, while he was still alive. He is also honest enough to admit that he's a grade Z actor. Thumbs up for the baldy fella

[@greenman6141]

It is almost alarming how good James McAvoy is. His casting helped me understand the character better. When reading Filth I couldn't accept that any woman would ever let this small seedy man touch them let alone shag them. But seeing McAvoy as Bruce it made more sense..though he's seedy, he's also rather beautiful and compelling. Ewan Bremner and Robert Carlyle have always also been just so talented and have great range. Ewan McGregor did good physical acting in Trainspotting, but he was very much stuck in his period when he regarded saying all lines in a stacatto SHOUT as "acting"...try to watch A Life Less Ordinary if you need further proof. His singing is similar.. he's got a good voice but delivers everything the same way..LOUD. His acting has improved. But he's really not a patch on Bremner, Carlyle or McAvoy. I know Star Wars films aren't famous for dialogue or rich character, but McGregor...did he actually ACT or just say lines aloud? It is good to see Dougray Scott being given the chance to be in something that allows him to properly act. I don't mean histrionic throwing arms about nonsense. He's been wasted and underused for so long.

[@ghost__chips]

those are some good filums

[@butterflymoon6368]

celtic

[@freshpootube]

You can clearly see the moustache hés supposed to have, but refuses to let grow.

[@culloden1745]

Love to know where his hatred for dogs comes from. He kills a lot of dogs for one man.

[@MrTimcurtis]

3:08 subtitles should be burnt weegies not burnt ridges

[@MrTimcurtis]

5:26 *diverting the polis

[@TheNo1red]

Burnt weegies. 😂😂. Brilliant

[@steven_uk]

Irvine Welsh? Had it. Lost it.

[@jono77]

Did he say a hundred degrees? Like a yank?

[@wyattbettis1933]

He lives in Florida now

[@overlordnat]

Like all British people above a certain age. Tell my dad the temperature in degrees c and he’ll say “What’s that in old money?” (Or even “What’s that in real money?”).

[@LordSeth-hf8ew]

ah kinda makes sense that he wrote filfth lol, good movie

[@MLB9000]

He’s not Welsh?

[@starkparker16]

The worm eating the words in the novel Filth was shite.

[@OneEyedJack1970]

I found the worm's musings to be quite funny.

[@VersusArdua]

It was pretty novel

[@siobhanstrauss8492]

Ya fooking Bufty 💛 🤔

[@DG-zi8lc]

How could he think McAvoy was a good casting for Robbo ffs

[@laughingatbirds]

Agreed. I didn't buy it at all. Not how I saw the character when reading the book.

[@vasvas8914]

Tbh for such a good -looking and fit guy he did all he could do to be as nasty as possible. But yeah, not exactly the type for Robbo

[@DG-zi8lc]

@@vasvas8914 Agree, he done a good job. Not his fault really but woefully miscast.

[@VersusArdua]

​@@DG-zi8lcI can't disagree more tbh. McAvoy was great as Bruce. Fuck all the casting was on point as far as I'm concerned. Love that movie, one of my favourites

[@wonderwoman5528]

V cheerful bloke

[@septsky98]

trying to listen to him speak... now i understand why he writes the way he does 😂

[@LeslieSeman-j8z]

Marielle River

[@demarcdegasol]

Fillim

[@s_____3913]

Boab?! Is that you?

[@butterflymoon6368]

huh?

[@Simon62861]

Hi. Sponsors contact takeaway management team. 🤸‍♀️😐🤸‍♀️.

[@Chris-bc4ih]

Fuckin Mikey Forester!

[@SeanDee-b6g]

Only users lose drugs

[@utrapzab]

jake ball

[@MrAgbxl]

He wrote one good book, and then proceeded to write it again and again and again. He has remarkably little of interest to say on anything and is almost incoherent.

[@masterknife8423]

I wish he would release an English version of Trainspotting

[@Thepogues-d3j]

Ya wee dafty

[@syncops834]

Soft lad

[@ra-ov2fm]

An English version no thanks

[@billypilgrim1]

wee wanker

[@robbiemontgomery581]

Away an bile yer heid

[@andym28]

For anyone who doesn't know the other books or films apart from trainspotting. Acid House film is crazy v sexy/skanky v funny tragic,(v weird granny pegging her husband and he fantasises saying essen mein scheibe gehen is so hilariously disgusting) decent film trilogy 8/10 Filth Decent bit of a trainspotting pastiche funny weird and tragic bits lol. Great soundtracks7/10 Extacy is the similar themes we'll acted 7/10 Didn't watch Dougrae Scott's film but he was good in Twin Town. All the books are all good easy reads with britpop culture vibes if you can deal with the Edinburgh slang.

[@AlexanderStemkowski]

Whit a load ay bullshit that T2 has turned out to be. Such a great book, such a stupid half-arsed adaptation.

[@billy6044]

Haha u didn’t like their portrayal of unionists I bet

[@AlexanderStemkowski]

@@billy6044 Actually, that was the only made-up episode that made any sense at all. The chase was stupid, the scam was stupid. D. Boyle said that "Porno" was too hard to adapt because it was bad, and then he's replaced a cohesive and witty plot with a lot of unrelated and poorly self-written scenes. The only scene that was truly Trainspottingish- where Rents catches falling Spud. Probably it alone was worth the admission price, the rest was rubbish.

[@Ciaranmch]

Surely this is Donald Trump with the wig off?

[@georgegreig8054]

Hi I'm Irvine Welsh and I'm a one trick pony.

[@Chalky29]

Almost impossible to read if not Scottish

[@mrdth1987]

Just buy the audiobooks. I'm English and had no problem understanding them.

[@helveticaneptune537]

He looks like a bald Donald Trump

[@williambolton4698]

If you can judge a society by the heroes it chooses then there is little hope left for ours. Welsh is an unrepentant sectarian football casual (a casual is a football fan who avoids deliberately identifying himself to the police by wearing his teams colours in order to find opposing fans and initiate street fights with them) who got rich writing about heroin addiction. His team Hibernian is the Edinburgh side supported by the Irish/catholic portion of the population and their rivals, Heart of Midlothian is the team largely supported by non-catholics (welcome to Nicola Sturgeons Scotland everyone. Its almost as bad as Northern Ireland). He is allowed to give further vent to his feelings against "the opposition" in T2 where the film emphasises his contempt for protestant bigots (and we also have plenty of those) but he does it from his own football casual Hibernian psyche which strikes me hypocritical. Penguin's London based literary luvvies obviously treat Welsh like he is a VIP. I don't think anyone will be reading his books in 10 years time.

[@kommissar.murphy]

This sounds like the inner monologue of one of his (admittely rare) Jambo characters, lol.

[@kommissar.murphy]

@@whenisasnakeatail4933 I lived in Leith for a spell, and loved the place and the people. Almost everyone will tell you within a minute of talking to them "I'm not sectarian." It seemed like more of a problem in Glasgow, though, where orange marches and actual murders between football fans were frequent.

[@williambolton4698]

@@kommissar.murphy Given that you were a temporary resident in Leith and very possibly a visitor to Scotland, I take your comments with a pinch of salt. It's very telling that you immediately accuse me of sectarianism and of being a "Jambo" (Heart of Midlothian fan) because I pointed out Welsh's obvious hatred of the people that he views as "the opposition" I'm happy to tell you that I am not a Hearts fan and neither am I a sectarian bigot However, I will point out that anyone who immediately tells you "I'm a Hibs fan but I'm not sectarian" should have raised a red flag or two. The sectarianism which is rife in the Central belt of Scotland is a result of Catholic kids being schooled separately (certainly in the west) but the contagion reaches all over the country. As Welsh illustrates so well, some Catholics hate protestants generally and some Protestants hate Catholics generally and the Scottish Government continues to tolerate this situation. You are wrong about murders at the Old Firm. No-one has been murdered at, or leaving a match since 1999 which isn't anything to boast about but it's hardly frequent.

[@Jenny-zu6nm]

@@williambolton4698tbf though the protagonist in Crime is a hearts supporter? and he's one of the most moral of all of Welsh’s characters (not a high bar but Ray Lennox leaps over it by miles). I think it’s hard to read his work and come away with the impression that he is actively sectarian, many of his characters are, but this is often represented as a character flaw. There are a million problems with Welsh, I love his work but i would never deny that, but the way you're portraying him doesn’t feel 100% accurate. Also, I don't quite understand why him getting "rich writing about heroin addiction" is a bad thing? He certaintly doesn't glorify it lol

[@kommissar.murphy]

​@@williambolton4698 You take my experience with a pinch of salt, but then a few sentences later say "I am not a sectarian bigot...." which was exactly what I was said in the first place..... Maybe someday scottish people will not have to declare their non sectarianism within moments of meeting them, and the world will be at peace with itself...

[@ryanduray1]

If it's not Scottish, it's crap!