Some of the greatest movies ever made have been set in the beautiful landscape of Scotland. Some stories tell the tale of epic battles between differing armies. Others tell the story of battles within the human body.
There has been a push for more films to set and shot in Scotland. Films like World War Z, The Kings Speech and Conviction had portions of the end product shot in the beautiful landscape.
Investors have even seen a push in promotion of the Scottish film industry. A Scottish based fund was created in 2012 to support high budget films with up to £20 million.
Here are some of the best
Braveheart
Perhaps the most famous film featuring Scotland, Mel Gibson’s 1995 epic Braveheart remains the actors most acclaimed film as director.
Braveheart tells the tale of William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence. While the script has been criticized for embellishing the details of the actual historical events, the film was nominated for 10 academy awards and took home the prize for Best Picture, and Best Director.
Highlander
One of the most iconic films from the ‘80s, Highlander features stunning shots of the Scottish landscape and an incredible soundtrack by Queen.
The film tells the story of Connor Macleod a man born in 16th century Scotland who somehow remains alive until 1980’s New York. Highlander juxtaposes Connor’s life in twentieth-century America and sixteenth-century Scotland.
Connor is an immortal who battles against others of his species but as we all know, “There can only be one.”
Trainspotting
One of the most harrowing films ever made, not because there are decapitations and violence but because the subject matter. Trainspotting follows Renton and his group of close friends who all suffer from heroin addiction.
Trainspotting shows the seedy underbelly of Scotland’s junkies and it’s a better anti-drug PSA than anything on television.
