Alasdair Gray was one of Scotland’s most distinctive talents. A Glaswegian artist and writer, he celebrated his native city in tales that combined fantasy with dark urban realism and in paintings that evoked civic life in vivid detail.
He authored Lanark, which is considered one of the top British novels of the 20th century. He also embellished numerous bars, restaurants, and stations in the city with his unique murals, and served as an inspiration for a new wave of Scottish writers such as Iain Banks and Irvine Welsh.
Novelist Ali Smith describes him as a contemporary version of William Blake. Sorcha Dallas, caretaker of the Alasdair Gray Archive, compares him to literary icons such as Charles Dickens in London and James Joyce in Dublin when it comes to his significance in Glasgow.
Gray, who passed away in 2019, has not been fully recognized outside of Scotland. His unique perspective and style were distinctly Scottish. However, there is hope for a change with the announcement that his work will be adapted into a major film in 2024. The book Poor Things, which won Gray the Whitbread award and the Guardian fiction prize in 1992, will be directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his previous films The Lobster and The Favourite.
The second person’s qualifications are impressive as Poor Things is a highly complex novel: a feminist adaptation of Frankenstein set in the Victorian era, which also features satirical commentary on 19th-century literature, imperialism, and medical ethics. Furthermore, Gray skillfully weaves Bella Baxter’s story of rebirth with real-life locations. Bella’s residence is identified as 18 Park Circus, an actual street address, and her wedding takes place at Lansdowne church. The book even includes maps and drawings of Glasgow, many of which were created by Gray himself, to aid readers in navigating his imaginative plot. Poor Things is infused with the essence of Glasgow.
However, the movie itself remains unchanged. During its debut at the London Film Festival in October, it became apparent that director Lanthimos had removed any references to the city and replaced them with a peculiar steampunk version of London. For some, it may feel like watching The Lord of the Rings without Middle Earth or Titanic without the infamous iceberg.
Gavin Lundy, from the YouTube channel Ossian Scotland, emphasizes the following point in his video titled “The Poor Things Problem”: The book is a distinctively Glaswegian and Scottish creation. However, the issue lies in the fact that it was not filmed in Glasgow or Scotland, and not a single member of the main cast is Scottish.
Lanthimos explains that it would have been insincere for him, as a Greek, to create a film about Scotland. Producers Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe also mention that focusing the film solely on Bella Baxter’s viewpoint, portrayed by Emma Stone, required some changes such as setting the film in London instead of Glasgow. However, they assure that Willem Dafoe’s character, Godwin Baxter, remains a Glaswegian scientist. They state that the adaptation stays faithful to the essence of Alasdair’s work.
The outcome is a captivating and exhilarating film that was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival. Stone’s portrayal of Bella has also been recognized as a potential contender for an Oscar in March. Peter Bradshaw from the Guardian praised her performance as “amazing and hilarious.”
The response from audiences upon the release of the film in British cinemas on January 12 is uncertain. It is expected that Glasgow and Gray will continue to play minor roles. The city is primarily known for being a budget-friendly stand-in for American cities with similar architectural and street layouts. It has been used as a substitute for Philadelphia in World War Z, New York in the latest Indiana Jones movie, and San Francisco in Cloud Atlas. However, it has not made a significant impact on its own, except for the rare instance of the sci-fi film Under the Skin, featuring Scarlett Johansson.
Glasgow is still a mystery in terms of its artistic significance, as highlighted by Gray himself. One character in Lanark expresses, “Glasgow is a truly remarkable city, but why do we often fail to notice that? Perhaps because no one can envision living here. Consider Florence, Paris, London, and New York. Visitors to these cities are never strangers because they have already experienced them through paintings, novels, history books, and films. However, if a city has not been captured by an artist, even its residents cannot imagine living there.”
Gray started filling in the gap by creating books and paintings, establishing a spot for Glasgow on the global literary and artistic landscapes. While the movie adaptation of Poor Things may have hindered this progress, according to biographer Rodge Glass, it will soon get back on course. Glass states, “If even a small percentage of viewers of Poor Things end up reading the book, that translates to thousands of individuals who may have had limited knowledge about Glasgow or Gray gaining newfound insight about the city and the man. That is undoubtedly beneficial.”
Gray’s incredible body of work and his ties to his hometown are on display in his archive. The archive is located in a former whisky warehouse on the Forth and Clyde canal, and the main room showcases the desk and chair where he created his written and painted works. According to Dallas, these items used to be the centerpiece of Gray’s small flat in Hillhead, where he chose to live and work in poverty.
He placed little importance on money and would often create his murals, at different bars and locations, in exchange for food and drinks. When he did have money, he would frequently give it away. Gray generously donated a large amount, which he had received as a literary award, to support miners who were on strike. He also assisted many emerging Scottish writers in getting their work published.
Spread throughout the space are the small, seemingly insignificant objects that belonged to Gray, a self-proclaimed “chubby, bespectacled, balding, aging pedestrian from Glasgow who made his living by writing and designing books, mostly fiction.” Among these items is a slip of paper placed inside copies of his book Unlikely Stories, Mostly, bearing the words “This slip has been placed here in error.” Stacks of his books sit next to his beloved dishes, while shelves display his paintings, drawings, typographical ventures, and various other personal trinkets.
The archive offers a Poor Things Trail for those interested in exploring the true Glaswegian origins of his creations. The trail starts at Lansdowne parish church on Glasgow’s Great Western Road, where Bella’s wedding was interrupted on Christmas Day 1883. The church now serves as a theater, and during a conversation about removing Glasgow and Gray from the film, staff expressed their disapproval with a strong reaction.
Continuing down the path, guests arrive at Park Circus, where opulent townhouses tower over the West End of the city. This is where Bella’s initial residence was located. Continuing westward, the trail leads to Byres Road, home to the Ubiquitous Chip restaurant, as well as the bar and auditorium Óran Mór, both of which feature displays of Gray’s murals. As Monica Callaghan, a trustee of the archive and member of Glasgow University, states, “Alasdair’s presence is deeply ingrained in the physical structures of this city.”
Glass is hopeful about the impact of the film’s release on Gray’s reputation. There have been approximately 30 film adaptations of Alice in Wonderland, the first being a silent film. This demonstrates that no film can be considered the ultimate version. Poor Things centers around conflicting narratives, making it more probable that there will be future adaptations. Perhaps someone may even create a Scottish version out of frustration.
Plans were previously arranged to shoot Poor Things in Scotland two decades ago, but the endeavor was unsuccessful. Glass suggests that it is worth considering why Poor Things was not produced in this location initially.
Source: theguardian.com
