Five Great Scenes from Danny Boyle Films

Renton ‘Chooses Life’ – Trainspotting (1996)

I could have picked any number of scenes from Trainspotting, one of my favourite films of all time. It nails its colours to the mast with a highly energetic and exciting opening scene that sees Renton (Ewan McGregor) and Spud (Ewen Bremner) do a runner from the police while Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust for Life’ pumps out in the background accompanied with arguably the most famous monologue in recent memory.

However, I’ve decided that the best for its sheer upliftment after an hour and a half of dead babies, psychopathic Scotsmen and heroin usage is the climax. We see Renton finally get away from this life of addiction and choose another path. He can no longer stay with these people and takes the money and runs. Underworld’s ‘Lust for Life’ plays in its entirely as the whole movie is bought to its crescendo. The only dialogue is that of Renton’s narrative, mirroring the opening scene and perfectly bookmarking his journey.

There is tension as Begbie almost wakes up, joy as Spud is left some of the ill-gotten gains, and a sense of justice as the police await outside the door of the flat.

What is intrinsic throughout the wealth of fantastic scenes is the music that accompanies them. Whether that’s Blondie’s ‘Atomic’ in the clubbing scenes, Pulp’s ‘Mile End’ when the action moves to London, or Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ as Renton slowly lets an overdose taken over him.

This final scene is so good that I was anxious what T2 Trainspotting was going to do with the characters, but that is also a fantastic movie.

The Train Montage – Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

The film that won Danny Boyle the Oscar for Best Director has many stand-out moments. Every scene that shows the ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ questioning is fantastic. But for me, the transitional montage where the two young brothers, Jamil and Salim, are trying to make their own way through the slums into prosperity is the pinnacle.

MIA’s terrific ‘Paper Planes’ accompanies the siblings as they try to sell, lie and steal in order to make their way through an unforgiving nation where millions must do the same in order to survive. Superb performances, especially from the local children, and an intriguing opportunity to see an unfamiliar environment, Slumdog certainly deserved every positive criticism and award it received.

Kaneda’s Death – Sunshine (2007)

Possibly Boyle’s most underrated film, Sunshine is his most ambitious and original work. It follows a group of scientists and astronauts tasked with the mission of jumpstarting the dying sun, thereby saving the world from freezing.

A riveting science-fiction, my favourite scene would have to be when Captain Kaneda (Hiroyuki Sanada) lays down his life for the good of the crew. Kaneda and Capa (Cillian Murphy) must repair a portion of the ship’s shield that has sustained damage from the sun. To do this they must embark on a perilous spacewalk. Kaneda’s tragic end comes from his courage. He tells Capa to return to the ship to safety while he conducts the final repairs. As the inevitable draws closer, John Murphy’s masterpiece ‘Surface of the Sun’ becomes louder and more heart-wrenching. And just like that, he’s gone, consumed by the sun’s energy.

Along with the gripping script by Alex Garland and wonderful special effects, Sunshine is a triumph. There is a real sense that this concept, of the sun’s core ceasing to turn, could be happening in the not-too-distant future and this is the approach mankind would take to remedy this. The realism is aided by the scientific advisor being no other than Professor Brian Cox. He also speaks on an audio track on the DVD which is well worth a listen.

The Roommate – Shallow Grave (1994)

Although the finale of Boyle’s first film is pretty special, I didn’t want to include two conclusions so have opted to go for one of the funnier scenes in the list and indeed the film, which becomes very dark.

It is a wonderfully written and directed scene as flatmates, David (Christopher Ecclestone), Alex (Ewan McGregor) and Juliet (Kerry Fox) are auditioning for a new tenant. The irreverent humour sets the tone nicely for the rest of the film as things turn darker and the housemates are plunged deeper into an unfamiliar and unsettling environment, all for the sake of money.

It is an exciting and claustrophobic thriller that asks some interesting questions of its audience. What would we do in this situation? Would we be noble, cunning, deceitful? How far would it go?

Deserted London – 28 Days Later (2002)

Here is probably one of the most iconic scenes from a Danny Boyle film. A highly contagious disease called ‘Rage’ has left the streets of London deserted. This is unknown to Jim (Cillian Murphy) who, recently out of a coma, shouts to no avail. Where is everyone? What has happened?

The whole scene is haunting with the accompanying music helping to emphasise his hopelessness and lack of help. It is a feat of filmmaking that was logistically very difficult. London is one of the busiest cities in the world, so Boyle and his team had about 45 minutes before dawn for a few days to shoot and get everything they wanted for the scene to work.

The film is haunting and beautiful. The rage-infected people are fast and furious. The tension of where they could be leaves you unsettled until you realize that they are not the only things to worry about. You have to look out for the other survivors.