Director's Chair: Danny Boyle

10 months ago 09th Jan 15:40

Danny Boyle shot to fame in 1996 with the release of the gritty movie Trainspotting, an adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel. He returns to the big screen this week with Slumdog Millionaire which is winning over movie audiences and critics.

The Radcliffe born filmmaker began his career in the theatre, after considering going into the priesthood, joining the Joint Stock Theatre Company before going on to the Royal Court Theatre where he took on the role of artistic director from 1982 to 1985.

He moved on to the role of Deputy Director as well as directed five Royal Shakespeare Company productions. He was also working in television during this time directing shows such as Arise And Go Now and Not Even God Is Wise Enough.

However it is on the big screen where he has found fame making his feature film directorial debut in 1994 in the small production Shallow Grave. Set in Edinburgh the black comedy brought together a cast of Ewan McGregor, Christopher and Kerry Fox as roommates.

After finally choosing a forth person to live with they find him dead on the floor with a suitcase full of cash. While trying to remove the body and extricate themselves from the situation, they wade hip-deep into a world of drugs, greed, and madness.

Following that was Boyle's most famous movie Trainspotting which followed a group of heroin addicts in the early nineties in the economically depressed Edinburgh, the film reunited him with actor Ewan McGregor.

The film received universal praise when it was released in the UK however it did cause controversy elsewhere as it was accused of glorifying drug use. It did enjoy some box office success but has since become a cult hit and one of the most influential British movies of all time.