Irvine Welsh's cult novel about Edinburgh junkies was brought to
the screen with a pre-Star Wars Ewan McGregor making heroin look
just a little bit too cool, despite the vomit, needles, and dirty
toilet bowls.
The film launched the career of Robert 'Full Monty' Carlyle (as
psychotic drunk Begbie) and helped set an enduring trend for lads
other than fascists and gay men to wear very short-cropped hair.
Musically, it also relaunched Lou Reed and Iggy Pop's UK careers
and spawned cult dance hit Born Slippy.