Edinburgh Napier University

  This is a study of the feature film 'Local Hero', written and directed by Bill Forsyth, and is one of a series of study guides for secondary school pupils and students in further education.
'Local Hero', released in 1983, is one of the most important and influential films ever made in Scotland. The film brought writer/director Bill Forsyth together with producer David Puttnam. Forsyth had begun to establish himself with two low-budget independent films, 'That Sinking Feeling' (1979) and 'Gregory’s Girl' (1981). 'Local Hero' gave him an opportunity to work with a major American star, Burt Lancaster, and with a significantly larger budget. Almost singlehandedly Forsyth created a viable feature film industry in Scotland. The film had a huge influence on a generation of Scottish actors, writers, directors and producers, because it demonstrated that a home-grown production could gain international recognition and success. This Scot Note tells the story of the making of the film, outlines how it draws on Scottish film culture, and outlines the impact which it had on the Scottish film industry.