The Film That Changed Scottish Cinema Turns 40

In the realm of Scottish cinema, there are few images more iconic than the red telephone box that stands tall by the beach in the village of Ferness in Local Hero. The film is one of the true foundations of 20th century pop culture in Scotland, a hugely influential comedy that redefined an entire nation to the rest of the world. Its legacy has long been secured thanks to a Criterion Collection release, a stage musical adaptation and even a minor planet named after one of its characters. One could argue that it’s the most important Scottish film ever made, and certainly one of the most beloved. The path it paved for our nation’s cultural output is all too easy to downplay.