Renton had swagger of Travolta role

IRVINE Welsh has revealed the opening scene of the film Trainspotting was inspired by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

- BY GEORGE MAIR

The 1996 film adaptation of Welsh's cult novel opens with Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, being chased down Princes Street to the sound of Iggy Pop's Lust for Life.

Welsh, 66, who advised on Danny Boyle's adaptation, said it was inspired by the start of one of his favourite movies, Saturday Night Fever, the disco classic starring Travolta as Brooklyn hardware shop worker Tony Manero.