In the quiet western corner of Arbuthnott village churchyard near Inverbervie stands a memorial to one of Scotland’s classic novelists.
It’s a tribute to Sunset Song author Lewis Grassic Gibbon, which was the pseudonym of James Leslie Mitchell, and stands just half a mile from the Grassic Gibbon Centre, established in Arbuthnott in 1991 to commemorate the author’s life.
A lesser known fact is that just up the road, beyond the Laes of Arbuthnott, Mitchell grew up on the farm known as The Gobbs.
Now, with the release of a new screen adaptation of Sunset Song being released at UK cinemas on Friday December 4, tourism chiefs are hoping that the area can benefit from a new influx of visitors.
A second boost is also being predicted from the release this week of Victor Frankenstein, filmed at nearby Dunnottar Caslte.
Born in Auchterless, and raised in Arbuthnott, James Leslie Mitchell started working as a journalist for the Aberdeen Journal and the Scottish Farmer at age 16. He began writing full-time in 1929, but it was his trilogy entitled A Scots Quair, and in particular its first book Sunset Song, with which he made his mark.
A Scots Quair, with its combination of stream-of-consciousness and lyrical use of dialect, is considered to be among the defining works of 20th century Scottish Renaissance. It tells the story of Chris Guthrie, a young woman growing up in the north-east of Scotland in the early 20th century.
The Aberdeenshire locations featured in the big-screen adaptation of Sunset Song are being highlighted in a new movie map produced by VisitScotland.
The national tourism organisation has teamed up with Metrodome, the film’s distributors, to produce the map, which is available in VisitScotland information centres throughout the region.
Terence Davies’s acclaimed version of the classic tale got its Scottish premiere in Edinburgh on November 11 ahead of the UK launch today. The film’s producer is Bob Last from Dundee.
As well as highlighting the filming locations, which include Fettercairn, Glen Tanar Estate and Arbuthnott Church, the publication also points visitors in the direction of the Grassic Gibbon Centre and other locations with a connection to the novel. It also provides details on the author and explains why Sunset Song continues to be compulsive reading.
Philip Smith, VisitScotland’s regional director for Aberdeen City and shire, said:“It is wonderful that the beauty of rural Aberdeenshire has been captured on film in Sunset Song. Our locations map will allow visitors to explore these amazing landscapes and also learn more about the region that inspired one of this country’s most enduring works of literature.
“Aberdeenshire’s stunning film locations are truly coming to the fore. Not only do they play a key role in our new publication Set in Scotland: A Film Fan’s Odyssey but, with upcoming titles such as Victor Frankenstein and Whisky Galore also being filmed here, the region’s cinematic stock is continuing to rise, making it an even more popular destination among set-jetters.”
Meanwhile, it’s hoped that the release of another major Hollywood movie this week could lead to a monster rise in the number of visitors to another attraction, just a few miles up the coast from Arbuthnott.
VisitScotland says Dunnottar Castle’s starring role in 20th Century Fox’s Victor Frankenstein, which stars James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, will inspire even more people to visit the historic Aberdeenshire property.
The castle is no stranger to movie fame, previously serving as the chief inspiration for Merida’s family home in Disney-Pixar’s Brave in 2012 and also doubling as Elsinore in Franco Zefferrelli’s 1990 adaptation of Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson.
In 2013, Dunnottar was shortlisted for the title of ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ in a global competition organised by Virtual Tourist.
Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Dunnottar Castle’s awe-inspiring clifftop setting is a magnet for film-makers and visitors alike. Set-jetting, where people visit the shooting locations of their favourite movies, is big business, so Dunnottar’s role in Victor Frankenstein is further great news for a fantastic visitor attraction which also features in our new film locations guide Set in Scotland: A Film Fan’s Odyssey. I’m sure its thrilling role in Victor Frankenstein could lead a monster rise in visitor numbers.”
Jim Wands, custodian at Dunnottar Castle, said: “All the staff here are excited to see our beautiful castle on the big screen. The film trailer features a quick shot of it, and the stunning location really adds to the dark atmosphere of the film. We are sure it will bring many visitors to ‘Frankenstein’s Castle’ and to the wider Stonehaven area.”
Councillor David Aitchison, chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, said: “The benefits of this film to Aberdeenshire are wide-ranging. From the attraction of tourists to Dunnottar Castle and the wider Stonehaven area to building on the momentum of films set in the area and supported by the council’s film officer.
“The Frankenstein film and book have strong links to Scotland through the locations as well as through author Mary Shelley, who lived in Dundee.”
Tourism bosses say the release of Victor Frankenstein further cements Aberdeenshire’s strong ties with Gothic fiction, with the Cruden Bay castles of Ecclesgreig and New Slains said to have inspired Bram Stoker during the writing of Dracula.