Restless Natives was the tale of two modern highwaymen that was brought to life by an atmospheric soundtrack from Big Country.
The movie was released in June 1985.
It has become a cult classic.
The Dunfermline band provided the musical backdrop for the story of Edinburgh teenagers Ronnie and Will, who become the Clown and the Wolfman.
Will and Ronnie are bored with their dead-end jobs and set off for the Highlands with a motorbike and some masks from the joke shop to rob coachloads of tourists.
Vincent Friell played Will and Joe Mullaney was Robert.
Friell became well known in these parts for his work with Dundee Rep.
The Clown and the Wolfman, armed with a puffer gun, become national heroes when they start distributing their booty to the poor, like Robin Hood.
But not everyone is a fan.
The local police are determined to apprehend the unruly youths.
The supporting cast included Superman actor Ned Beatty as a CIA agent.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie features a police chase down The Mound in Edinburgh to the pulsating title track from Big Country.
The band had been on the road and in the studio for nearly three years when Stuart Adamson was approached to write the soundtrack in the autumn of 1984.
Adamson’s song writing was at its peak at this stage.
Second album Steeltown had gone straight in at Number 1 after being released on October 19 and knocked U2’s The Unforgettable Fire from the summit.
Adamson read the script and liked the two main characters, before accepting the offer from director Michael Koffman and producer Rick Stevenson.
Big Country were at their ‘musical peak’
Long-time fan Andy Inkster, a voice of authority on Big Country, said Restless Natives “made the most of the band’s signature sound, rhythmic power, and distinctly Scottish emotional resonance”.
“While all of the band’s music up until this point painted pictures in our heads of stories, landscapes, battles and storms, this was all new,” he said.
“This time, the stories, pictures and landscapes were right in front of us and all that was needed was a suitable accompaniment.
“The fact it went far beyond that speaks volumes for the talent of the writing.
“The soundtrack is alternately whimsical, melancholic, and heroic, perfectly mirroring the mood of the film and reinforcing its Scottish pride.
Big Country’s impact on Restless Natives was immeasurable,” Andy Inkster.
“Big Country’s signature sound blurred the lines between rock, folk, and cinematic scoring, paving the way for how Scottish identity could be expressed through modern music – something that was very much at the forefront of the writing process for the band’s next album, The Seer.
“It’s not just music from a film, it’s a time capsule that captured a mood, a people, and a longing for something more.
“These themes had long been the mantra of the band’s work.”
Andy said there is a strong argument that the Restless Natives soundtrack “captured Big Country at the peak of their game”.
“It stands as a testament to how Big Country’s music merged so seamlessly with the story to create something with such distinct pride: Scottish pride,” he said.
“Big Country’s impact on Restless Natives was immeasurable.
“The film would never have worked so well without Big Country’s score.
“It needed Big Country and, as it turned out, Big Country needed Restless Natives.”
A close encounter with Steven Spielberg
The movie was shown in cinemas in Dundee, Glenrothes, Perth and St Andrews.
It owed much of its box-office success to Adamson’s exhilarating score.
Steven Spielberg agreed.
The acclaimed director had a close encounter with the son of Crossgates in 1987.
Adamson was approached to write the soundtrack for Three O’Clock High.
It was a co-production between Spielberg and TV mega mogul Aaron Spelling.
Adamson opened up about being approached by the filmmakers in a forgotten interview from June 1987 which has been uncovered from the archives.
“I’ve got to sit down and watch the film through,” he said.
“I’m flattered that we should have been asked to do it.
“Working on a movie presents a great challenge to your song writing skills.
“You can’t just sit down and knock out a few nice tunes.
“The pictures are already there, and you have to strive to create the right mood and atmosphere to complement what is happening on screen.
“A lot of film-makers have approached us but we’ve been very choosy.
“Too many just want a hit single to promote their movie and nothing more.”
Adamson insisted it was not about making money.
“If we had to list our priorities, business would come bottom,” he said.
“I find it very sad that so many bands have become so business-orientated.”
What happened next remains a mystery
Three O’Clock High was made by Universal Pictures.
Spielberg took his name off the credits after seeing the final cut.
He was reportedly disappointed with the dark style of the high-school comedy.
Adamson only wrote one song, in the end.
It was not used in the film and that was later cited as the reason for Big Country signing a US recording contract with Warner Bros, which was a rival studio.
Mystery still surrounds what the song was.
Restless Natives was not the only movie soundtrack to make use of Big Country.
A snippet of the 1982 B-side Balcony was used in the 1984 movie Against All Odds.
A 1987 film called Private Investigations used Hold the Heart from The Seer.
It could have been more.
Big Country were to supply songs to Hollywood movies on two other occasions.
All Fall Together was recorded for Streets of Fire in 1984 starring Willem Dafoe.
Made in Heaven was recorded for the 1987 movie of the same name.
Neither were used, which was probably a good thing.
Both movies bombed at the box-office.
The songs survived.
All Fall Together became the B-side on the 1984 Wonderland single.
B-side Made in Heaven appeared on Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys) in 1988.
More recently 1983’s In A Big County featured on the Air soundtrack, which was the 2023 movie about the story of Nike recruiting basketball star Michael Jordan.
And as for the Clown and the Wolfman?
They are riding again in a new stage adaptation and a new generation is discovering the timeless magic of Restless Natives and Big Country.
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