Velvet Goldmine

Velvet Goldmine 1998

• Director: Todd Haynes
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Ewan MacGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Toni Collette, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard, Emily Woof, Michael Feast
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Ewan MacGregor – Trainspotting 2,Our Kind of Traitor, Mortdecai, August Osage County, Jack the Giant Slayer, The Impossible, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Perfect Sense, The Ghost Writer, The Island, Star Wars, Big Fish, Young Adam, Moulin Rouge, Little Voice, A Life Less Ordinary, Brassed Off, Trainspotting, Shallow Grave
• Jonathan Rhys Meyer – Bend It Like Beckham, Titus, Michael Collins
• Toni Collette – Hereditary, A Long Way Down, Imperium, Mental, Fright Night, The Dead Girl, Little Miss Sunshine, In Her Shoes, The Hours, About a Boy, Changing Lanes, Hotel Splendide, Muriel’s Wedding
• Christian Bale – The Batman Trilogy, Public Enemies, Terminator Salvation, The Prestige, Eqiulibrium, American Psycho, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Little Women, The Prince of Jylland, Swing Kids, Henry V
• Eddie Izzard – Victoria and Abdul, Valkyria, Across the Universe, Romance & Cigarettes
• Emily Woof – The Full Monty, Middlemarch
• Michael Feast – Sleepy Hollow
• Why? The cast
• Seen: Once before. Now 17 January 2020      

       Brian Slade (Rhys Meyers) is a glam rock star. Arthur (Bale) is a fanatic fan in the audience at the Lyceum in London when Slade (who had predicted it) is assassinated on stage. But it’s a hoax.

       Ten years later Arthur is a journalist in New York and asked by his boss to make a program about it. He remembers.

       You remember, right? Glitter, shiny, wild clothing, androgynous, bi-sexual, gay, make-up. Glam.

       Arthur researches the story behind Brian Slade and finds the history of glam rock and its rival, garage rock in the form of Curt Wild (MacGregor). It’s all very glamourous, decadent, sleazy, cynical, money-making and sad.

       The film is very artistic and surrealistic, more interesting than emotionally captivating, more puzzling than provocative. The first time we saw this I don’t think we’d ever seen these fabulous actors but no wonder I found the film so strong then. I don’t know which one is best here, MacGregor, Bale or Collette.

       How sad and grim is the world of glamour.

4 * of 5 (Hal says 2 ½ *)