Almost a decade since larger-than-life glam-rock enigma Brian Slade disappeared from public eye, an investigative journalist is on assignment to uncover the truth behind his former idol.
| Tagline | Leave your expectations at the door |
| Release Date: | Aug 28, 1998 |
| Genres: | Drama, Music |
| Production Company: | Zenith Entertainment, Killer Films, Single Cell Pictures, Newmarket Capital Group, Goldwyn Films, Miramax, Channel Four Films |
| Production Countries: | United Kingdom, United States of America |
| Casts: | Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Toni Collette, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard, Emily Woof, Michael Feast, Janet McTeer, Mairead McKinley, Luke Morgan Oliver, Osheen Jones |
| Status: | Released |
| Budget: | $9000000 |
| Revenue: | 4300000 |
If you stop for five minutes to actually think about the plot, Velvet Goldmine falls apart, but if you just think about how off-the-charts wonderful all the individual aspects are, you'll be just fine. _Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time._
With the swinging sixties finally on the wane, "Brian Slade" (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is starting to feel redundant. His career seems doomed - until that is, he is inspired by the potency of a "Curt Wild" (Ewan McGregor) concert and like a caterpillar to a butterfly, is reborn as the sexually ambiguous "Maxwell Demon" a glam rock icon inspiring adulation the world over. Just as he reaches his zenith, however, it all ends rather suddenly. Ten years after that shocking performance, journalist "Arthur Stuart" (Christian Bale) decides to investigate just what did happen. Todd Haynes has created quite an hedonistic display for us, here. The three lead performances - especially Meyers - really embrace the ethos of the period. The sex, drugs, rock and roll mentality where anything and everything goes is really well reflected. It's not the characters that let this down, though - it's the shambolic narrative and the initial theme just seems to become subsumed in Haynes' desire to show us something that might have been shocking then, but kind of isn't now. Shades of David Bowie, Elton john, Iggy Pop - you name it; but sadly - very little originality. Still it's enjoyable to watch and the actors keep the whole things suitably messy for what did feel like an over-long 2 hours.
