Velvet Goldmine

views updated

Velvet Goldmine ★★ 1998 (R)

Director Haynes takes on the excesses of the ‘70s British glam-rock era. In 1984, journalist Arthur Stuart (Bale) is assigned to write a “Whatever Happened to” article on the 10-year disappearance of vanished superstar Brian Slade (Rhys Meyers as a cross between TRex's Marc Bolan and a Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie). This leads fan Arthur to Slade's viperish exwife Mandy (Collette) and his exmanager Jerry Divine (Izzard). But Arthur discovers the most important relationship in Brian's life was to self-destructive cult idol Curt Wild (MacGregor, channelling Iggy Pop). The flamboyant duo had an equally flamboyant affair that eventual lead to a downward spiral for them both. The story might be average but the visuals are spectacular and MacGregor, especially, is mesmerizing. 120m/C VHS, DVD . GB Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard, Emily Woof, Michael Feast; D: Todd Haynes; W: Todd Haynes; C: Maryse Alberti; M: Carter Burwell. British Acad. ‘98: Costume Des.; Ind. Spirit ‘99: Cinematog.