Cinema surveillance images are loading at the bottom of the page
Velvet goldmine
Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities
Movie propaganda
1971: Glam rock explodes on the world, challenging the sincerity and machismo of the flower generation with glitter and savage sounds.
At the centre is Brian Slade. Turning mods and rockers on their heads, he takes the UK by storm, inspiring countless teenage boys and girls to paint their nails and explore their sexuality. Slade finally devours himself. Unable to escape the persona he has created, he stages a fake assassination. When his fans find out, his star falls into oblivion...
Target demographic movie keyword propaganda
- Film UK glam rock music star sexuality seventies 70s drugs sex stage persona
Persons of interest
- Ewan McGregor .... Curt Wild
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers .... Brian Slade
- Christian Bale .... Arthur Stuart
- Toni Collette .... Mandy Slade
- Eddie Izzard .... Jerry Devine
- Emily Woof .... Shannon
- Michael Feast .... Cecil
- Janet McTeer .... Female Narrator
- Luke Morgan Oliver .... Oscar Wilde, 8
- Osheen Jones .... Jack Fairy, 7
- Micko Westmoreland .... Jack Fairy
- Don Fellows .... Lou
- Ganiat Kasumu .... Mary
- Ray Shell .... Murray
- Alastair Cumming .... Tommy Stone
- Jim Whelan .... Mr Stuart
- Sylvia Grant .... Mrs Stuart
- James Lyons .... Storywriter
- Todd Haynes .... Storywriter
- Todd Haynes .... Screenwriter
- Todd Haynes .... Director
Cinematic intelligence sources
- Awards and film festivals:
- Toronto International Film Festival 2006: Dialogues: Talking with pictures
Intelligence analyst
Special Agent Matti
Theatrical report
This is probably the hardest film I have ever had to review.
To start on a positive note, the opening and closing credits are just brilliant: evocative and entertaining. But, there is so much glam rock that I got a brain overload. The (intended) impenetrability of the narrative doesn't help any, either. Part rockumentary, part investigative reporter, part music video, part acid trip, part Mardi Gras, Velvet goldmine chases its own tail and loses something in the process.
Which is not to say that it's a bad film, just that it's bloody hard to watch.
The things that make it easier are the two lead men, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Brian Slade and Ewan McGregor as his American inspiration, Curt Wild. Jonathon is perfectly cast as the cute yet cold androgyne rock star - male yet female, outrageous yet reserved. Ewan absolutely goes off as the messed-up, hard-living Kurt Cobain look-alike (so similar it's scary). His vocals (they both sing all their songs in the film) and stage performances are astounding. And he has a big dick! Christian Bale as journalist Arthur Stuart is suitably introverted, repressed and tenacious. Toni Collette plays Brian's wife like the complete nutter she is.
The locations, costumes, make-up and styling goes off with a sense of drab and glamour, capturing the period and the movement perfectly.
So if you were there, or you always liked the music, or you have a spare trip to use up before the end of the year, this is a film worth watching, but not something you'd want to see at random.
Security censorship classification
MA 15+ (Drug use, sexual references)
Surveillance time
123 minutes (2:03 hours)
Not for public release in Australia before date
Film: 4 November 1998
Cinema surveillance images
