VELVET GOLDMINE
UK/US, 1998, 123 minutes, Colour.
Ewan Mc Gregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Toni Collette, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard, Emily Wolf, Michael Feast.
Directed by Todd Haynes.
Velvet Goldmine is a memoir and a tribute to the sex, drugs and rock and roll era that was led in the early 80s by Iggy Pop and David Bowie's character, Ziggy Stardust. The co-writer-director is Todd Haynes, who made such art films as Poison and Safe and went on to achieve great critical success with his tribute to Douglas Sirk-style melodrama of the 50s in Far from Heaven.
Unless one is a fan, this film is difficult to take and often hard to follow. It is full of the atmosphere of the period, especially the outlandish and bizarre stage performances. Ewan Mc Gregor and Jonathan Rhys -Meyers are the two cult singers whose careers are destroyed.
The strength of the film comes from its rather Citizen Kane-like structure with Christian Bale as a devotee of the artists, admiring them for their music, also fascinated in a homoerotic way. His journalistic research means that the audience is taken back into a past which is being interpreted by many of the characters and may not be exactly true. This is particularly the case with the character played by Toni Collette, the wife of one of the artists. Toni Collette, as always, gives a very striking performance as we trace her character from ingenuous devotion to her husband to a rather cynical memoir of the times. Velvet Goldmine will probably become a cult film for its specialised audience.
1. A portrait of England in the `70s? The glam-rock phenomenon? David Bowie, Iggy Pop and the various glam-rock groups of the period? Their impact at the time, later?
2. The re-creation of Britain in the `70s? London, homes? Clubs and theatres? The US and newspaper offices, theatres and clubs?
3. The musical score, the music of the times? The songs created in the likeness of glam-rock? The musical score?
4. The title, the reference to a David Bowie song? The symbols of the title referring to the glamour, wealth and dreams of glam-rock?
5. The prologue and Oscar Wilde in Ireland, the boy's ambitions, wanting to be a pop star? The jewel, its going to Jack Fairy in England 100 years later? Jack as a little boy, going to the pantomime, seeing the actors and their sexual actions? His impersonations of Little Richard? His growing up to be a glam-rock star? His presence, appearance, clothes, style? His collaboration with Curt Wild? Their concert together?
6. The structure of the film: the Citizen Kane investigation about the truth of a celebrity? The journalist and his commission, searching out the witnesses, relying on his memories? His own personal dreams, love of the music, glam-rock style, sexuality, encounter with Curt Wild? His own personal struggles, his memories, his parents, his shame? Glam-rock giving him an identity? His work in the US? His interviews with Cecil, understanding the early years of Brian Slade? The discussions with Mandy? Trying to get in touch with Curt Wild? His question of Stone at the press conference? The final chance encounter with Wild and seeing the ordinariness of him? The truth? In the light of his own personal encounter and sexuality? His solving the puzzle about Brian Slade?
7. Brian Slade as a phenomenon, his Birmingham origins and name? His first songs in the club, Cecil and his friends and becoming the manager? Mandy and her introductions? His hair, clothes? Singing in the park and the homophobic reactions? The beginning of his career, in a dress, singing, recording? The fans? The opening with his being shot - the drama (and Arthur being there) and the later revelation that it was a hoax? The encounter with Jerry Divine, his heartless dropping of Cecil, going to Eddie as his manager? Successes, failures? Shannon and her role in his management, sexual liaisons? Managing him as Stone? The early life, glamour, marriage, support of Mandy? The alienation from her? Sexual promiscuity? The encounter with Curt Wild, the relationship? Mandy's observations about this? Mandy leaving him? His going downhill, the clashes with Curt Wild and the failure of the recordings? His disappearance? Glimpsed at Wild's concert? Reinventing himself as Stone - the same artificial personality?
8. Curt Wild and his background, electric shock treatment, rock star? His outrageous performance, nudity, sexuality, energy, violence? His relationship with Brian, the liaison? Their work together, life together? Curt and the failure of his record? The final concert with Jack Fairy? Disappearing - and being found by Arthur in the bar? His final comments - and not remembering Arthur and their relationship?
Jerry Divine as manager, ego, pushing Slade, the failures and his giving him up? Shannon, relationships and her staying with him?
9. Cecil and his group, managing Slade at a local level but unable to sustain the attack of Jerry Divine?
10. The staging of the musical numbers, the re-creation of the era, the fans, the performances, the music? The range of bands and their styles - modelled on David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Roxy Music and other groups?
11. Themes of truth and lies? Reality and fantasy? Inventing identities and personalities? Show business, the media and the reports, the role of the fans? The glam-rock phenomenon as a means and a catalyst for a transition from the `60s to the `70s and then to the groups of the `80s?
12. The musical perspective? The themes of freedom of behaviour? Sexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality? Symbols of the struggle for identity and freedom? As a British phenomenon, American phenomenon, world-wide phenomenon?
