Velvet Goldmine (1998)

Director:

Todd Haynes

Writers:

James Lyons (story) and
Todd Haynes (story) ...

Release Date:

6 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

Leave your exceptions at the door

Plot:

In 1984, British newspaper reporter Arthur Stuart is investigating the career of 1970s glam rock star Brian Slade...

Plot Keywords:

1970s | Glam Rock | Reporter | Male Full Frontal Nudity | Journalism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

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 (voice)
Mairead McKinley	...	Wilde Housemaid (as Maraid McKinley)
Luke Morgan Oliver	...	Oscar Wilde, 8
Osheen Jones	...	Jack Fairy, 7
Micko Westmoreland	...	Jack Fairy
Damian Suchet	...	BBC Reporter
Danny Nutt	...	Kissing Sailor
Wash Westmoreland	...	Young Man

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and drug use.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | UK:18 (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 (video rating) (1999) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Croydon, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

The Curt Wild character is mainly inspired by David Bowie's relationship with two American 1960's underground rockers whose careers Bowie resurrected, 'Iggy Pop(I)' and Lou Reed. Iggy Pop hailed from Michigan and shared Wild's long blond locks, while Reed underwent shock therapy for bisexuality as a teen and was rumored to have had an affair with Bowie before their falling out after Bowie produced Reed's album Transformer. Much central to the film is fictionalized such as the mythical, mysterious decade-long disappearance of "Slade", although he reincarnated himself as Tommy Stone, a blonde with a white suit (the 'thin white duke'). Bowie wasn't as huge of a star as Slade is depicted here and never withdrew for so long from the public-eye as did the film's character.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Brian is onstage at the Sombrero Club and the members of the audience are clapping along with him to the music, the motions of their hands do not match the rhythm in the music.

Quotes:

Reporter: So you're saying you're bisexual?
Guy: Yeah, I like boys and girls, they're all great! There's really no difference is there? Mr. BBC.

Movie Connections:

References Flaming Creatures (1963)

Soundtrack:

T.V. Eye

the glitter of Velvet Goldmine

There is something about this movie that entrances people. Its about the death of Glam Rock, and even though this is a weird premise the stories of how one person changed the lives of many beautiful people without even being aware of it is mesmerizing...on top of that you get a guilty pleasure out of all the make-up, sex, and extremely bizarre music. In this David Bowiesque film, there's romance, music, Oscar Wilde, aliens, and Ewan McGregor with an American accent. I own it, love it, and play the soundtrack in my car without any inhibitions. Christian Bale is a journalist attempting to figure out where his once-upon-a-time hero/rock-star Brian Slade (Meyers) disappeared after a fake death ten years prior. During his search he encounters an old lover of Slade's who weaves the story of the singer's beginnings, and Brian's American ex-wife who remembers of his bitter end. All of this is summed up with Curt Wild (Mcgregor)This movie claims to be about Brian Slade, but it's about the people he left in his wake.