Customer Reviews

Velvet Goldmine [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I think this is a very good movie. The actors are amazing especially Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Christian Bale.Ewan McGregor is also very good in this movie, but what makes the movie stand out are Jonathan and Christian. The music though is the thing that makes the movie great and even though Jonathan isnt singing some of the songs you can feel the song through him.

I really, really wanted to like this movie. I read very mixed things, yet still it would NOT deter me. I suppose after recently viewing "Far From Heaven," and seeing Todd Haynes' name attached to this, I had my expectations way too high.

Style in the fim is cool, but the opening title sequence reminds me of what didn't quite make the cut of the first Austin Powers flick.

The main issue for me was that I didn't really feel for any of the characters. They all seemed like one dimensional charicatures.

Never did I feel the soul behind Brian Slade (his inspirations, his songwriting, his artisitic process -- isn't that a big part of a musician?!) All I know is he's a guy that likes to perform in flamboyant clothing, with no reference to where his music is really coming from. And the music wasn't terribly inspiring either. And I never forgot he is lip syncing.

Toni Colette did a good job, but the filmmakers never have enough consideration to explain why her accent vacillates from British to American throughout the film. (Is it for publicity? No one is telling me) Anyway, she was probably the best in the film. Ewan did what he could with the material.

And there are some "Citizen Cane" references, but there's no Rosebud, and at least I cared about Cane.

So cut to the bottom lines:

1) If you want to see a brilliant Todd Haynes film, see "Far From Heaven"

2) If you want to see a brilliant glam rock film with a killer sounftrack, great production, and some SOUL, see "Hedwig & The Angry Inch"

3)If you want to see Ewan McGregor nude, see "The Pillow Book"

I don't often write reviews on Amazon, but I wanted to write one in defense of Velvet Goldmine because I have read some very bad reviews (see below). A lot of reviewers (particularly those who lived during, or are big fans of, the 70s glam rock era) seem to be insulted by the film's obvious parallels to the David Bowie/Iggy Pop story. Well, to those people I say, "Get over yourselves!" Of course the story is based on Bowie. Everybody knows that. I mean, Bowie himself was approached to be a part of the movie, but declined. That's why ultimately it became a fictional story loosely based on Bowie. And I emphasize "loosely based" because that is the main point of my defense: Velvet Goldmine is a fictional story, and therefore it owes no allegiance to Bowie or anyone else. Who says that someone can't take Bowie's story, twist it up, embellish it, and maybe even defile it a little? No one, that's who. Todd Haynes deserves credit for making this story his own, even if he did happen to leave traces of Bowie all over the place.

My advice to anyone who has seen or intends to see Velvet Goldmine is this: don't take it too seriously. It doesn't even take itself seriously, so why should you?

Aside from the fun story, this movie is also worth loving just for the FABULOUS soundtrack. The movie is filled with some real treasures from the 70's (from Slade to Eno to T-Rex to Steve Harley). There are also a variety of 70's covers and even some original songs. I would argue that every last one of them is fantastic.

And if you can't bring yourself to love the story or the music, then how about all the heart-stoppingly gorgeous boys who strut around in make-up and tight pants? They're worth every minute. And when they're not busy strutting around in tight pants, they're either kissing each other or singing fabulously. What more could you possibly ask for?

I couldn't recommend Velvet Goldmine strongly enough. Just take it for what it is and you will have a great time!

This movie is so bad I felt like being sick. It tells the story of Brian Slade (a.k.a "Maxwell Demon"), a glam rock star in 1970s Britain who subsequently fakes his own death, and the journalist who tries to track him down 10 years later in the mid-1980s. All you need to know about the plot is that it is an unapologetic rip-off of the Ziggy Stardust/David Bowie story.

The best things about this film are: 1) the fashion, 2) the Jack Fairy character (partly based on Brian Eno, I think), and 3) the Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and Steve Harley tunes. Unfortunately, the music written specially for the film is utter"ly "bad". ...what kind of a name is "Maxwell Demon"? A ridiculous one, if you ask me. Anyway, as a fan who got turned on to Bowie, Roxy Music, Kraftwerk, Japan, and the whole glam-punk-goth-New Romantic movement as a young teen circa 1984, I had hoped for something a lot better. Sadly, it was not meant to be. This film fails to deliver in a major way.

this is one the best most unique films i have ever seen. the music in the film is incredible, you will love it! this is an electrifying over the top film starring ewan mcgregor of trainspotting and jonathon rys meyers as ( maxwell demon) who does a fantastic job playing who i think is suppoused to be david bowie. its right on the money with bowie/rys meyers clothes, hair , actions , singing , dancing- he does an amazing job of portaying him and the 70s ( glam era ).your taken back to the 70s glam rock era and shown all sides of maxwell demons life. it also has the reporter christian bale from ( american psycho) who does a excellent job as the fan/reporter who trys to discover who maxwell demon really is! this film grows on you and you will want to watch it over and over again and you will love the songs!i definetly recomend this to anyone who loves good music and likes a meaningful film.BUY THIS TODAY!

If you loved Hedwig and the Angry Inch you'll love this movie. The music, the clothes a total package!

"Brian Slade" is the villain of the film. He is, of course, the Bowie composite. The viewer is meant to dislike him very much. The real Bowie wasn't involved with, nor did he let his music be used in the film. Although he was the genius of glam (as songwriter, producer, visionary and the man who musically wrote then closed the book on it) there has always been a kind of a backlash jealousy about his supernova status such that Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Brian Eno have all acknowledged it. The movie is something of a vendetta. Hedwig and the Angry Inch or Moulin Rouge are much better glam films.

Those who actually grew up during the original glam peak and followed it closely, generally don't like this movie. I give it a positive review for content and effort, but the movie is deeply flawed . Any attempt at bringing a sense of what it was like during the reign of Iggy, Reed, Bowie, Mott, Roxy, Eno, etc. deserves at least one star for subject matter. The movie's flaw is primarily it's heavy handed anger toward David Bowie for not participating in this "glam fantasy". Bowie wisely sidestepped this film. It may come as a surprise to some, but just as the Beatles terrific music was the catalyst for what made their accompanying cultural impact possible; so, too, was the brilliant music of those mentioned above (particularly Bowie)that which made "glam" possible- not the other way around. I remember it well. Many who thought the music was the best they'd ever heard, completely turned off to visual/cultural subtext.

WELL, HELLO TODD HAYNES!!

I will not waste time rehashing the plot.

I would agree with anyone who called this fiasco self-indulgent or whatever, but I cannot sit here and deny the sheer beauty, fun, inspiration, just friggen brilliance of it!! Like glam rock, it has an infectiously sad & mysterious tone to it. If there ever could be a cult classic that is worthy of watching repeatedly (BY YOURSELF!! Most importantly!! A movie that is magical enough to hold up on repeated solo viewings), THIS IS
IT, PEOPLE! It is so entertaining that is ridiculously addictive to watch. Who ever thought of resurrecting the glam rock era in the late 90s just out of the blue? Well, this man Todd Haynes has miraculously done it and has made it so cool you want to kill yourself after watching it. As silly as detractors may think it sounds, this movie has incredible emotional, intelllectual, and historical depth, so much so that it virtually creates its own complex world into which I have fantasized many a night. Besides, when I saw this movie, I looked upon it as mindblowingly groundbreaking. Never before and haven't since seen a movie as brilliant in entertainment as this movie...

First of all this IS a Todd Haynes film. He is well known for pushing films to the riskier, and in this case risque, side. You will find excellent performances by the star talent that took on this low budget project produced by extremely talented Christine Vachon (Boy's Don't Cry, exceptional BTW.)
Haynes pushes the boundaries on the formula story line while conveying a compelling and disjointed look at the Glam rock era. This is a work of fiction clothed in rock-umentary style so expect a surprising and marvelous push on form, substance and allegory.
The Glam rock era was filled with bi-sexuality (real or as a publicity stunt), drug influenced, and competitive and aggressive visual and musical taboo breaking. It's not your hollywood formula happy-ending feel good film of the year and you can see it was never meant to be. If you want that rent or buy Stuart Little or Rock Star.
If you lived through the glam rock era, attened the concerts, and tried to follow the secretive and morality-bending lives of the Glam Stars, as I did, you'll be more than presently surprised at Haynes take on it. It is a film that manages to involve the senses and the mind, and draws you into this most tumultous period of rock. It trips through time with pointed intent, so relax and go with it, Oscar Wilde references and all (a wonderful allegory using a brooch to symbolize the multi-generational passing of taboo breaking behavior.) This psychologoically disparate period is faithfully reproduced with stellar performances. Vachon and Haynes manage to squeeze the greatest costuming out of their budget and push the actors to wonderfully raw, powerful performances that commit to celluloid the nearly schizophrenic world of Glam. Glam rockers were tabloid staples of the era, and to me, it seems Haynes has used this as a form for the film.
Forget J-Lo, Britney and the rest of the overly consumerized rock stars. This film is about Glams wonder, breakneck pace, trashiness and the desire to push limits. The psychological characterizations are dead on. Glam was all about breaking the rules, shocking the masses, scaring ...the rock business world and pushing the wonderful, wonderful music to the next level. I wouldn't change a thing.
This DVD is a must have for Glam fans. Get it before it goes out of print.