Velvet Goldmine

Pros: the visuals aren't too abysmal
Cons: plot(s), characters, music

Although I was unimpressed by Ewan McGregor's singing voice in "Moulin Rouge," I was impressed by his passion. Friends told me that more of him was on display in "Velvet Goldmine," "Pillow Book," and "Trainspotting." Knowing something of the other work ...

Pros: eye candy, a couple of songs
Cons: confusing, boring, unappealing message, most songs bland, unsympathetic characters

The first thing I heard about Velvet Goldmine was that it features Ewan McGregor naked, which was enough of a reason to make me want to see it. So, when I received word that Dpjohansen had chosen me to review ...

Pros: Visually stunning. An interesting and challenging story.
Cons: The subjective nature of the movie can be frustrating if you're looking for something simple

In 1974, glam-rock idol Brian Slade (Jon Rhys-Meyers) had the world in the palm of his hand. For the past few years, his outrageous, flamboyant outfits, electrifying performances, and ambiguous bisexuality had been mesmerizing the disaffected youths of...

Pros: Acting, lighting, story, music
Cons: Some scenes are odd and hard to determine if 'true' or part of the pretention.

When pretention becomes all the rage what does the new wave have to turn to—and for that matter, turn against? Velvet Goldmine is a tale told in flashback of the beginnings of glitter-pop that would eventually morph into punk just a few years ...

Pros: Some Fine Directing, Look, Music, McGregor, Collette, Bale, & Izzard.
Cons: Uneven Script, Distracting Wilde Subplot, Stiff Lead, & Third Act Loses Momentum

The early 1970s was an era where the whole counterculture, hippie movement was finally burning itself out. Replacing that whole era for a while but huge in Britain was the glam-rock scene filled with glitter clothing, platform shoes, glamourous ...

Pros: The Score.  Christian Bale Naked.  Jonathon Rhys-Meyers Naked.  Ewan McGregor full frontal.
Cons: A bit disjointed; it requires a bit of assembly.

The Velvet Goldmine (1998) Directed by Todd Haynes"Ha! Nothing makes one so vain as being told one is a sinner!"  Brian Slade.This is a story of Glitter, that child of the sexual revolution that wedged itself between ...

Pros: Excellent retrospective of the glam-rock era...
Cons: Sexual content inappropriate for some audiences...

In the wake of the aftershock of the Spider-Man explosion around the planet, as well as the ripples caused by David Bowie's return to the music scene with Heathen, maybe it's time for another jaunt down Memory Lane to a time where...

Pros: Great performances and look into Britain's Glam Rock era.
Cons: None

Velvet Goldmine is a fable of the British Glam Rock era of the early 1970's. Todd Haynes, the writer director of this film, has captured a period in British rock history that probably set the tone for rock excesses to follow. Velvet...

Pros: The imagery, the acting, the music, makes for a risk-taking movie
Cons: Not for the conservative

Picture yourself in the audience of thousands of people and watching your favorite Glam Rocker in 1974, Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), as he comes on stage dressed in a bright mix of sequins and feathers. Imagine looking over to the left of the...

Pros: Brilliant piece of film
Cons: Not for everyone

Take the poetic premise that Oscar Wilde was an alien changeling who foretold glam rock by a hundred years. Now make it believably written and produced by an unbelievably talented shoestring staff who were lucky enough to secure REM's Michael Stipe as...

Pros: Rhys Meyers and McGregor; the feel and look of the film are full of glitter
Cons: Stupid, poorly written plot, gratuitous nudity

In a recent sweep at the video store of Christian Bale films, I managed to acquire the only rental copy I've ever seen of Velvet Goldmine, the Michael Stipe-produced vehicle that is touted as one of Ewan McGregor's best films. I had been thinking...

Pros: Stylish, inventive, unconventional
Cons: There's no substance to the story or characters

The glitter. The feathers. The mascara. The glam. Ziggy Stardust lives again in "Velvet Goldmine."

Okay, this pop-rock-biopic is not about David Bowie, but it’s not hard to make the connection between the androgynous alter-ego...

Pros: A fantastic look; strong performances.
Cons: A sketchy, uninvolving story.

After the disco debacle that was 54, early signs seemed to indicate that Miramax was about to commit another cinematic crime against a 1970s music movement, glam rock, with Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine. The air of anticipation surrounding...

Pros: good acting, wonderful soundtrack
Cons: not strong enough script.

Glitter. Glamour. Platform boots. Flashbacks on events that happened ten years in the past. Tie this all together (loosely) with a newspaper story plot and a marvelous soundtrack far too closely reminiscent to David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust era. Add a...

Pros: Awesome soundtrack, with delicious screenplay.
Cons: The storyline was a little weak.

Velvet Goldmine, is an extroadinarily unusual film, set in the early 70's. It is loosely based upon David Bowie's relationship with Iggy Pop, which was rumoured to be a homo-sexual relationship. Fictional characters are used (probably due to copyright...