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Velvet Goldmine
A review by Rich Cline

It's like Citizen Kane directed by Ken Russell. Velvet Goldmine, Todd Haynes' ode to the glam rock age, plays like a direct homage to Orson Welles' classic. The story is framed by journalist Arthur Stuart (Bale) who in 1984 is asked to find out the truth behind the flamboyant shooting ten years earlier of pansexual rock icon Brian Slade (Rhys Meyers), a stunt that ended Slade's career and effectively ended the glitter years. The truth comes together as Arthur researches the past and interviews both Slade's barfly wife (Collette) and the man who discovered him (Feast). But eventually Arthur must also confront his own past, as he was one of Slade's biggest fans. And he also must find both the American rocker Curt Wild (McGregor), who became inextricably entangled with Slade, and Slade himself, wherever he might be.

The performances are gripping. In the flashbacks, Arthur's confusion about his identity comes through with real feeling--his passion, his desire to make sense of his sexual confusion. And then in the 1980s we see a different version of the same person, forced to make sense of the post-glam world. Bale is terrific in the role. The other standout is McGregor, whose performance is so natural that we can hardly believe he's acting. The character is a startling blend of Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain--writhing, angry, perplexed and utterly empty in a profound way. Collette is also superb as the world-weary Mandy Slade, loyal to her husband despite the way he treats her. Meanwhile, Rhys Meyers is good but fares less well in the central role (a Davie Bowie clone, Slade comes complete with alien alter ego Maxwell Demon). The problem is that the character is less rounded; we never understand anything about him, really ... and maybe that's the point. But Rhys Meyers isn't given much more to do than look petulant ... and beautiful.

Haynes' ambitious film is absolutely packed with glitter and glamour, wonderfully colourful sequences, some very funny dialogue and characters, and an almost overwhelming visual style. He uses a variety of film formats and styles from various periods, including a droll reference to his first film, the now-banned, all-Barbie-doll Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story. And the costumes and cinematography create a startlingly original world. This alone makes it worth viewing, as it captures not an authentic view of the 1970s but a fabulous, mythical version of it, complete with a mix of authentic tunes and '90s versions of glam classics. But there are problems. The film's narrative is too broad; the Slade character isn't compelling enough, so the focus shifts to Arthur and Curt instead ... and gets a bit bogged down in an Oscar Wilde metaphor. And while he recognises that he has something important here, Haynes seems unsure exactly what to make of the period. We see the decade's moral chaos, both commercial and sexual, but there's no examination of the link between the two. Sure, the film leaves us dazzled and wowed ... but also a bit perplexed as to why Haynes seems to have missed the point.

[18--strong adult themes, language, sexual situations, nudity] 19.Oct.98 UK release 23.Oct.98; US release late-autumn 98

Article originally appeared here.