Velvet Goldmine (33mm)

On the tenth anniversary of the scandal that ruined glam rock star Brian Slade's (nom de plume: Maxwell Demon) career, aspiring journalist Arthur Stuart is sent to investigate the current circumstances of the former legend. After all, Stuart was there live in London at the time, in front of the stage, as an ardent fan and young lad just discovering his homosexuality and the effect of make-up. No sooner has he packed his notebook and pen than he's off on the rollercoaster that is VELVET GOLDMINE.

In his first music film, Haynes tries out the multi-perspective approach that can be used to successfully approach a complex artist identity in which the private and public personas are separated from one another and yet constantly flow into one another. The filmmaker and his co-screenwriter James Lyons set the bar a little higher, as the fictional characters reflect not just one but several real-life rock and pop stars. These include Marc Bolan, Brian Ferry, Jobriath and, of course, David Bowie - whose Ziggy Stardust stage persona weaves through the entire film like golden threads, even if the man who fell from the sky unfortunately did not grant permission to use his music. In addition, the costumes (for which Sandy Powell received an Oscar nomination) shimmer and sparkle, the make-up glistens and shimmers and the covetous glances that everyone constantly directs at each other, rarely in the right direction at the same time.

Christian Bale is almost heartbreaking in the role of the teenager tentatively trying out his queerness, but Ewan McGregor, whose character epitomises every suicidally excessive rock star from Iggy Pop to Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain, also goes all out. Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke from Radiohead, among others, provide the musical backdrop. Time to get your glitter, frilly shirt and platform shoes out of the wardrobe!

(Text: Alexandra Seitz)