Viva la glitter

I watched Velvet Goldmine yesterday. Honestly, I hoped for more. It wasn't terrible, the acting was good. The music was good, the makeup and wardrobe was outstanding. Most of the film's dialogue is made up of Oscar Wilde quotes. The story is a thinly veiled "what mighta happened" between David Bowie and Iggy Pop. It's an interesting narrative, surreal except for when it's set in 1984. It just left me wondering what was this movie trying to say? What I think it was trying to say is that while the journalist and former glitter kid, Arthur (Christian Bale) was able to be comfortable with his homosexuality in the world of 70's glam, that freedom died with the trend and in the 80's everyone was back to trying to fit in.
Or maybe it was trying to say that only through reinventing ourselves can we truly be free.
Or maybe it was saying glam rock is fucking awesome and we love makeup so we made a movie about it.
It could have been better. How? Well, they could have not based some of the movie on the unauthorized Bowie biography so that, as originally planned, they could have used a ton of Bowie music instead of some made-up songs. They also could have had a clear point. You don't have to hit me over the head with it, but give me a clue.
Super cool trivia point- although Jonathan Rhys Meyers sung the brian Slade songs himself, some of it was dubbed over with vocals from Radiohead's Thom Yorke. Sweet!
Thom Yorke + glam rock= crazy cool

Really though, Ewan McGregor was amazing as Curt Wild (Iggy Pop). AND he does full nudity! A really great peformance. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was good too, but he was more on display for his looks and sex appeal than any real acting. Toni Colette was good, but the really impressive work was from Christian Bale. The repressed homosexuality is completely belivable, all of the awkward moments feel real. I just would have liked a more cohesive theme. In the end Curt Wild says "We tried to change the world, and just ended up changing ourselves."
Oh, come ON! Glam rock didn't change the world? Of course it did! It changed music as we know it.
Who needs T.V. when I've got T Rex?


So many 80's bands could not have been if not for glam rock. Culture Club, Duran Duran, Twisted Sister, Poison? They all hummed "Ziggy Stardust" while putting on their eyeliner.

Viva la glitter