17 Velvet Goldmine (Todd Haynes, 1998)
What they said:
“American director Todd Haynes revisits the world of London glam rock and manages to make it look dull. He and his costume designer certainly lay on the peacock flamboyance of the 1970s, but none of the strange creatures concerned appear to be having any fun. Plenty of glitter, though, if you like that sort of thing.”
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker
What we say:
A jarring fit when originally released among the primary colours and loutish laddishness of late-’90s Britpop, Velvet Goldmine’s sexually ambiguous glitz plays much better these days, post-Mighty Boosh, post-Lady Ga Ga – now everyone’s remembered that glam outfits and arch androgyny are actually pretty cool.
There’s also much joy in watching the film’s up-and-coming British cast being braver than their current star statuses would allow. Holy homoeroticism! What’s Obi Wan doing to Batman!?
