Velvet Goldmine(Filmmaker in Focus Series All Those Magnificent Obsessions Allow: The Cinema of Todd Haynes)

Velvet Goldmine appropriates David Bowie’s eponymous song title and constructed persona around the time of his 1972 concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The film recreates the fantastic and fascinating world of Glam Rock in the 1970s, which can be seen as the era of androgyny and artificiality. The story takes place in 1984, a decade after the stage death of Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), journalist Arthur (Christian Bale) investigates and remembers Slade’s legacy. Through the testimony of Slade’s ex-wife, agent, and best friend, the film draws a map of both high and low culture. Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Christian Bale were all in their prime. The soundtrack features classics of Lou Reed and Brian Eno as well as covers performed by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Placebo. Best Artistic Contribution Award at 1998 Cannes Film Festival.