qualityfilm...
Price: £2.99
In stock
21 used & new from £0.01
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Velvet Goldmine [VHS] [1998]
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images

Velvet Goldmine [VHS] [1998]

VHS ~ Ewan McGregor
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 new from £2.99 17 used from £0.01 1 collectible from £1.75

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Velvet Goldmine

Velvet Goldmine

~ Carter Burwell
4.0 out of 5 stars (7)  £4.98
Young Adam [DVD] [2003]

Young Adam [DVD] [2003]

DVD ~ Ewan McGregor
3.8 out of 5 stars (12)  £2.98
Tangled [DVD]

Tangled [DVD]

DVD ~ Rachael Leigh Cook
3.3 out of 5 stars (6) 
Stay [DVD] [2005]

Stay [DVD] [2005]

DVD ~ Ewan McGregor
3.7 out of 5 stars (7)  £3.88
The Tesseract [DVD] [2003]

The Tesseract [DVD] [2003]

DVD ~ Jonathan Rhys Meyers
3.5 out of 5 stars (4)  £3.98
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Actors: Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard
  • Directors: Todd Haynes
  • Writers: Todd Haynes, James Lyons
  • Producers: Bob Weinstein, Christine Vachon, Christopher Ball, Harvey Weinstein, Michael Stipe
  • Format: Dolby, PAL, Surround Sound
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Cinema Club
  • VHS Release Date: 4 Sep 2000
  • Run Time: 118 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00004SPVC
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 5,421 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Somewhat misleadingly described by many as a mock-biopic based on the life of David Bowie, Velvet Goldmine is so much more than that. Journalist Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) who sets out to discover whatever happened to Ziggy Stardust-like Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), the famous bisexual glam star who crashed and burned spectacularly, but in the process helped Arthur awaken his own sexuality. It's an insane homage to 1970s glam rock in the UK as only American, who knew the movement from a distance, would make; it's a tribute to film director Nicolas Roeg's best work, particularly Performance and the Bowie-vehicle The Man Who Fell to Earth; it's a sci-fi movie about an alternative reality (the film's "present" is a 1984 that never existed and frustratingly never clearly explained); it's a queer Citizen Kane with lashings of eye-glitter, a complete mess, an absolute delight and a chance to see Ewan McGregor naked in case you didn't catch him in The Pillow Book as the Iggy Pop-like Curt Wild, Slade's lover/protégé.

Director Todd Haynes, who made the incredibly spare Safe and a biopic about Karen Carpenter with Barbie dolls, crams in everything--including the kitchen sink, all the washing-up and half the larder--as if terrified he'll never get another chance to shoot even a commercial again. The pacing drags like catwalk-queen's glittery taffeta train at times, but then glorious swooping musical numbers and clever bits of allusive business arrive that will brighten the day of many a pop-fan and film-buff. Never anything less than ruthlessly inventive and demanding of patience and an open mind, it's one for connoisseurs. Viewers who prefer easy-viewing eye candy are well advised to stick with fluff like Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. --Leslie Felperin

Synopsis

At the height of the Glam Rock era in the 1970s, Brian Slade takes the music charts by storm. Unable to cope with the fame and fortune he plans a fake death. When his fans find out, he is finished. Years later a journalist is asked to investigate the Brian Slade phenomenon...
See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
 
(3)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

29 Reviews
5 star:
 (14)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (29 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Where to begin?, 26 Mar 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Velvet Goldmine [DVD] [1998] (DVD)
The acting is fantastic - Jonathan Rhys Meyers looking very young lends himself wonderfully to the asexual Brian Slade, and there's the odd naked shot (not enough of him though girls!) to keep you interested. Ewan McGregor is dashingly good and the supporting cast including Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard and Placebo do their parts full justice. The hair and makeup on Toni Collette is especially effective at charting the passage of time. And of course Christian Bale captures the essence of fandom perfectly in his role as Arthur Stuart.

The music is fantastic with Rhys Meyers performing many of his songs (and he's a pretty good singer!) as well as a couple by Ewan, more recently known for his contribution to Moulin Rouge!'s music. Also present are a selection of other songs such as "Make Me Smile" and "20th Century Boy" (ah, we love Placebo!) fitting the era and atmosphere - though I wasn't even born then so perhaps I am less critical than someone who remembers Bowie's greatness!

I also loved the way the film was put together. The jolting touches of memory and somewhat irregular presentation as Arthur digs out the truth lead the viewer to conclusions and provide for an intriguing storyline (ripped straight out of Citizen Kane). The music videos are great to watch and revisit via the chapter selection and the documentary on the DVD is also pretty good although in my opinion was too much about the era and not enough about the film!

All in all, get this film if you're into slightly alternative cinema, glam rock or just gay issues :) There are some wonderful lines from Brian on bisexuality but you'll have to wait and see them for yourself :)

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a good film, don't listen to the reviewers, 25 Aug 2008
This review is from: Velvet Goldmine [DVD] [1998] (DVD)
As I have exhausted my video version I am going to buy it on dvd. I can not understand the bad reviews this gets. It is a fantastic view of underground and glam rock loosely based on famous figures but having its own identity. The music is good, the fantasy is good and the actors are good. Yes, the story is unbelievable but so what? All in all this film is good fun and one that can be watched again and again.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The whole shebang!, 15 Feb 2003
By El 'Nah (Liverpool, UK) - See all my reviews
This film absolutely glitters. Literally. It can be enjoyed on so many levels: the twisting, turning plot; the scrumptiousness of Ewan McGregor (looking eerily KurtCobain-esque) and Jonathan Rhys Meyers; the jump-up-and-down-on-your-bed-and-annoy-the-hell-out-of-your-parents music (the whole soundtrack is excellent); or just for the sheer adrenaline (and coke) fuelled rush through glam, which is so FUN.

I'm far too young to remember glam in all its glory, but this film makes me want to travel back in time and share in a bit of the glitterlove.

The cast is excellent. Jonathan Rhys Meyers glitters prettily as Brian, Ewan McGregor rocks as Curt (who 'goes bonkers every time he hears an electric guitar), Christian Bale is so real and tangible as Arthur (the glitterfan exploring his sexuality), and Toni Collette sparkles as the wonderful Mandy (glittering wife of the star).

Placebo also star as The Flaming Creatures, and any Placebo fan should watch this film for Brian Molko alone.

Achingly angsty, touchingly romantic, sufficiently twisted, and unashamed of exploring and exploiting sexuality, this film simply sparkles.

Only to be watched if you're prepared to get into the spirit of things and embrace the glitter. Most definately to be played at maximum volume.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Velvet Goldmine is 'the best thing since sliced beatles'
I cannot comprehend the confusion that this quirky and unconventional movie provokes in the minds of some people. Read more
Published 7 months ago by M. McGhee

3.0 out of 5 stars a hedonist fantasy
I can never make my mind up if I like this film or not, it's certainly not 'easy' viewing, you have to concentrate on it. Read more
Published 16 months ago by K. Aaron

2.0 out of 5 stars Do not expect much from this
A rather confused movie, whose plot is exhausted basically after 10' minutes. The underlining message is not clear. Read more
Published 20 months ago by F. Panin

1.0 out of 5 stars too in love with itself
I realy expected to enjoy this, I grew up with glam rock, usually enjoy Ewan Macgregor and think Todd Haynes is a good director. But I was seriously dissapointed. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Lendrick

5.0 out of 5 stars It's six of one and half-a-dozen of the other really.
I sit here, and tire of people constatly moaning of amazing peices of cinema being spoilt by, in there works, "weak story lines". Read more
Published on 2 Nov 2005 by Mr. C. Michael Douse

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot One
A friend told me about this movie, and I knew instantly that I had to watch it. Now, I'm not old enough to remember glam rock, but I wish I were. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2005 by Marianne Thorsen

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting experiment is turned into a waste of time
"For once, there was an unknown land, full of strange flowers and subtle perfumes; a land of which it is joy of all joys to dream; a land where all things are perfect and... Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2004 by Lawrance M. Bernabo

2.0 out of 5 stars lost and confused
there's the making of a good film in here, but it lost me on two counts. First, the editing is a shambles, making the storyline pretty ragged. Read more
Published on 24 April 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Citizen Kane meets Glam Rock.
Unlike, apparently, a lot of the other reviewers on this page I AM old enough to remember Glam Rock, and I still think it was one of the most colourful, over-the-top era's in... Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2003 by S. Hapgood

4.0 out of 5 stars This is truly a Goldmine!
I am an obsessed placebo fan (woooooo) lol. That's how i heard about this film... it took me about a year to finaly hunt it down, the first time i watched it i found it to be... Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2003 by Spiros

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums
  • drama  (178 discussions)

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject







i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.