Velvet Goldmine

Music and glitter, what more could you want?

Velvet Goldmine is a fictional account based loosely on the alleged relationship between glam rock mega star David Bowie and garage rock bad boy Iggy Pop.

The film is set mostly in 1970's England when glam rock was taking the nation and turning them into glitter raving loonies.

The costumes are amazing, the soundtrack is epic, featuring songs by Roxy Music and Slade (yes, 'Merry Christmas Everyone Slade') and there is a stellar cast including Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale and Eddie Izzard.

The film deals unashamedly, yet at the same time sympathetically with themes of drugs (mis)use, alcoholism, bisexuality, adultery and fame.

Another point I would have to make is that one of the producers of the film is REM legend Michael Stipe.

90's rock band Placebo even show their pretty little faces faces (and their musical talent) during the movie.

In the whole of my life, I have only ever come across two other people who have seen the movie which is a sad fact, but does also make me feel special, like I'm in on a little glam rock secret that no one else knows about.

Velvet Goldmine was released in 1998 when the media didn't really know what to do with a film about men loving men and women and women loving women and men. Today, I can't help but feel, it would be a cult legend before it was even released.