Absolute Beginners

source: Absolute Beginners

Trailer—Absolute Beginners

Absolute Beginners

This film is clearly not for everyone, but it was a major step forward in the evolution of the movie musical, perhaps the first "post-modern" movie musical, looking back to the history of musical film, paying tribute, but also rejecting and replacing many movie musical conventions. It's a brilliant, exciting film, without which we might not have Moulin Rouge today. And even if you don't get it, the music is terrific enough...

Julien Temple's extravagant musical adaptation of the classic Colin MacInnes novel never reached the audience it deserved, but it could be that filmgoers of the 1980's weren't ready for the breathless bravado of Temple's vision. A hyped-up take on the classic Freed Unit musicals at MGM, with a rock/jazz score featuring David Bowie, Sade, Gil Evans, Slim Gaillard and other notables, this movie is a visual feast and a treat for the ears as well. Sadly, you have to hope for a theatrical screening to take in the extraordinary cinematography (there's an opening extended-take through the crowded streets of London that rivals the opening of "Touch of Evil" in complexity and beauty) because there has never been a letterbox release of the film on video or disc. Where's the DVD with a Temple commentary?

I appreciate a good musical, however, this film was a narrow miss for me when I first saw it - though I really wanted to like it. After watching the blu-ray release 30 years later, I'm afraid I can't imagine why I ever thought I liked it at all. No doubt a good-looking picture with candy-color saturated sets and costumes but that's where its appeal ends. Mostly forgettable songs, and production values that worked well for short format music videos are all too much for one to endure as a 2 hour feature. The rushed, often cringe-inducing dialog, sloppy overdubbing, endless jump-cuts, even the claustrophobic framing are unsettling enough to inspire angst in anyone. There's something odd about the timing, pacing, and overall flow that feels so foreign and unnatural - like watching a really long television commercial. In any case, this is not an enjoyable film. A 1950's story trapped in a 1980's medium. Hopelessly dated.

Given the superb, gritty 1959 novel and the potential of a wonderful rock 'n' roll/modern jazz soundtrack, the film from the truly dire 1980s has my vote for the worst film of all time. The novel's inspiration appears to begin and end with the title, as wonderful potential scene after wonderful potential scene is simply replaced by an extended pop video from the worst era for pop music. The saddest thing of all is that the wonderful novel had never been filmed before (either on television or at the cinema) and this dire effort has probably put paid forever of an adaption of such a sensational book. The author would have hated it and anyone remotely involved in this film's making should be (a) thoroughly ashamed of themselves and (b) are completely deserving of the 1980s.

The film is based on a genuine 1950s novel. Journalist Colin McInnes wrote a set of three "London novels": "Absolute Beginners", "City of Spades" and "Mr Love and Justice". I have read all three. The first two are excellent. The last, perhaps an experiment that did not come off. But McInnes's work is highly acclaimed; and rightly so. This musical is the novelist's ultimate nightmare - to see the fruits of one's mind being turned into a glitzy, badly-acted, soporific one-dimensional apology of a film that says it captures the spirit of 1950s London, and does nothing of the sort. Thank goodness Colin McInnes wasn't alive to witness it.

Who green-lighted this project? And why? And how did Mr. Bowie get attached to it? Was there no editor or producer who approved the daily rushes? Who thought transforming source material, which I have never read, into a musical? Has anyone else realized the dubbing/voiceover was below subpar? Watch at your own risk.

Recreation of 1950's (London) Soho and the up-and-coming people. Based on a cult novel. Julian Temple is a video director. No more, no less. Give him 15 million dollars and he will make you a 15 million dollar pop video. Here he forgets that two minutes with people that can't really act is one thing - but two hours? What was he thinking of. Besides who are the audience? Who cares about a book that was well remembered way-back-when. The usual London story of the chancer taking his chance. What could really drag this film even further down? Oh I know, third rate songs that sound like they were made up on the spot. David Bowie crones the film title over and over a few times and that is the highlight. The soundtrack album is clay pigeon material. There is one good thing though. Good recreation of period Soho. Shame they couldn't think of anything to put in front of it.