Eye Candy #256 - "Velvet Goldmine"

Velvet Goldmine: A fictionalized account between the personal and professional relationship between David Bowie and Iggy Pop during the glam-rock explosion of the late 60’s early-70’s (think T. Rex, Ziggy Stardust).  Brian Slade (our David Bowie analog played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers)  is killed onstage during a gimmick gone wrong, at which point a journalist (Christian Bale) is assigned to uncover the truth about Brian’s background, his relationship with American punk star Curt Wild (the Iggy Pop analog played by Ewan McGregor), whom Slade helped produce an album for (and who he also has a homosexual relationship with, which isn‘t Iggy and David).  Relying heavily on Oscar Wilde (the film quotes from his ad nauseum), the plot is fairly hum-drum.  And for all the exotic behavior and general strangeness, there is no accompanying energy - it’s almost too clinical a portrayal of that particular scene to be effective.  The film manages to make you *NOT* care about anyone involved before they are built up and subsequently brought down.  Best part is obviously the music,  but because of disagreements with the filmmakers, there is no Bowie to be had.  But the music can’t save the entire film from mediocrity.  I gave it 3 stars because I’m a fan of Eddie Izzard and (almost) all that he touches. Woodchuck sez, “Skip it.”