GAY PEOPLE'S Chronicle

NOVEMBER 6, 1998

Evenings Out

All the

young dudes

Velvet Goldmine explores 1970s London glam rock

by Tim Nasson

After watching openly gay writer and director Todd Haynes' latest film The Velvet Goldmine, one may assume that he was brought up in London during the early 1970s glaring, glamour rock era.

Surprise, surprise! Thirty-seven year old Haynes grew up in Los Angeles and now resides in Brooklyn, New York and has never lived across the pond.

"I wrote the film for a number of reasons," says Haynes, seated comfortably on an oversized couch in a suite at the Four Seasons in Boston recently, sipping from a cup of cappuccino. "I loved and still do love the music of that era. I grew into it after the fact. I grew into it as many others did during the seventies. We were aware of a new face of rock and roll creeping into suburban record stores. Instead of Simon and Garfunkel, the new rage was David Bowie and Elton John.”

What The Velvet Goldmine does is tells the story of the rise and fall of glam rock star Brian Slade (androgynous-looking newcomer Jonathan Rhys-Myers). Slade suddenly disappears at the peak of his fame after a publicity stunt at a concert goes wrong. The film makes reference to the structure

Director Todd Haynes talks with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who plays glam rock star Brian Slade.

of Citizen Kane to unfold the story, using a death scene as a starting point for a reporter (Christian Bale) to launch an inquiry into a man's life by tracking down those who knew him, especially Curt Wild, played to the hilt by Ewan McGregor.

"It was over ten years ago that I thought about doing a film about this era," says Haynes. The part of the seventies explored in The Velvet Goldmine had never been explored on film before. There was such a preoccupation with style and self-preservation."

Hjaynes' film has a lot of reputable names behind it as well as in it. Lesbian producer Christine Vachon is a long time collaborator with Haynes on his films and continues her relationship with him with this. She was also the force behind Kiss Me Guido and the just-released Happiness.

British comedian Eddie Izzard, who is a cross-dresser in real life, is Brian Slade's manager Jerry Divine.

Michael Stipe, lead singer of REM, also has a stake in the film as well. He is the executive producer.

Set mainly in London in the early 1970s during the emergence of the glam rock scene, the film is a valentine to the sounds and images that erupted in and around London at that time.

"Because glam rock would challenge, with style and wit, any leading toward 'the natural' in society, drawing heavily as it did from underground gay culture," Haynes said, "the film commemorates Oscar Wilde as the original glam rocker, the one who knew to speak the truth only through the most exquisite of lies."

"I always knew I wanted Ewan McGregor the role of Kurt Wild," Haynes continued. "When he read the script he was excited by the adventure." And about the scene in which he shucks off all of his clothes and bounces

tity which was about the individual and non-conformity."

The music featured in The Velvet Goldmine comprises original recordings, covers of original songs recorded for the film and new songs written for the film in the style of glam rock.

After asking Haynes why he chose a film with limited appeal, when he has the ability to do a higher profile film with a larger budget, he answers: "I'd rather die. I'd rather work at McDonald's than on a big-budget film." He has a reason. "Once one starts making big-budget films they become the property of the studio. I have no aspirations to make a lot of money. I do not need a lot of money. I love making the kinds of films I have made."

The films he is best known for include Safe and Poison.

What does Haynes hope that the re-

around the stage? "The film commemorates

"Ewan had no inhibitions about taking off his clothes. The problem was trying

to keep them on him. He is remarkably well-equipped to

play the role, wouldn't you say?

Oscar Wilde as the original glam rocker, the one who knew to speak the truth only through the most exquisite of lies."

He has a very versatile penis." One may be surprised to hear that Haynes is responsible for the cult, underground film Superstar.

"That was my first movie and is a film that has been bootlegged more than Titanic," he says of the 45-minute film he made in 1987, which tells the story of Karen Carpenter using only Barbie dolls.

Getting back to the topic of his newest creation, Haynes adds, “The glam era was a very brief moment when gender bending was not only acceptable but encouraged. But it did not last very long. I wanted to re-examine the period because I think the '70s was a unique era, not because it was kitsch, but for an extremely radical spirit we've not seen since. The dressing up and performing draws a direct relationship to sexuality and iden-

lease of The Velvet Goldmine will accomplish? "My goal for the film," he says, with an evil grin on his face, "Is that it

turns every gay person straight and every straight person gay."

"It is kind of sad that people here, in the United States, try to keep things so black and white. England allows so much more individuality. People in the United States obviously think about a lot of things even if they do not talk about them. Look at The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For twenty years it has been the most popular late-night film for younger people and what is the film about?”

Since The Velvet Goldmine has taken nearly ten years to make, Haynes is going to take it easy for a while. “I might travel a bit," he says, “Read a little, and catch up on some of the films I have missed." One last word from the director. "Put a little note in your article and tell all the cute guys to come find me sitting on my steps on the corner of Bedford and 9th."