Re: Telstar

I just noticed that on my on-demand channel, there's an indie biopic about Joe Meek (with Kevin Spacey, but he doesn't play Meek). . . This was completely off my radar. Has anyone seen it ("Telstar")?

The movie came out in England around 2008. There was a bit of press about it in Uncut & MOJO. It did get positive reviews in the UK. I don't know if it's available on DVD here.

It is available on disc in the US, at least to the rental places.

The disc is winging its way to my house now and I hope to get it watched this weekend.

Lucky you, Erik! It's been the topic of discussion on this here board off and on as we've awaited the production's completion, then waited for it to hit our shores...in vain...Hoped it would play in the local art houses or sumthin, but I don't recall it ever hitting any American screens.

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It is available on disc in the US, at least to the rental places.

I'll have to ask my wife about this "Netflix" thing the kids are going for nowadays, she seems to understand all these newfangled contraptions.



Post Edited (03-29-12 12:56)

I didn't see it on Netflix, but for those with a Time Warner Cable package it is on demand. The preview actually looks really compelling. . .

Carl Barat as Gene Vincent & Justin Hawkins as Screaming Lord Sutch caught one's attention.

I'll have to check my on-demand channel. Anybody here use Comcast?

I really liked it. It's not at all like what passes for music biopics in the US, which are usually along the lines of Ray or Walk the Line - opening scene heavy handedly foreshadowing the great personal tragedy which shapes the artist, then a bunch of flashback set pieces recreating major moments of the artist's life with all the forced reverence of a passion play, ending with the artist triumphing over his demons or dying tragically in a plane crash. Yawn.

Telstar, on the other hand, is fun and loosey-goosey about its subject and often plays like a farce - it doesn't gloss over the fact that Meek was in many ways a raging lunatic, but it understands that raging lunatics who are also creative geniuses are generally incredibly fun and exhilarating to be around until they become completely intolerable.

It ends on a major downer, of course.

funny, Dave Schulps came up with a copy, and I watched it last night. My recollection of the historical details (which I have yet to confirm) left me feeling a little factually ruised here and there, and I found myself irresistibly wishing that Joe had been played by Chris Sievy, but there was a lot to recommend the film. Agree that it's not the usual rote recitation (making Clem Cattini a pivotal figure? Sure, why the heck not), and the star's portrayal neither glossed over nor sullied who Joe was. Definitely worth watching, although it doesn't begin to convey (until a bit of pre-credits text, which is weirdly capitalized) the sheer volume of Meek's work.

whatever trouserpress film fans,
the best actors will always try to convince you not to sell your soul. funny then to think, just how much the same actor is willing to go out of his/her way to share something besides a profit with you.

i can see me now...!
STEVE is a great actor. He is happy that his audience is happy even when he shows them sadness.

pfffft.

ps (i love you) actors wouldn't have to act if they respected their audience.

no matter, the whole point of going on film is not to convince someone your seroius about something. but on the contrary, its to show them proof of their futility.



Post Edited (04-14-12 03:03)

Very good movie, I just wish more songs were on it. Most of all, it should've included a major female artist of Joe's, Glenda Collins, who had some great numbers. However, I agree with Ira that I felt Joe was miscast.