Random Question of the Day

[featherynscale]

OK. I swear to gods there is context for this, but I think I'll get a better data set if I don't give it just yet. This poll is mostly for the male-bodied folks, but female-bodied folks are also welcome to answer, for the purposes of Science, and stuff.

[Poll #621624]

Also, in unrelated news, we watched Velvet Goldmine last night. We in this case means me, triadruid, and saffronhare. The film is beautiful, but really, really bad. The whole viewing experience was a little like Mystery Science Theater 3000, the Sexual Tension Edition. I mean, really, the only good bit about the film is that a)Ewan McGregor takes his pants off, b) Jonathan Rhys Meyers wears a dress, and c)Ewan McGregor's character and Jonathan Rhys Meyers' character shag. Which is, really, when you think about it, pretty good. Unfortunately, it's wrapped up in an overwrought piece of incomprehensible, badly-lit, badly-scripted fluff that for some reason also includes UFOs, Oscar Wilde, a mysterious fellow called Jack Fairy who may or may not even be involved in the plot of the film, but shows up at critical junctures anyway, and some fairly unlikely shots of schoolgirls and small boys, interspersed. Also, perhaps, Duran Duran. I'm not sure about that last bit. I wasn't sure about a lot of bits. Most of the movie was spent alternating between going "wow, that's hot" and "what the hell?".

Also, I totally have a complex now about the fact that I will never, ever, ever, be as pretty as Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Ah well.

Comments

More than you want to know

[hekatatia.livejournal.com]

A most strange and mostly nonsensical story...yet it makes more sense with repeated viewings. In fact, most of the stuff I scoffed at grew on me. Including that damn Babys On Fire song. *hangs head in shame* Most of the film is based on David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust and his relations with Iggy Pop. I've read Bowie liked the film and thought it had no resemblance to his life. I suspect Jack Fairy is partially a nod to Brian Ferry, who wrote several songs they remade for the movie.

I love Eddie Izzard in this film - he's good at smarmy. And that painting of Jean Harlow above his desk is actually him.

The film is Duran Duran free. However, Placebo play the band that young Christian Bale hangs around with while wearing painful make-up in need of serious derision.

Re: More than you want to know

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

ahahhaha! I suggested that piece of art was actually Eddie, and was dismissed. Harumph.

Re: More than you want to know

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

That was you?! I thought it was triadruid.

Bah. I dishonour us all.

Re: More than you want to know

[kittenpants.livejournal.com]

ICON LUST!

Icon Lust

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

It is my shiny. =D

Re: Eddie Harlow

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

No, I'm pretty sure that was saff's hypothesis. I wasn't even certain if it was (supposed to be) Harlow or Monroe.

Point to Saff?

Re: More than you want to know

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

It seems like if they would have dropped the "reporter/ten years later" conceit and just gone with a reasonably linear story about love during the rise and fall of the glam-rock empire, it would have been a better picture. Christian Bale is pretty laughable throughout (though painfully cute in the sort of "Aww! Don't you just want to squeeze him!" way), and the personal connection between him and the Slade story was just too much to buy. I'd have bought the random Oscar Wilde UFO before that.

Also, the musical bits (I thought) were pretty good (I was ludicrously fond of the acoustic guitar bit with Slade in the purple dress "Somebody called me Sebastian"... I giggled and giggled.).

I suppose it does make more sense if it's Iggy Pop. I thought Curt Wild was supposed to be Mick Jagger, but it really wasn't completely working for me. Iggy Pop, could be.

Also, triadruid spotted the Eddie/Harlow picture, and we mocked him! Now I must apologize! And I did recognize the always-charming Brian Molko.

And I suppose not really Duran Duran -- the fellow at the end though, that was supposed to be Slade. I couldn't work out who he was paralleling at all. Chose Duran Duran more or less at random.

Also, Jack Fairy -- what the hell? It was always obvious that he was important to the plot, but never obvious *why* he was important to the plot. We spent a lot of the film going "What the Hell, Jack Fairy?", in fact.

Re: More than you want to know

[hekatatia.livejournal.com]

I'd have bought the random Oscar Wilde UFO before that. <--- nearly sprayed my drink on the monitor there!

Oh, the Slade in the 80's after he dramatically changed his image? That's a most insulting portrayal of 80s Bowie based on this period/image. You can kind of follow them along - very young mod Bowie, the dress era, Ziggy & Ronson, with Iggy, etc. Can't tell I live with a huge Bowie fan, can ya? We have a beautiful new book of Mick Rock's photographs from the Ziggy era at work that's full of images highly familiar from the movie. I never know what to make of the movie...seems like a love/bitter hate of Bowie.


Also, Jack Fairy -- what the hell? I've assumed he was supposed to be some kind of godfather of glam and bisexuality paving the way for the others. But it could be anything. He ties into that dorky UFO story, but then maybe that's inspired by Ziggy Stardust too.

Re: More than you want to know

[kittenpants.livejournal.com]

Erm? Not this Bryan Ferry?

Re: More than you want to know

[hekatatia.livejournal.com]

That's the one. I assumed the name might be a nod since they used some of his songs like 2hB, Ladytron, etc. Or I could be way off.