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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - A 3 Mins Read

    Absolute Beginners (1986)

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    This highly stylised musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes’ novel celebrates the rise teen culture in late 50s London with a mish-mash of pop fashions and political and racial overtones.

    There are ample energetic song and dance numbers, at times reminiscent of West Side Story (1961). There are also violent confrontations, and all in all, it’s a dazzling retro-soaked colourful visual feast.

    In 1958 London, Colin (Eddie O’Connell) – an aspiring young photographer – loses his girlfriend, Suzette (Patsy Kensit), to the head of a fashion house.

    “Crepe” Suzette is an impulsive, ambitious young beauty who abandons him after attracting the attention of a powerful fashion designer, Henley of Mayfair (James Fox).

    Meanwhile, Colin helps the flashy agent Harry Charms (Lionel Blair) build up lame novelty rock singer Baby Boom (Chris Pitt), a pubescent would-be teen idol.

    Through Harry, Colin is wooed to work for Vendice Partners (David Bowie), a super-connected pop and business whiz that claims to have the answer for everything and everybody.

    Not only does Vendice want to stifle Colin’s creativity, he’s a partner in a real estate scheme to eject the black population of Notting Hill, to gentrify the place with a new expensive housing development.

    Vendice Partners hires Teddy Boy thugs to intimidate the black residents.

    Colin’s best friend, Jazz musician Mr Cool (Tony Hippolyte) has no choice but to get into the race riot

    The film’s nostalgic yet gently satirical look at teen culture is tempered by a recognition of the era’s social tension, particularly a disturbing rise in racism.

    The film’s historically accurate violent finish stages a clash between thugs and a new population of Commonwealth immigrants from Africa, the West Indies and India that had started to pour into Britain around 1955.

    Despite these serious undertones, the film tells its story with a colourful vibrancy reminiscent of both MTV and old Hollywood musicals, filled with such show-stopping numbers as a memorable sequence in which Bowie dances on a giant typewriter.

    Critical reception was mixed, with some hailing the film’s spectacular cinematography and ambitious scope, while others found the mixture of tones and style too inconsistent.

    The film also drew a lukewarm response at the box office, with the memorable soundtrack receiving more attention than the film itself.

    Watch out for terrific cameos from Sandie Shaw, Alan Freeman, Zoot Money, Steven Berkoff, Ray Davies (of The Kinks), Mandy Rice-Davies, Eddie Tenpole and Sade (pictured above).

    Colin
    Eddie O’Connell
    Crepe Suzette

    Patsy Kensit
    Vendice Partners

    David Bowie
    Arthur

    Ray Davies
    Henley of Mayfair

    James Fox
    Big Jill

    Eve Ferret
    The Fanatic

    Steven Berkoff
    Dido Lament

    Anita Morris
    Harry Charms

    Lionel Blair
    Mum

    Mandy Rice-Davies
    Ed the Ted

    Eddie Tenpole
    Mr Cool

    Tony Hippolyte
    Baby Boom

    Chris Pitt
    Dean Swift

    Paul Rhys
    The Misery Kid

    Julian Firth
    Amberly Drove

    Ronald Fraser
    Mrs Larkin

    Irene Handl
    Cynthia Eve

    Sylvia Syms
    Vern

    Peter-Hugo Daly
    Mario

    Robbie Coltrane
    Trader Horn

    Johnny Edge
    Flicker

    Bruce Payne
    Ton-Up Vicar

    Gerry Alexander
    Chez Nobody Barman

    Zoot Money
    Athene Duncannon

    Sade Adu
    Baby Boom’s Mum

    Sandie Shaw
    Call-Me-Cobber

    Alan Freeman
    Johnny Wonder

    Gary Beadle
    Bert the Tailor

    Alfred Maron
    Eddie Sex

    Paul Fairminer
    Ms Cool, Sr

    Pat Hartley
    Carmen

    Carmen Ejogo
    Mr Cool, Sr

    Astley Harvey

    Director
    Julien Temple

    Video

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