Snowflake Challenge #6

[elwinfortuna]

Challenge #6

In your own space, share a favourite piece of original canon (a show, a specific TV episode, a storyline, a book or series, a scene from a movie, etc) and explain why you love it so much. . Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

This took me ages because it's so hard to choose! I didn't want to pick something I've already talked about at length like LOTR, Word of Honor, Heaven Official's Blessing or one of many other well-known stories.

So I'm going to talk about Velvet Goldmine! This movie was incredibly influential to me as I was figuring my sexuality out, circa late 90s/early 2000s.

Velvet Goldmine is a dazzling, glittery creation, a fantasy rooted in gritty reality, a picture of the 1970s glam rock scene in the UK, fictionalised. The music is unbelievably good, so incredible that I still listen to the songs today. The movie is part Citizen Kane, part 1984, part Oscar Wilde, part bildungsroman, part fanfiction, part music video, part Ewan McGregor showing his dick off, and completely bonkers. It has layers upon layers of meaning, symbolism, and queer beauty. Every time I watch it, I get something new out of it.

One of my favourite scenes (they're all my favourite scenes) has two little girls acting out part of the story with their dolls, dressed up as Brian Slade and Curt Wild. Here's a YouTube link to the scene in question.

Velvet Goldmine stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard, and Toni Collette. It won a BAFTA for costume design (so well-deserved!)

Recommended viewing for queer folks, fandom folks, lovers of glitter, great music, and gorgeous people.

Comments

[vriddy]

Oh wow, I haven't watched this one in years, and kept thinking I would like to if the opportunity arises. I didn't know much before watching it but I was really moved by where it went and how it went about it.

[elwinfortuna]

Velvet Goldmine has such great rewatchability; I must've seen it dozens of times by now, and there's always something I didn't quite notice or some new angle to appreciate. <3

[verdande_mi]

I haven't seen it, added it to my to-watch-list :)

[aurumcalendula]

Ooh! I saw it ages ago, but this reminds me I need to rewatch it!

[temve]

Adding my voice to the chorus of people intending to rewatch that one, because boy was it formative for me too... I think I still have the VHS but nothing that'll play it any more, heh.