Absolute Beginners

Julien Temple’s tale of young lovers divided in 50s London is a riot of day-glo design and music.

  • Director

    Julien Temple

  • With

    Eddie O’Connell, Patsy Kensit, David Bowie, James Fox

  • UK 1986. 108min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

Julien Temple’s brave yet doomed reboot of the British movie musical for the MTV generation comes on like West Side Story on speed. Its tale of young lovers divided – set against a backdrop of generational conflict, gentrification and white supremacy in 1950s London – is a riot of day-glo production design and anarchic energy. Bowie’s ad man Vendice Partners gets a memorable number, dancing atop a spinning globe and an over-sized type-writer. But it’s his chart-topping title theme that steals the show.

Screening with Absolute Beginners on Friday 14 January only:

+ Inside Cinema: David Bowie

Little Dot Studios-BBC 2021. 6min

A short video essay exploring Bowie’s fascination with the silver screen, by BFI season programmer Rhidian Davis.