THE STORY – The story of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, the glam rock powerhouse behind “Bang a Gong (Get it On)”.
THE CAST – Marc Bolan, U2, The Edge, Elton John, Ringo Starr & David Bowie
THE TEAM – Ethan Silverman (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes
It is inevitable for any popular musical figure to get their own biopic eventually. The popular subgenre is so prominent that it already has its own set of tropes and recognizable attributes attached to its storytelling, often derided for being predictable and static. But, despite these limitations, it’s still a successful venture as a means of taking recognizable cultural figures and showcasing a more personal story that audiences can connect with. However, not every artist has the clout or notoriety to devote an entire narrative feature around them. It’s a task that’s really only reserved for the most recognizable talents. Even those with more niche followings are still notable in some capacity within the mainstream. For the rest, these examinations are destined for the documentary format, which can often explore similar terrain that their fictionalized counterparts can, but on a smaller scale. “Angelheaded Hipster” is another film in a long line that explores the life of a notable musician. While it occasionally falls into pedestrian territory, it becomes more engaging when examining the impact this work had beyond its initial creation.
The subject being explored for this piece is Marc Bolan, the lead singer of the British rock band T. Rex, which was prominent throughout the 1960s and into the next decade. While the band was responsible for a good number of hits, with their biggest crossover being “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” attention was often paid to Bolan for his innovation within the pop scene. His flamboyant stage presence is what is credited as ushering in the glam rock look that many artists would come to emulate: prominently displaying makeup and exuding a free-wielding sexuality that had been previously suppressed. However, his untimely death in 1977 had somewhat dampened the reach of his legacy, despite being a well-respected songwriter who had the admiration of fans and fellow artists. Decades later, a group of contemporary musicians has now collaborated on a new album. Each one takes a piece from their discography and covers their own version. Each new rendition gives a glimpse into the importance of his work, how meaningful it has become to later generations, and further appreciating the talent that had previously been undervalued.
While it is necessary to highlight the biographical details of a person’s life when tackling a documentary, or really any portrait that assesses their life’s work, those details don’t actually seem to be of the highest priority here. There are sections that do explore such background material, but the overall thesis here is much more concerned with how Bolan’s artistry made an impact on the culture at large. It’s quite revealing to see interviews and performances from the likes of Bono, the Edge, Nick Cave, and Joan Jett taking on these past works and infusing them with a modern flavor that reveals their own personal connection. In that way, director Ethan Silverman frames this narrative as being more invested in those more emotional touchstones, creating a more dynamic conversation within Bolan’s work. This is none more sincerely felt than Macy Gray’s cover of “Children of the Revolution,” infusing a Bob Marley-inspired tone that transforms the song into a more defiantly political statement with great resonance. For a subgenre that can easily become stilted, this is a fresh take to approach the influential creativity of an artist, and it is a fascinating analysis.
At the same time, the storytelling isn’t always consistently engaging. Its structure ultimately does become very segmented between the performances, which can wane interest depending on how much one is personally attached to the particular song that is being highlighted. This method creates an uneven flow between these performances, which then will abruptly swerve into the biographical notes of Bolan’s life. While these aspects are indeed necessary, they are also the more mundane elements of the film that don’t really deepen any understanding about his life or creative process any more than the present-day reflections do on their own. The archival footage from old concerts helps to establish the power he had as a performer, as do his candid interviews from the time. Yet, they also emphasize the relatively minor drama that struggles to craft a more captivating discussion.
There is no doubt that Bolan’s short life was filled with momentous occasions and difficult hardships, but hardly any of that really comes across on screen. His controversies were minimal, despite his lavish lifestyle, and what’s left can be more simply perceived as a talented performer who was not able to maintain his status within a movement he started. It’s an intriguing concept that reveals little from a storytelling perspective, which is worth pursuing. This is most likely why the film’s tactic is to showcase his work through another lens, which is justified because every attempt to dive further into his actual life displays little more than a soulful yet frustrated artist who offers little beyond that commentary.
While “Angelheaded Hipster” may be in the same vein as many similar films that have come before, and many more sure to follow, it deserves credit for thinking more about its subject legacy that many others are seemingly concerned to explore. Part of that is because the more traditional routes that would usually have been taken don’t produce much depth, as this tortured artist never really commands that same depth of turmoil that many other portraits have with their subjects. However, we are instead treated to a much more captivating discussion that looks at how the past and present intersect with art, and how coming to appreciate such works gives an influential perspective on how new artists can create their own submissions into the world. The methodology may not always be consistently compelling, but there is a provocative theme that runs throughout that is deserving of acknowledgement all the same.
