If you've ever wanted to get a peek into the lives of one of the most venerable punk bands of all time, you're in luck.
The Sex Pistols, the influential British punk band that was formed in the 1970's, recently released a movie on DVD entitled, “The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindleâ€. The movie was originally released in U.K. Theaters in 1980, after the band separated.
The DVD features some of their greatest hits that includes, “Anarchy in the U.K.â€, “Pretty Vacant†and “God Save the Queenâ€.
The movie, a fictional documentary done by British film director, Julien Temple, follows the band's manager, Malcolm McLaren, as he schemes and craftily books the band's shows on a goal to transform an unknown band into a success.
McLaren boasts and is found saying that the Sex Pistols will, “swindle our way to the top of the rock'n'roll industry," with the help of a 10-step plan. Throughout the movie, a cash register rings up a running total of money taken in by the band.
Little of the band is seen in the movie, as it is more of McLaren's story in which he divulges what he wants the public to know.
The film includes other footage of backstage havoc that consists of midgets, sex acts, exercising on naked beaches and porn stars, just to name a few.
Animated sequences and archival footage of the band can be found interwoven in between scenes and throughout McLaren's storytelling.
The lead frontman, Johnny Rotten (John Lydon), quits the band an hour into the movie, and is not seen in the project after that, but owns rights to the movies, like his fellow band members.
The movie is wrapped up with a montage of newspaper headlines that announce the drug-overdose and death of band member, Sid Vicious (John Simon Ritchie). The somber finale of the mock documentary was mandatory as an order issued by the U.K. Censors because they wanted to realistically display the real-life consequences of the lifestyles of rock 'n' roll bands.
Our Thoughts
This DVD is a testament to the influence of the band, even though the band's life was short-lived. Sex Pistol fans everywhere can finally add this movie to their collection.
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