Absolute beginners

Set in London in 1958, this unconventional rock musical is based on Colin MacInnes’ cult novel about emerging teen culture and racial tension in London circa 1958. Told from the perspective of eighteen year old Colin, a budding photographer and jazz fan, the film takes the viewer on a nostalgic, stylised trip into the social and cultural milieu of Soho and Notting Hill. The story revolves around Colin’s thwarted relationship with Suzette, who works for a chic couturier in Mayfair. Inspired by the artifice of Classic Hollywood musicals, director Julien Temple, who had previously made a name filming rock videos, gives this genre a visually inventive and energetic twist. The film features an impressive one-take opening sequence a la ‘Touch of Evil’, a string of dazzling production numbers set to a jazz inflected score by Gil Evans and a cast that includes David Bowie, Sade, Ray Davies, James Fox and Patsy Kensit.