Velvet Goldmine is a 1998 British-American drama film directed by Todd Haynes and starring Ewan McGregor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Toni Collette, Christian Bale, and Eddie Izzard. The movie is set in the early 1980s and is a fictionalized account of the rise and fall of a fictional glam rock star, Brian Slade (played by Rhys Meyers), who is based loosely on David Bowie.
The film opens with a young boy, Arthur Stuart (played by Christian Bale), who is shown a photo of Brian Slade on a 1970s music magazine by his grandmother, igniting his passion for glam rock. Flash forward to the early 1980s, and Arthur is working as a journalist for a small newspaper. He is assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Brian Slade, who faked his own death onstage ten years earlier.
Through interviews with former bandmates, lovers, and associates, Arthur uncovers the complicated and interconnected relationships between Slade and other iconic figures of the era, including Curt Wild (played by Ewan McGregor), a bisexual American musician and Slade's former lover and collaborator. While Arthur delves deeper into Slade's past, he begins to confront his own sexuality and identity.
The film is notable for its use of glittering costumes, androgynous makeup, and electrifying performances of classic glam rock songs. It also explores themes of identity, sexuality, artifice, and the nature of fame. The fictional characters and plot are inspired by the lives and music of famous glam rock stars like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Marc Bolan.