Velvet Goldmine. Story by Todd Haynes and James Lyons
New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion, 1998. 1st US Edition. Octavo, publisher’s stiff illustrated paper wraps.
First US edition of the screenplay for Todd Haynes’s 1998 glam rock musical drama. Set in Britain during the early 1970s, the film chronicles the life of Brian Slade, a self-invented queer dandy who becomes an international idol. Based loosely on the careers of the epoch’s best known stars – including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Marc Bolan, Bryan Ferry, and Jobriath – the film was Haynes’s most ambitious and substantial production to date. When the director asked Bowie, an obvious inspiration (the film is named after his 1975 single), for permission to license six of his songs along with his personal blessing to make the film, the real life rock star refused as he had ambitions to make his own film on the subject. When asked to comment on Velvet Goldmine in a 1999 interview, he expressed that "the best thing about it was the gay scenes. They were the only successful part of the film, frankly." Illustrated with color and black-and-white filmstills featuring the film’s stars Jonathan Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, and Toni Collette. First printing with complete number row to copyright page. Published simultaneously in the UK. Fine. Item #6739
$40.00