Sid and Nancy
Short description
Sid and Nancy follows the bassist of the Sex Pistols and his American girlfriend through the last months of their relationship. In early 1978, after success in England, the punk band sets out on a tour of the southern United States, and Sid Vicious is pushed by his bandmates and their manager to make the trip without Nancy Spungen, who is to join him later in New York. Once the group falls apart and Sid tries to launch a solo career in an unwelcoming city, the two of them sink into heavy drug use.
Alex Cox directed and co-wrote the film with Abbe Wool, following his 1984 debut Repo Man and preceding Walker in 1987. Gary Oldman plays Sid opposite Chloe Webb as Nancy, with David Hayman as manager Malcolm McLaren, Andrew Schofield as Johnny Rotten and Xander Berkeley among a credited cast of 54. Eric Fellner produced this British production, made for about 4 million dollars and taking roughly 3 million at the worldwide box office.
On IMDb the film holds 7 out of 10 from around 37,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.7 from roughly 590 votes. A critics' rating of 7.6 from 70 reviews puts professional assessments above the audience scores recorded on both sites.
What's left behind the scenes
- In his 2007 autobiography, Slash (Saul Hudson), guitarist for Guns N' Roses, recounted that during the film’s casting, the director hired all five members of Guns N' Roses as extras for a club scene, inviting them all separately, without informing them that the entire band would be at the casting. Saul recounted: “We all showed up on the first day of the audition, seeing each other, becoming bewildered, for example: 'Hi… What are you doing here?'” However, Slash was the only member of the band to continue participating in the filming.
- To play the emaciated Vicious, Gary Oldman went on a strict diet and lost so much weight that he was briefly hospitalized due to exhaustion.
- Chloe Webb and Gary Oldman improvised a lot in the film, but the basis for their dialogue was interviews and other video material of Sid and Nancy. However, the knife scene was based solely on speculation.
- In the film, Sid can be seen wearing a t-shirt with a sickle and hammer. In reality, Vicious wore a swastika t-shirt, but the film's censorship prohibited showing it.
- The film was criticized in the US for containing scenes of drug use, violence, sex, profanity, and nudity.
- Courtney Love underwent a notorious audition, which was filmed and during which she exclaimed, “I am Nancy Spungen.” Alex Cox was impressed with Courtney’s audition, but said that the film’s sponsors insisted on an experienced performer for the lead role. Courtney was given a relatively minor role as Gretchen (a role specifically written by the director), one of Sid and Nancy's drug-addicted friends in New York. It is noteworthy that Courtney was married to Kurt Cobain, and their story is partly similar to the story of Sid and Nancy.
- The film's original title was "Love Kills".
- Gary Oldman himself performs several songs from the “Sex Pistols” repertoire.
- Well-known musicians such as Iggy Pop, Circle Jerks, and Edward Tudor-Pole of Tenpole Tudor participated in the filming of the movie. The film features original music by Pray for Rain, Joe Strummer, and The Pogues.
- Helena Bonham Carter was considered for the role of Nancy.
- Sid Vicious's mother, Ann Beverly, initially tried to oppose the filming of the movie, but after meeting with director Alex Cox, she decided to help. She lent Oldman a metal chain with a lock, which Sid wore around his neck, for the duration of the filming.
- On December 9th, Vishees smashed a bottle over Todd Smith's head and was arrested for 55 days. On February 1, 1979, he was released on bail and died the following morning after celebrating his release from prison from a heroin overdose, thus putting a final end to the biography of the “Sex Pistols.” He was 21 years old.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
