The Great Rock N Roll Swindle: Sex Pistols DVD Review:

The Sex Pistols. Even the name of this eponymous group sounds threatening and intimidating. The Great Rock and Roll Swindle is a rock documentary about this monolithic group from the seventies who gave birth to punk rock. Malcom MacLaren, the svengalis extroardinaire takes us through the story of the Sex Pistols with his able assistant, Helen and how he supposedly made fools of one and all by making popular a band that could not play. Using drama, animation and concert footage and guitarist, Steve Jones on the lookout for Mr McLaren, this serves as a real education into the heart of the record industry.

Steve Jones, Johnny Rotten, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Sid Vicious all hailed from London. They were taken under the wing of manager, Malcolm Maclaren in 1977 to form what would become one of the most controversial bands of the 1970's. This film animates the inner workings of the terse relationship between manager and band.

Whether you are old enough to remember the trouble the Pistols caused, when they arrived on the scene or young enough to be interested, sit back and be entertained and/or offended. The film was released theatrically in 1980 to a divided audience but became a cult hit on its video release. Now with the advent of DVD, the story becomes more profound. This is Spinal Tap, a fine spoof of a documentary about all things rock would spring to mind when considering this for your collection but, the difference with this is that it was real. And every frame of this film plays with that reality. The Great Rock and Roll Swindle should be rated amongst the greatest of rock documetaries as it conveys the highs and lows of being in a "pop band" and the facade all the commotion can sometimes create.

Features List

Audio commentary with director Julien Temple

An intriging insight into the world of the Pistols as the director takes you through the film with amazing anecdotes and a very revealing reflection on what it was like to be on the road with the Pistols.

Interview with Julien Temple

An introspective summary from the director and the effect of what it was like being on the road with the band and the effect it had on society at the time.

Chapters

A list of all the fabulous tracks from the back catalogue of the Pistols.

Personal Comment

I had always been interested to know and learn about the Sex Pistols and what it was that made them so enigmatic. This film satisfied my curiosity. It is an entertaining, whimsical trip into the mad mad world of Malcom MacLaren and his mannequins. Although the cut still seems very rough and could have done with a little bit of a clean up, it does not deter from the film in any way. The use of animation and concert footage of the group serve to display a clearer picture of the band, although the Filth and the Fury gives another enhanced view.



Catherine Emenike