Marc Bolan on screen

Two Marc Bolan-related films will be released in September: a documentary and a comedy drama. Let us know what you make of them in the comments below.

On September 14th, a new documentary Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex will be screened in select cinemas, including The Riverside in Suffolk. It combines Bolan interviews and performances with archival footage and new interviews with musicians including Billy Idol, Joan Jett, Ringo Starr, Nick Cave and Elton John.

On the following day (the day before the 46th anniversary of Bolan's death), the comedy drama Bolan's Shoes arrives in cinemas. Starring Timothy Spall and Leanne Best, it is at heart about the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania and the deep impact Bolan had on young fans. 

In Bolan's Shoes, young and over-excited fans of Bolan from a children's home suffer a devastating road accident. Years later, they visit their childhood idol's shrine in London. A chance encounter brings back the horror they had tried to forget. 

"Light-hearted comedy and supernatural chills abound in this inspirational story that explores the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the life-affirming power of music."



Mark Paytress, author of the biography Bolan: The Rise and Fall of a 20th Century Superstar, reflects:

“The simultaneous arrival of both films, coming on the heels of a recent deluxe box set, confirms Bolan’s continued appeal. That both his image and his music have a timeless quality is a testament to his enduring influence on subsequent generations. What makes him all the more appealing is that he was a self-generated star, fully in control of his image and his music, both of which combined to make him a complete, highly individual pop legend - more than that, a living work of art.”