Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Matthew Hopkiins I bought this DVD a couple of years ago, but have only sat down this afternoon and watched it, because the weather was so bad outside, and all I can say is wow! Sure the concert footage scenes are a little unrealistic due to the clothing of the audience,but you can easily overlook this due to the strength of the story and the performances on show here.Whilst the stars of the film are obviously David Essex and Adam Faith, both who are believable and affecting, the whole cast ably supports them and the casting can't be faulted.If you have an interest in pop/rock music through the decades, make sure you see this film, it's ripe for rediscovery and should be held in higher regard than it appears to be.

dbborroughs Follow up to That'll Be the Day has Jimmy Maclaine starting a band call the Stray Cats, rising to international success and then having it all go away. I originally saw this on HBO back in the late 1970's early 1980's and it hung with me ever since. Until I saw the film again I couldn't tell you anything about the film other than it had to do with a reclusive rock star. Seeing it again I find that its a good film but I'm at a loss to explain why I recall seeing it. A much better film than the one that preceded it, here was a story that I could relate to simple because the story of a band that comes together and breaks up is one I could relate to. I find that even the drama that carries over from the first film plays better here and less like a soap opera.(Though now having seen the first film I find that having the back story does help clarify somethings). I like the film and I'm glad that some 25 years on I got to see it again. I don't know if I need to see it again but it is a neat little time capsule and reflection of the music scene at a specific time and place (and less specific since the way groups and their leaders come together and break apart will always happen in ways close to this) Worth a look.

David198 I managed to catch this on TV again recently, having not seen it for many years.Rather surprisingly it doesn't look particularly dated, and the storyline still packs a punch. Both David Essex and Adam Faith are good in their roles, and there's never a dull moment on screen. But whatever happened to Ines des Longchamps who played Jim's girlfriend? (Not much, according to the IMDb!)Two very big flaws however stand out on this viewing.Firstly, the songs which apparently sold millions for Jim Maclaine and the Stray Cats just aren't very good or very memorable. The story is obviously based on the Beatles' rise to fame, and for them as well as for every other pop group of the day, it wasn't just a pretty face but catchy, hummable songs that took them to the heights. Jim's are either covers or very weak.And as someone has already mentioned, the crowds at the 'Pollwinners concert' clearly weren't 1960s young people. Obviously the filmmakers just rounded up a crowd when they made the film in 1974 and got them to come and see David Essex. Presumably it would have been far too expensive to dress them in the fashions of a decade before.These two flaws apart, it's a good film, if not your standard popcorn-munching Saturday night fare.

lordwoodbine ...but he crashed out the sky." 'Stardust' by David Essex. Warning: contains 'spoilers'.Heavily influenced by the story of the Beatles (Ringo Starr declined to reprise the role of 'Mike' in this film because of a section of the story that was based on Pete Best's sacking) 'Stardust' is the archetypal Rock 'n' Roll story of the 1960s and 1970s.David Essex gives a great performance as Jim Maclaine, the easily corrupted singer who finds that after ditching his group and his wife and embarking on an orgy of drugs, sex and bad business deals his world falls apart.What appears to seal his fate is the way in which he treats his jealous and mercenary manager, Mike. After greedily taking two girls to bed when he might have left one and having some involvement in the death of his manager's dog his luck really runs out when he ODs on live television. Mike is left cursing and shaking the limp body of his former friend as he sees his 'investment' drifting away.The title song, penned by Essex, is an absolute classic. It took David Bowie an entire LP to explore similar themes and none of the songs on 'Ziggy Stardust' have half as much heart and soul as 'Stardust'.The 'Stray Cats' of this film are not to be confused with the 1980s American group of the same name. Dave Edmunds, the musical director of 'Stardust' went on to produce Brian Setzer's Rockabilly trio and christened them the Stray Cats after the imaginary group in this film.