absolute beginners

saturday night. SVETOZOR CINEMA in PRAHA 1. MOFFOM - the international music film festival had a director visit, acclaimed music video and documentary director JULIEN TEMPLE. the reason for his presence: the showing of his feature film "ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS" from 1985. the showing, according to MR. TEMPLE, was the first time in 20 years that he had seen the film. and, one must agree with the presenter, that the film has without a doubt aged well. the cinematography and the editing in the film, beats out much of what is shot and produced today. the film proved to be a critical and financial disappointment, leading to a stagnation of the British filmindustry and forcing MR. TEMPLE to flee his home country. it was the most expensive British production for it´s time, and it´s lackluster box-office had severe consequences. the film is, however, on the verge of a cult resurrection.

here are a few of MR. TEMPLEs post-showing, Q&A-comments:

- It was an attempt to take on the most unhip, at the beginning of the video-era.

- Punk killed it all off, and it was a way of looking at the end from the beginning.

- There was a big racist thing going on in Britain at the end of the 70´s, and the film was in part a response to that, with things going on in Britain.

- I´d like to think of it as a punk-rock musical, in a sort of way. (re: the film)

- Fantastic. They hated it. (re: the critical response)

- They rejected it before it came out, because it was so hyped up. (re: the films lackluster box-office)
- Which is always interesting, people rejecting something they haven´t even seen.
- Because it was a musical, and you weren´t supposed to make musicals. (re: why the critics rejected it)