Telstar

2008

1 hr. 59 min.

Biography

Drama

Music

List

79%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

The life and work of flamboyantly gay songwriter Joe Meek.

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Critics Consensus

Nick Moran's excellent portrait of an often forgotten pop legend is as eccentric and chaotic as its subject.

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tim s

Telstar is a biopic that approaches its subject in a refreshing and high energy way. Telstar tells the story of The deeply troubled British legendary record producer Joe Meek. Nick Moran approaches the subject of Joe Meek's decent into madness and the events that Lead up to his death from the original 1960's classic view. This is in contrast to recent theories that The Krays may have had more of a hand in his death than originally thought. The film concentrates mostly on Meek's world that is completely centred in his recording studio in Holloway Road and makes no real social statements regarding the era it is set other than brief references to his arrest for public indecency. The music is powerful throughout the film and the creative processes of some of the biggest hits of the 1960's explored in some depth. Con O'Neil is outstanding as Joe Meek and plays him so brilliantly that despite his actions you can't help but feel sorry for Joe Meek as his world implodes. Some lighter moments, especially the recording session scenes regarding house band The Tornados and T.V. star John Leyton, balance out the dark , depressive imagery that dominates the film. Telstar explores the man , the music and relationships of one of the most influential British record producers of the 1960's concentrating mainly on his insatiable desire to make another hit record.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This was a kind of hard rare find of a movie. I believe that I got this off a shady website online that sells rare hard to find movies. They even gave me a UK version and I had to return it as I could not play it where I am. Very english movie and cast, based in the 60's a music bio type film about the english music producer Joe Meek. Meek died tragic and this movie is about the music and bands he produced, I say if you can find it watch it a good watch to pass the time for any music lover or of the time period/England etc...

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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Audience Member

Intriguing and hardcore rock & roll true story. Whew!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

WOW.....WOW....SUCH AN ENJOYABLE MOVIE 2 WATCH WITH SUCH A FANTASTIC CAST THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE IT IS SUCH A FANTASTIC MOVIE 2 WATCH WITH SUCH A BRILLIANT CAST THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE......WARNING THIS MOVIE CONTAINS STROBE LIGHTNING EFFECTS THROUGHOUT SOME SCENES THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE.......WARNING YOU HAVE GOT TO WATCH THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE AS SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE CREDITS THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE...... ITS GOT SUCH A FANTASTIC SOUNDTRACK THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE IT IS SUCH A BRILLIANT MOVIE 2 WATCH WITH A BRILLIANT CAST THROUGHOUT THIS MOVIE........

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

(65%) At fifteen or so minutes in this pushed very few buttons for me, and as I had no idea who Joe Meek actually was, the temptation to give the remaining three quarters a skip and move on passed my mind, but I'm glad that I didn't because this heats up very nicely. Con O'Neill is sublime in the lead role as the hugely hyped-up, at times very angry, yet unquestionably passionate hit music creator during the swinging days of London in the 60's. The backing cast is made up of a host of UK talent, with Kevin Spacey adding even more quality to the production. This may be a bit to clumsily written at times with a script that feels a bit too much like a stageplay rather than a screenplay, but this is still an important piece of well told pop music history.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film has so much energy, helped in part by a towering central performance. Unmissable.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Nick Moran

Director

Con O'Neill

Joe Meek

Kevin Spacey

Major Banks

Pam Ferris

Mrs. Shenton

JJ Feild

Heinz Burt

James Corden

Clem Cattini

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

You know, this isn't an unenjoyable movie and, if you are desperate to see a movie, it'll do, but it's never fully satisfying because it never fully decides what sort of film it wants to be.

Aug 29, 2018

Full Review

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Nick Moran definitely emphasizes certain characteristics of the idiosyncratic producer over others for affect, but this is still as fascinating portraits in parts.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 19, 2009

Full Review

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

Even if 'Telstar' can't quite get the measure of its fascinating material, its pluck and ambition prove infectious enough to outweigh its flaws.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 19, 2009

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

[Telstar] starts off brightly with scenes of camp comedy that vividly recreate the rickety amateurishness of early British pop. Yet as the action flashes backwards and forwards while building towards Meek's tragic end, the tone veers wildly.

Nov 22, 2020

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

An overlong but fascinating look at the life of a forgotten innovator of early rock'n roll

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 24, 2013

Full Review

Ali Catterall

Film4

Telstar is an embarrassing farrago, an amateurish, incoherent pantomime of a piece, stuffed with interchangeable characters, a sketchy, largely unsympathetic leading role, and - betraying its stage play origins - unspeakably stilted dialogue.

Rated: 1/5

Jun 19, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

The life and work of flamboyantly gay songwriter Joe Meek.

Director: Nick Moran
Executive Producer: David Groves
Screenwriter: James Hicks, Nick Moran
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2014

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