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Telstar

Play trailer Poster for Telstar 2008 1h 59m Biography Drama Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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78% Tomatometer 27 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
The life and work of flamboyantly gay songwriter Joe Meek.
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Telstar

Telstar

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 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 Mayer Nissim Digital Spy Like Meek himself, Telstar draws you in despite its its imperfections, which don't detract too much from a bold take on an undertold and fascinating story. Rated: 4/5 Jun 19, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Telstar

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Movie Info

Synopsis The life and work of flamboyantly gay songwriter Joe Meek.
Director
Nick Moran
Producer
Adam Bohling, Simon Jordan, David Reid
Screenwriter
James Hicks, Nick Moran
Genre
Biography, Drama, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 13, 2014
Runtime
1h 59m
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