I've commented before that of the major players in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels I had always expected it would be Nick Moran and not Jason Statham who made the big breakout internationally. Moran had the looks, the charisma and is - in my opinion - a vastly superior actor. But while Statham and - to a lesser degree - Jason Flemyng have both gone on to have thriving careers in front of the camera, Moran has been largely absent from the screen. And it turns out that this is because he has entirely different aspirations. Moran, you see, is a successful playwright and theater director and after having success with one of his theater plays he has now adapted it for the big screen with Telstar.
Set against a backdrop of early 60's London, TELSTAR is the story of the world's first independent record producer, Joe Meek. A maverick genius who enjoyed phenomenal early success with TELSTAR - the biggest selling record of its time - before bad luck, depression, heartbreak and paranoia forced him into murder and suicide.A gay, amphetamine addicted, talented but deeply troubled soul, Meek dabbled in the occult. He is already an iconic figure in the world of British pop.
Far from being a maudlin tale, this stranger than fiction true story is a satirical comic drama revealing the many sides of Joe Meek, a man who is now revered as a pioneer in the field of popular music.
The trailer for this just crackles with energy and style and with Kevin Spacey in a support role there's a fighting chance that this one will be rolling out internationally very soon. Check it out below the break.
I can't believe I haven't heard of this before, I'm such a Joe Meek fanatic.