Starring: Con O'Neill, Pam Ferris, James Corden, Tom Burke
Dir: Nick Moran
Rating: 4/5
Ok so we all know Nick Moran best for his role as gambler Eddie in Guy Ritchie's Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels back in 1998 but he has moved behind the camera for biopic picture Telstar.
Telstar is the stranger-than-fiction true story of legendary independent record producer Joe Meek. A maverick musical genius, Meek enjoyed phenomenal early success with Telstar the biggest selling record of its time and the first Brit band single to top the US charts.
Named after the first communications satellite which launched in 1962, the unique instrumental single was released later that same year, becoming a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic for Meek’s band The Tornados.
From a flat on the Holloway Road, Meek went on to create the strange and wonderful recordings that have made him an iconic figure in the world of British pop, until depression, heartbreak and paranoia ultimately led to his dramatic downfall.
Written and directed by Nick Moran from Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame Telstar looks at the rise of Joe Meek and his influence on the music industry.
To say it's Moran's first foray into filmmaking Telstar is a roaring success, and it doesn't just serve as a trip down memory lane.
Con O'Neill is outstanding in the central role as Joe Meek as he rides the wave of chart success with the likes of Johnny Remember Me and Telstar before he loses his way.
He is supported by an outstanding cast which includes Kevin Spacey, James Corden and Ralph Little, the pair of them bringing huge comedic value to the movie.
Moran does a great job of recreating the sound and visual style of the era as he brings this part of British music to the big screen.
However the movie doesn't really explore the reasons behind Meek's decline as it could have done as he sinks into debt, depression and insecurity, this could have made the movie pack a punch.
But it is a very fascinating story and a very sad ending as the music industry lost a truly great talent.
While the cast list is impressive, and Moran gets great performances from them all, Telstar is the Joe Meek show and it's a powerhouse performance from Con O'Neill as he brings this fascinating figure to life.
Telstar is out on DVD now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Nick Moran