Sid and Nancy (1986)

Director:

Alex Cox

Writers:

Alex Cox (screenplay) and
Abbe Wool (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Love kills

Plot:

Morbid biographical story of Sid Vicious, bassist with British punk group the Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen...

Plot Keywords:

Sex Pistols | Sex | British | Death | Punk Rock

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 5 wins

Cast

Gary Oldman	...	Sid Vicious
Chloe Webb	...	Nancy Spungen
David Hayman	...	Malcolm
Debby Bishop	...	Phoebe
Andrew Schofield	...	John
Xander Berkeley	...	Bowery Snax
Perry Benson	...	Paul
Tony London	...	Steve
Sandy Baron	...	Hotelier - U.S.A.
Sy Richardson	...	Methadone Caseworker
Edward Tudor-Pole	...	Hotelier - U.K.
Biff Yeager	...	Detective
Courtney Love	...	Gretchen
Rusty Blitz	...	Reporter
John Spaceley	...	Chelsea Resident
Coati Mundi	...	Desk Clerk
Ed Pansullo	...	Detective
Vincent J. Isaac	...	Detective
J. Steven Markus	...	Detective
Anne Lambton	...	Linda
Sallie Anne Field	...	Singer
Kathy Burke	...	Brenda Windzor
Sara Sugarman	...	Abby National
Mark Monero	...	Jah Clive
Michele Winstanley	...	Olive McBollocks (as Michèle Winstanley)
Andy Bradford	...	Dick Bent
Tom Little	...	Publican
Barbara Coles	...	Reporter
Pete Lee-Wilson	...	Duke Bowman
Graham Fletcher-Cook	...	Wally Hairstyle
Stuart Fox	...	Rock Head
Victoria Harwood	...	Hermione
Jude Alderson	...	Ma Vicious
James Snell	...	Edward
Niven Boyd	...	Rock Head's Trainer
Miguel Sandoval	...	Record Company Executive
Richard W. Barker III	...	Sid's Minder
Patti Tippo	...	Tanned and Sultry Blonde
John M. Jackson	...	Lance Boyles M.D. (as John Jackson)
Peter McCarthy	...	Hugh Kares
Desirée Erasmus	...	Mrs. Hugh Kares (as Desiree Erasmus)
Gloria LeRoy	...	Granma
Milton Selzer	...	Granpa
Bruce J. Magrane	...	Andy
Stefanie Auerbach	...	Bette (as Stephanie Auerbach)
Jeffrey Kumer	...	Buzz
Bradley Lieberman	...	Chipper
Tricia Bartholome	...	Mary Jane
Jeanne McCarthy	...	Trell
John Snyder	...	Vito
Ron Moseley	...	Wax Max (as Ron Moseley Jr.)
Fox Harris	...	Old Stain
Iggy Pop	...	Prospective Guest
Suchi Asano	...	Prospective Guest (as Suchi)
Pray for Rain	...	Guitarist (as Dan Wul)
Mitch Dean	...	Drummer
Circle Jerks	...	Kittens (as The Circle Jerks)
Angel Dove	...	Punkette
Sherice Prince	...	Punkette
Kelly Louise Lynn	...	Punkette
Sri Johnston	...	Punkette
Jamie L. Crowe	...	Punkette
Julie St. Claire	...	Punkette (as Julie Marie Capone)
Raymond Rosario	...	ABC Kid
Daniel Louis Rivas	...	ABC Kid (as Daniel Rivas)
Favian Xavier	...	ABC Kid
Al Alu	...	TV Interviewer
Bob Ellis	...	Fireman (as Bobby Ellis)
Peyton Kirkpatrick	...	Fireman
Jimmy Emig	...	Chelsea Child
Keith Morris	...	Rikers Junky
Alexander Folk	...	Riker's Guard
Dick Rude	...	Riker's Guard
G.J. Thomson	...	Dancing Kid
Lawrence Bell Jr.	...	Dancing Kid
Rome Jefferson Jr.	...	Dancing Kid
Cat Vicious	...	Smoky
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Cox	...	Man Sitting in Mr. Head's Room (uncredited)
Colin Davis	...	Smeggy (uncredited)
Peter Jaques	...	Priest Carrying Bottle of Whisky (uncredited)
Ken Leicht	...	Punk Rocker (uncredited)
David McCarthy	...	Kid Hustler (uncredited)
Slash	...	Punk Rocker (uncredited)
Anthony Straeger	...	Band Manager (uncredited)
Jaynie Sustar	...	Punkette (uncredited)
Barrie Wild	...	Longhaired Rocker (uncredited)
Del Zamora	...	Mexican Transvestite (uncredited)

Directed by
Alex Cox

Writing credits
Alex Cox		(screenplay) and
Abbe Wool		(screenplay)

Produced by
Eric Fellner	....	producer
Peter Jaques	....	associate producer: UK
Margaret Matheson	....	executive producer
Peter McCarthy	....	co-producer
Abbe Wool	....	associate producer
Abbe Wool	....	producer: USA
Scott Millaney	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Pray for Rain

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins

Film Editing by
David Martin

Production Design by
Lynda Burbank		(as Linda Burbank)
J. Rae Fox
Andrew McAlpine

Art Direction by
J. Rae Fox

Set Decoration by
Marcie Dale
Joanne Woollard		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Catherine Cook

Makeup Department
Peter Frampton	....	makeup designer
Aaron Glynn	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Andrew Z. Davis	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Dodds	....	second assistant director: UK
Josh King	....	third assistant director: Los Angeles
Betsy Magruder	....	first assistant director: USA
Rip Murray	....	second assistant director: Los Angeles
Marianne Myatt	....	second assistant director: New York
Barbie Painter	....	second assistant director: New York
Chris Rose	....	first assistant director: UK
Gerard Wall	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Charmian Adams	....	assistant art director
Lynda Burbank	....	art director: US
Michael D'Imperio	....	assistant property master
Clifford 'Kip' Gynn	....	assistant props
Caroline Hanania	....	art director: UK
Tyler Smith	....	special set construction
Philip Steuer	....	property master
Mark White	....	construction

Sound Department
Peter Glossop	....	production sound mixer
Scott Jacobs	....	sound
Andrew Sissons	....	sound assistant
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer

Special Effects by
Jarn Heil	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Tony Willis	....	effects cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Sherry Leigh	....	stunts
J.D. Silvester	....	stunts
Tom Wright	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeff Baynes	....	third camera: UK
David Bridges	....	second camera: UK
David Bryant	....	first assistant camera
Roger Deakins	....	camera operator
Steven Fierberg	....	additional cinematographer
Jim Grce	....	gaffer
John Higgins	....	gaffer
Dwight Joseph Lavers	....	key grip
Peter G. Lindsay	....	best boy grip
Clay Liversidge	....	electrician
Simon Mein	....	still photographer
Gary Molyneux	....	electrician
William Moore	....	best boy electric: New York
Bill O'Leary	....	best boy
Simon Reeves	....	second assistant camera
Michael Rudolph	....	electrician
Stephen Williams	....	camera operator: rostrum camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lucy Boulting	....	casting: UK
Victoria Thomas	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa Riddle	....	costume assistant: Los Angeles
Lisa Riddle	....	costume design assistant
Pam Tait	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Michael Danks	....	second assistant editor
Justin Krish	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Kathy Nelson	....	music supervisor
Graham Walker	....	music production supervisor
Graham Walker	....	music supervisor
Greg Fulginiti	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard Booz	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Libbie Barr	....	script supervisor
Jacob F. Conrad	....	location manager: New York
Tom Garrett	....	assistant to producer
Ted Hope	....	production assistant
Tom Lowe	....	production assistant
Charles M. Lum	....	assistant location manager: New York
James R. Powell	....	projectionist
Dick Rude	....	commercials author
Joe Stevens	....	consultant
Rachel Talalay	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Abbe Wool	....	kitten wrangler

Thanks
Terence Dackombe	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Initial Pictures
• U.K. Productions Entity
• Zenith Entertainment

Distributors

• Artédis (1986) (France) (theatrical)
• CEL (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Embassy Home Entertainment
• Highlight Film (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Highlight Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• New Line Cinema
• New Line Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (LaserDisc) (licensed to Criterion)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The
• Sultan Entertainment (video)

Other Companies

• Film Wheels Ltd.  transportation
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min | Australia:110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Canada:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | Italy:VM18 | Australia:MA (cable TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Bramley Arms Pub, Bramley Road, Notting Hill, London, England, UK

Company:

Initial Pictures

Trivia:

In his 2007 autobiography, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash revealed that the casting director hired all five members of Guns N' Roses as extras for a club scene, having coincidentally scouted them in different locations without their knowledge. He said "all of us showed up to the first day of casting, like 'Hey...what are you doing here!'" However, Slash was the only one in the group to stay the entire 3 day shoot.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In 1975, when the Sex Pistols supposedly attacked Rod Stewart's Limousine, the Limo was a Cadillac made between 1980 and 1985.

Quotes:

Sid:[in a taxi on the way to the airport] I wish we wasn't breaking up.
Phoebe:Well it's a bit late for that isn't it? Paul and Steve are flying to Rio, Malcom's in London, John's in New York.
Sid:Yeah, great. What am I gonna do?
Phoebe:Anything you like; you're a free agent now.
Sid:I'll go home; see Nancy.
Phoebe:Yeah, well do that.
Sid:Master Kung Fu.
Phoebe:Look try and get off the heroin OK? Come on promise.
Sid:Ok.
Phoebe:And cut back on the drinking all right?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Supernatural: Time Is on My Side (#3.15)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Glued Up and Speeding

Intense and well acted but ultimately depressing and unrevealing look at the infamous punk rock couple.

The brilliant performances of Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb in the title roles propel this bleak and depressing look into the calamitous relationship between Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious and American punk rock groupie Nancy Spungen. The characters are introduced to us in tragedy right from the opening scene, casting the rest of the film with a fatalistic sense of impending doom. These are two tortured souls in communion who seem at odds with just about every facet of society -- even the extreme punk rock counter-culture to which they both ostensibly belong.

A major problem with the film (and all the more reason to tip our hats to the two leads) is that Sid and Nancy are written as such abrasive and disagreeable characters, one is hard pressed to relate to them on any meaningful level.

And while the re-creation of their reckless and volatile rebelliousness is quite detailed and credible, we never get a sense of how they came to be so angry and tortured to begin with. Even the smallest glimpse at their inner turmoil would have gone a long way in creating sympathy and concern from the audience. Instead, director Cox relies on the pureness of their genuine love for each other to provide that hook. That strategy succeeds to the extent it does ONLY because of Oldman's and Webb's amazing transformation into these parts.

If you own a DVD player, try to get a hold of the Criterion Collection edition of this film. That disc contains some excellent, revealing footage of the REAL Sid and Nancy that was shot for a contemporary documentary on the Sex Pistols ill-fated 1978 tour of the USA. If nothing else, the footage will increase your appreciation for these two splendid performances.