Sid and Nancy (1986)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

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:

Murder | Punk Rock | Heroin | Hotel | Dominatrix

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 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. Heads room (uncredited)
Peter Jaques	...	Priest carrying bottle of whisky (uncredited)
Ken Leicht	...	Punk rocker (uncredited)
Slash	...	Punk rocker (uncredited)
Anthony Straeger	...	Band Manager (uncredited)
Jaynie Sustar	...	Punkette (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

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

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
John Higgins	....	gaffer
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
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
Tom Garrett	....	assistant to producer
Ted Hope	....	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

• 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
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The
• Sultan Entertainment (video)

Other Companies

• Film Wheels Ltd.  transportation
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording

Also Known As:

Sid and Nancy: Love Kills

Runtime:

112 min | Australia:110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Canada:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Chelsea Hotel - 222 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Initial Pictures

Trivia:

The real Johnny Rotten ('John Lydon') dismissed this film as "mere fantasy... the Peter Pan version."

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the taxi ride to the airport, the taxi cab is driving east bound on the San Mateo (California) Bridge. The airport is west. Specifically, the airport is 17 miles south of San Francisco, the San Mateo Bridge is about 5 miles south of SFO airport.

Quotes:

Bowery Snax, drug dealer: Sid, Nance, pull up your pants.

Movie Connections:

Features Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor (1936)

Soundtrack:

Moonlight Sonata

Masterful performances by Oldman and Webb

When I was 15, I loved this movie because I loved the Sex Pistols and everything punk. Now that I am twice that age, I love this film for its unflinching portrayal of two people's lives, despite how uncomfortable it makes us, how little we sympathize with them as people, or how hard it is for us to comprehend the choices they made. I personally believe at least part of the discomfort comes from the fact that at some level, we DO understand Sid and Nancy, their love for each other, and the choices they make beneath the haze of addiction.

I realize, seeing it with adult eyes, why my parents were so shocked I was watching this film in 1987. But ironically, it was the best anti-drug message I could have seen in my teenage years. In performances so masterful they make me wince, fight off nausea, and weep for their misfortune, Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb constructed characters no one would ever want to be. The supporting cast deserves accolades as well - in particular, Andrew Schofield turns in a seamless portrayal of Johnny Rotten, who, unlike Sid, knows full well Malcolm MacLaren created him.

Having read "And I Don't Want To Live This Life" by Debora Spungen, and having seen more than a handful of documentaries with live footage of the band throughout the years, what impressed me most was the consistency of tone that Oldman and Webb bring to their performances. They are spot-on, not just in stupor and excess, but in tenderness and rare moments of clarity. The movie's ending was unique among biopics where the truth is in dispute, in that it did not profess to know the answer to that burning question (did Sid kill Nancy?) any more than Sid knew himself.

Why watch a film about a couple of junkies who came from unremarkable backgrounds and disappeared into the bleakness of drug addiction? We seem to want our films to be about something loftier than ourselves. I view "Sid and Nancy" more as a play than a movie - we allow our plays to be about uncomfortable subjects and unhappy people, but seem to think that celluloid must be as bright as the projector light behind it. This film is a study in love and dysfunction; its characters are painfully imperfect but perfectly portrayed and we cannot help but respond, even if our response is the deep, squirming discomfort that leads us to say we disliked the whole experience.

I rated this film a very rare 9.