Sid and Nancy (1986)

The relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed.

Director:

Alex Cox

Writers:

Alex Cox (screenplay), Abbe Wool (screenplay)

Stars:

Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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 Spacely	...	Chelsea Resident

Storyline

Morbid biographical story of Sid Vicious, bassist with British punk group the Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. When the Sex Pistols break up after their fateful US tour, Vicious attempts a solo career while in the grip of heroin addiction. One morning, Nancy is found stabbed to death and Sid is arrested for her murder.

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Plot Keywords:

vomiting | brandy | peppermint schnapps | self harm | character names as title | 

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Taglines:

Love kills

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alex Cox and cinematographer Roger Deakins wanted to shoot the film in stark black-and-white, fitting the bleak tone. Unsurprisingly, the people financing the movie nixed that idea as too artsy and potentially off-putting to audiences. Instead, Deakins shot in color but designed it so the images become increasingly monochromatic as the film goes on, so that by the end the film is practically gray.

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Goofs

In 1975, when Sid and Johnny are smashing up the Rolls Royce, the can of spray paint alternates between being in Sid's hand and sitting on the hood, next to him, between shots. Also, the windshield gains and looses minor amounts of damage at random.

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Quotes

Nancy: Who's Dick Dent?
Brenda Winczor: He's just some wanky journalist who don't appreciate The Sex Pistols.

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Crazy Credits

"And introducing the young Cat Vicious in the role of Smoky, Sid and Nancy's child."

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Connections

Referenced in Nana: Nana's Love Whereabouts (2006)

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Soundtracks

God Save The Queen
Performed by Andrew Schofield, Glen Matlock, Dave McIntosh, James Christopher Stevenson
Written by Steve Jones (as Jones) / Glen Matlock (as Maylock) / John Lydon (as Rotten) and Paul Cook (uncredited)
© Warner Bros Music/Glitterbest

User Reviews

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Alex Cox

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sid and Nancy

Filming Locations:

Oakland Court, Holland Park, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$50,829, 19 October 1986

Gross USA:

$2,826,523

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,850,707

Company Credits

Production Co:

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

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1