EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T. Rex, a documentary about one of the most dynamic and influential figures in rock n’ roll history.
The BMG production, which marks the directorial debut of filmmaker Ethan Silverman, originally premiered at Tribeca Festival. Greenwich plans to release the film in theaters on August 8.
“Angelheaded Hipster explores the complex and revolutionary music and lyrics of the ultra-charismatic Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex, the glam rock powerhouse behind ‘Band a Gong (Get it On),’ ‘Children of the Revolution’ and other iconic songs,” notes a release. “From 1970 to 1973, T. Rex’s popularity in the UK was comparable to that of The Beatles, with a run of eleven top ten singles, four of which reached number one.”
The release continues, “Bolan and T. Rex never crossed over in the U.S. on the scale of friend, quasi-rival, and fellow glitter pioneer David Bowie. However, after Bolan’s death in a car crash in 1977 at just 29, his influence found its way into various successive sounds like punk, new wave, post-punk, indie rock, Britpop and alt rock.”
Among the recording artists who credit the influence of T. Rex are R.E.M., Joy Division, the Smiths, the Ramones, Kate Bush, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Marc Bolan (1947 – 1977) of T-Rex in 1972
Michael Putland/Getty Images
The documentary features archival performances and interviews with friends and peers including Bowie, Elton John (who performed with T. Rex in 1971), Ringo Starr, as well as Marc Bolan’s life partner, the singer Gloria Jones. Also presented throughout are performances from the 2020 Bolan and T. Rex tribute album Angelheaded Hipster produced by the late Hal Wilner featuring contemporary artists including U2, Nick Cave, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, Lucinda Williams, and Father John Misty.
“I made this film to celebrate the incredible musical contribution and stunning cultural statement made by maverick innovator Marc Bolan nearly 50 years ago when he was way ahead of his time,” Ethan Silverman said in a statement. “After experiencing this film with audiences of all ages from around the world, I am excited and proud that Greenwich is finally able to share our joyful work with American audiences.”
In a March 1972 piece, Rolling Stone magazine’s Michael Thomas wrote of T. Rex, “Everywhere they went, they tore the place apart.” In enthusiastic if overwrought prose, Thomas added, “T. Rex is a monster and Marc [Bolan], down on his knees in the last ecstatic throes of sheer carnal crotch rock, like a sinister little angel out of the densest and most exotic prison visions of Jean Genet, with glitter round his eyes and stars in his hair and dressed in satin and sequins and girl’s shoes from Anello and Davide’s, Marc is the Queen of the Hop, right in the middle of the Mick Jagger gap.”
Angelheaded Hipster is produced by Ethan Silverman and Bill Curbishley, with executive producers Dan Braun and Isaac Hoff. The acquisition deal was negotiated by Greenwich’s Ed Arentz with Submarine’s Dan Braun and Ben Schwartz representing the filmmakers.
