The 1986 film starring David Bowie is to be reissued on 25 July 2016 for its 30th anniversary.
Absolute Beginners stars Bowie as advertising executive Vendice Partners in a drama about the race riots in Notting Hill in 1958. Bowie was one of a number of singers acting in the film, alongside Ray Davies as Father, future Game Of Thrones actor Edward Tudor-Pole as Ed The Ted and soul singer Sade as Athene.
It was also the first major acting role for Patsy Kensit, who went on to marry Liam Gallagher. Kensit played the lead role as fashion designer Crepe Suzette.
The anniversary edition of the film adds an hour-long documentary featuring new interviews with the film’s director Julien Temple, Tudor-Pole and producers Stephen Wooley and Nik Powell. It will be available on Blu-Ray for the first time, as well as DVD and download.
Despite the 1950s setting, the soundtrack featured new jazz and soul tracks by ex-Specials songwriter Jerry Dammers, Paul Weller’s band The Style Council, Gil Evans and Working Week as well as Bowie and Sade.
Bowie’s theme song ‘Absolute Beginners’ reached No 2 in the UK, kept from No 1 by ‘Chain Reaction’ by Diana Ross. Produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, who were enjoying success as the producers of Madness and Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Bowie recorded the song in secret. The session musicians invited to play on the song at Abbey Road studios were only told they would be working with “Mr X”.
It reunited Bowie with pianist Rick Wakeman, who had previously played on his hit ‘Space Oddity’ and the ‘Hunky Dory’ album. Bowie previously worked with Julien Temple on the video for his single ‘Blue Jean’.
