Marc Bolan - The Final Word

Chariot Choogle, something for you to oogle

The most striking aspect of having Bolan’s life laid out in about 80 minutes’ worth of documentary is just how much it followed Elvis Presley’s trajectory. Though Bolan had to work that bit harder to get there, it didn’t take long before the initial flush of White Swan success led to all-encompassing fame, followed by a fat rock star period which saw Bolan’s live shows, like Presley’s, fall into self-parody. The tragic death ties it together all too clearly. Whatever happened to the teenage dream, indeed?

The paths do divide. Bolan was happy churning out the formula once he’d found it, while Presley sat around wishing he could kick the Colonel’s doctrine. But then, Presley was largely ignorant of what he had; Bolan was obsessed with fame from the off and once he found something to get him there, he was loath to let it go. It was exciting until the excesses clouded his judgement, which was once so on-point.

Telling the story though the usual mix of archive footage and talking heads, including members of John’s Children, Bolan’s girlfriend Gloria Jones and publicist BP Fallon, as far as documentaries go, this really is the last word on that man with the corkscrew hair.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Universal | 8252922

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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