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Telstar (2008)

Director: Nick Moran

Time Out rating

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11 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

For better or worse, it’s an extraordinary piece of British pop history: former RAF radar boffin Joe Meek installs himself above a bag shop (now a kebab house) on Holloway Road, where he crafts 1962’s landmark ‘Telstar’, a slice of 45rpm perfection which was the first British single to top the US charts. Meek’s career didn’t hit the heights for long, however, as musical fashion moved on while his amphetamine consumption, interest in the occult and troubled gay sexuality addled his decision-making process, setting the scene for a tragic finale. Overall, we’re indebted to Nick Moran’s film for putting the Joe Meek story, in all its gumption and strangeness, back in the spotlight, yet the utterly unruly trajectory of Meek’s personal and professional career makes it an awkward customer on celluloid.

The film is at its best when Con O’Neill’s full-on Meek has an ensemble to act against in recreating the larky glitter of Britain’s formative pop years. That’s partly thanks to jaunty support from James Corden and Ralf Little as musicians, and JJ Feild is spot-on as talent-free singing sensation Heinz Burt while plummy Kevin Spacey is a good sport as Meek’s backer, Major Banks. However, as the tone darkens and O’Neill’s left carrying the story on his own, it’s less compelling, exposing the fact that the script never really gets inside Meek’s head to allow us to experience the downward slide with him – instead of observing it with increasingly academic interest. Even if ‘Telstar’ can’t quite get the measure of its fascinating material, its pluck and ambition prove infectious enough to outweigh its flaws.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London issue 2026, June 18 - 24, 2008

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User reviews of this film

Hannah said...

Posted on Feb 26 2011 23:57 I love this film!
I got it for my Christmas present as I wanted to see Carl Barats acting skills and after watching it once I fell in love with the film and now I cant get enough of it.
The songs are amazing and has opened my music taste and I am very glad I got this.
5 stars!
but I was disappointed that Carl was only in it for 10 minutes :\
Still an amazing film though!

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Dave said...

Posted on Oct 04 2009 08:21 This is a brilliant film and i cant understand the negative comments. It fully captures the chaos that was 304 holloway road. Just for the record Telstar was not the first British record to go to number 1 in the states, that honour went to Laurie London, Trevor Johnson do your homework.

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David Richards said...

Posted on Oct 02 2009 15:56 Having just bought the DVD I must say I have to agree with Wendy Burton's criticisms of the film. I found it very disappointing. It came over as a manic black comedy. Whilst there was an element of black humour and irony to the story I think this was way over-exploited, making the end result a black farce, much of it I'm sure incomprehensible to younger viewers. I thought the 'band' were very unconvincing and Kevin Spacey spoke his lines as if he feared his false moustache was going to fall off. Worst of all was that the film's title led one to believe that the film would have made much more of the remarkable success of the eponymous hit that smashed all records back in '62, topping both the British and the USA charts and selling five million copies world-wide. This should have been the central theme of the film, being Joe Meek's crowning glory. Instead it was treated, with a tongue in cheek attitude, as merely an episode in the story of Meek's manic trajectory. The film would have been more appropriately titled "The Madness of Joe Meek".

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Wendy Burton said...

Posted on Aug 05 2009 22:59 I'm sorry I cannot agree with what others have said. I thought it was absolutely dreadful, hugely disappointing, a completely lost opportunity, and an insult to the memory of Joe Meek. It almost totally ignored his talents and huge musical output, and concentrated almost entirely on his manic behaviour, which I'm sure must have been hugely exaggerated as he came over as a nasty, foul-mouthed and violent madman.
Just my opinion, of course, but I think it explains why it disappeared from the cinema circuits very quickly, and doesn't seem to be due for release overseas. If it hadn't been for the fact that as an avid fan of the music of the early/mid 60s, I was interested in the subject matter, I'd have walked out half way through. Several much younger people, for whom the story would have meant absolutely nothing, did.

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JACK said...

Posted on Jul 16 2009 15:16 A great performance from Con O'Neill ably assisted by a very good supporting cast.
As a Joe Meek affeciado from the early days I was prepared to be disappointed...I was not, a great film and I am so glad Geoff Goddard finally get's some recognition for the musical talent he brought to Hollaway Road.
Only shown for one night in York in a small cinema...why ?

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David said...

Posted on Jul 14 2009 23:01 I have been doing endless internet searching for more informaton as to the release of Telatar to North American cinemas. I live in Canada and want to see this movie so badly. Can anyone tell me why this movie seems to not being releaed on a larger scale? Even if a person does not know whom Joe Meek and/or The Tornados, John Leyton, etc. etc. are, this movie would be so interesting to watch as the story line is so intriquing.
PLEASE RELEASE THIS MOVIE TO NORTH AMERICA!!!

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Val White said...

Posted on Jul 09 2009 15:08 Why is it not being shown anywhere in Essex? I would love to go and see this film, especially as I would like to see the guy who is playing John Leyton in it.

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Rick said...

Posted on Jul 08 2009 00:20 The first half of the film had me crying with laughter, Jame Corden brilliantly funny as were the rest of the cast and script. Particually the guy Geoff (cant remember his name) who played the writer of "Just like Eddy" etc, He was absolutely brilliant..... second half of the film potrade the very dark side of Jo Meek's life, and could easily make you cry with dispare for him... On a critical note... altho they hit the big time, you didn't really get the feeling that they did, as nothing changed, as you'd think it would..... and as a young boy, I saw Hienz in a B film (to Cliff Richard's Summer Holiday I think) but there was no mention of that... All in all tho,, a great film, and would definitely recommend anyone to go and see...

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Nicola said...

Posted on Jun 26 2009 23:42 Absolutely brilliant! Con O'Neill is superb and the rest of the cast are fantastic. Shame it's not showing in more cinemas.

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Emma said...

Posted on Jun 26 2009 11:45 I thought Telstar was BRILLIANT! I had an 'extra' part in too! I also thought JJ Feild as Heinz was brilliant & he was /is really cute too! x

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robert said...

Posted on Jun 21 2009 23:54 I had to drive 40 miles to seek out this film. For all the exposure on TV and radio, it seems to have a really limited release. But I'm really glad I did. It's a great, quirky, in your face British movie, with a terrific cast all round, and brilliantly evokes its time. Con O'Neill is wonderful.

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