Absolute Beginners (film)

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Absolute Beginners
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Julien Temple
Written by	Richard Burridge Christopher Wicking Don Macpherson
Based on	Absolute Beginners 1959 novel by Colin MacInnes
Produced by	Chris Brown Stephen Woolley
Starring	Eddie O'Connell Patsy Kensit David Bowie James Fox Ray Davies Anita Morris Steven Berkoff Sade Adu
Cinematography	Oliver Stapleton
Edited by	Gerry Hambling
Music by	Gil Evans
Production companies	Goldcrest Films Virgin Films
Distributed by	Palace Pictures
Release date	3 April 1986 (1986-04-03)
Running time	108 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£8.4 million[2]
Box office	£1.8 million[3]

Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes' book about life in late 1950s London, directed by Julien Temple. The film stars Eddie O' Connell, Patsy Kensit, James Fox, Edward Tudor-Pole, Anita Morris, and David Bowie, with featured appearances by Sade Adu, Ray Davies, and Steven Berkoff. It was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.^[4] It received coverage in the British media but was panned by critics and became a box office failure, although modern reviews have been more favourable.^[5] Bowie's theme song was very popular in the UK, spending nine weeks on the charts and peaking at number two.^[6]

The commercial failure of Absolute Beginners and two other films is blamed for the collapse of British film studio Goldcrest Films.^[7]