It probably takes someone like Julien Temple, who has been intimately involved in the Pistols' history, to make such a compelling documentary. Not being much of a Pistols fan, I didn't expect to be moved very deeply by this narrative, but I found myself fascinated by the plethora of material Temple has dug up, and the sophisticated, multi-layered editing. The film not only follows the Pistols' lives, but gives us a rich and detailed picture of the times that spawned them. And it completely validates their attitude - the Pistols are the only people shown here who appear completely contemporary, in contrast to a stifled society that, looking back, seems almost grotesque. It was time for the Pistols' full history to become known, including the details of their demise. Thanks to the filmmakers, now it is.
Review of The Filth and the Fury
