Stardust

The second part of Jim Maclaine's life is seen throughout this film, this is the better of the two films. In this half Jim's dream of becoming a rock and roll star comes true with his band 'the Stray Cats' made up of J.D Clover (Keith Moon), Johnny (Paul Nicholas) and Alex (Dave Edmunds). When Jim hires his old chum Mike (now portrayed by Adam Faith) to be their manager that's when things really begin sparking for them, with Mike's 'can sell snow to the Eskimos' charm he manages to get the band a recording deal. During the recording is when Johnny has to step aside as a front man for the B-side to let Jim sing, from then on Jim seems to be replacing Johnny, the singles were 'accidently' switched and Jim's song was put on the A-side and then the band were getting known as 'Jim Maclaine and the Stray Cats'.

Their success grows, we see many aspects of the Beatles during the film, the hysteria, the cocky replies to journalists - there is even a direct joke about the Beatles during an interview, when Jim is asked how he is finding America, one of the band members mentions "At least he never said turn left at Greenland." 

As the band receive more success the more their relationships begins to whither, Johnny has been thrown out and is replaced by Stevie (Karl Howman). Mike appears to favor Jim and won't stop at anything to make Jim the most successful of the foursome, which the band realise and no longer want to put up with. It is at a club where JD chucks Jim out whilst a comedian makes jokes about how beautiful Jim is, he fights for his place but the band are having none of it - they're done with being hid in Jim's shadow.

Jim has acquired a French girlfriend, their relationship almost echoing John and Yoko. He cheats on her, she finds him but says nothing, she tries to control his music and his mind. When Jim's mum dies, she goes along to the funeral where they bump into Jeanette with her new husband and Jim's son; Jim. It is obvious that Jeanette is displeased with Jim's arrival at the funeral, with all the screaming fans around she asks why he didn't just keep away.

After breaking up with Danielle, releasing a solo album and having lost everyone in his life, apart from Mike, Jim decides to buy a castle in Spain where he becomes a recluse with Mike. He wanders his halls like a ghost, almost as if he is slowly going insane - a result in a boxing match with Mike causes Jim to lose his temper and kick Mike's pregnant dog in the stomach, causing miscarriage of the puppies - proving further that he is going crazy. 

After two years Jim decides to break his silence, Mike calls for film crews and journalists to come to the castle for an interview. On the day they arrive Jim is adamant that he isn't going to do any interviews but is forced to put on his suit by Mike. So he walks from his room in his white suit, a red flower hanging on his pocket - he looks half asleep as he walks. His face is pale and he tells the interviewer that he remembers him from an earlier time, when he sits down he is made to wait whilst footage of his past played to an audience. He sits looking edgy, like he doesn't know what's happening. When getting asked questions his answers are off subject, people in the film van are asking whether he is 'nuts' - but when I first watched this it became apparent that he had taken drugs, and a lot of them. And then comes the question "How do you feel that your wife and son may possibly be watching this show?", Jim pauses as he looks up towards the sky - his eyes are glassy and then he replies "I have a lovely little boy, I should be very proud of him." Realising what's happening Mike pushes through the crowd to ring for an ambulance.

When Jim faints he is taken into an ambulance, whilst paramedics try to pump his stomach and bring him around Mike is there telling Jim how ungrateful he's been, how much of a pain in the arse he's been and how he was the one person who had always been there for him. Jim lifts up for a moment, he wheezes and then his body falls into the paramedics arms as he closes his eyes.

He's died.

It was the first time I'd ever cried at a film when I watched this, I think it was just because it took me by a complete surprise when he did die, I wasn't expecting it at all. I find this film to be a better story line than the first, it has more things happening in it that keep your attention on the screen at all times, I love it dearly.

The soundtrack is a great one too, my favourite of the songs being 'you kept me waiting' (as seen above), David Essex's voice suits the early sixties rock and roll phenomena of which this story follows. As far as I'm concerned some of the songs were written for the film and whomever wrote them has done an amazing job of capturing the innocent lyrics seen in most early sixties songs.

I urge everyone to watch this film!