Absolute Beginners
Brief Synopsis
A young photographer seeks media stardom to keep the love of a beautiful model.
Cast & Crew
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Julien Temple
Director
Eddie O'connell
Colin Young
Patsy Kensit-healy
Crepe Suzette
David Bowie
Vendice Partners
James Fox
Henley Od
Ray Davies
Arthur
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Musical
Release Date
1986
Production Company
Camera Effects; Goldcrest; Goldcrest Films International; Palace Pictures; Peter Govey Film Opticals; Twickenham Film Studios; Twickenham Studios; Virgin Vision
Distribution Company
Orion Pictures; Orion Pictures; Palace Pictures
Location
London, England, United Kingdom
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 48m
Synopsis
An adman corrupts a photographer who loves a fashion designer in riotous 1958 Soho London.
Director
Julien Temple
Director
Cast
Eddie O'connell
Colin Young
Patsy Kensit-healy
Crepe Suzette
David Bowie
Vendice Partners
James Fox
Henley Od
Ray Davies
Arthur
Eve Ferret
Big Jill
Anita Morris
Dido Lament
Lionel Blair
Harry Charms
Steven Berkoff
Fanatic
Graham Fletcher-cook
Wizard
Mandy Rice-davies
Mum
Bruce Payne
Flikker
Tenpole Tudor
Editor The TEditoritor
Tony Hippolyte
Mr Cool
Alan Freeman
Call Me Cobber
Chris Pitt
Baby Boom
Paul Rhys
Dean Swift
Julian Firth
The Misery Kid
Joe Mckenna
The Fabulous Hoplite
Ronald Fraser
Amberley Drove
Irene Handl
Mrs Larkin
Sylvia Syms
Cynthia Eve
Eric Sykes
Salt Beef Man
Peter Hugo Daly
Vern
Johnny Shannon
Saltzman
Amanda Jane Powell
Dorita
Robbie Coltrane
Mario
Gary Beadle
Johnny Wonder
Jess Conrad
Cappuccino Man
Smiley Culture
D J Entertainer
Slim Gaillard
Party Singer
Ekow Abban
Santa Lucia Club Owner
Robert Austin
Slim Brother
Gerry Alexander
Ton-Up Vicar
Jim Dunk
Slim Brother
Johnny Edge
Trader Horn
Carmen Ejogo
Carmen
Paul Fairminer
Eddie Sex
Hugo First
Maltese Lodger
Pat Hartley
Mrs Cool Snr
Astley Harvey
Mr Cool Snr
Colin Jeavons
Pamphleteer
Alfred Maron
Bert The Tailor
Zoot Money
Chez Nobody Barman
Sandie Shaw
Baby Boom'S Mum
Bruno Tonioli
Maltese Lodger
Roland Alexander
Dancer
Shaun Alexander
Dancer
Ayo Antaeus
Dancer
John Aron
Dancer
Hoyle Baker
Dancer
Chris Baldock
Dancer
Andree Bernard
Dancer
Warren Bird
Dancer
Richard Bodkin
Dancer
Timothy Brennan
Dancer
Mo Bright
Dancer
Roland Brine
Dancer
Kevin Carter
Dancer
Imogen Clare
Dancer
Clive Clarke
Dancer
Kirsty Davide
Dancer
Vince Debono
Dancer
Dennis Elcock
Dancer
Sylvia Ellis
Dancer
King Masher Fontaine
Dancer
Wayne Fowkes
Dancer
Dave Foreman
Dancer
Lucille Gaye
Dancer
Elliot Gilbert
Dancer
John Gordon
Dancer
Lorna Gray
Dancer
John Greaves
Dancer
Robert Grimsey
Dancer
Robert Grose
Dancer
Michael Ho
Dancer
Isobel Hurll
Dancer
Johnny Hutch
Dancer
Kim St James
Dancer
Peter Jessup
Dancer
Clive Johnson
Dancer
Val Joseph
Dancer
Trevor Kelly
Dancer
Tony Kemp
Dancer
Chrissie Kendal
Dancer
Olivia Komlosy
Dancer
Viv Law
Dancer
Madeleine Lawrence
Dancer
Paul Leonard
Dancer
Kenny Linden
Dancer
Tom Lock
Dancer
Tricia Lockhart
Dancer
Jerry Manley
Dancer
Peyton Martin
Dancer
Robin Martyne
Dancer
Jack Migdalek
Dancer
Bob Newent
Dancer
Albin Pahernik
Dancer
Neil Patterson
Dancer
William Perrie
Dancer
Shanti Ruchpaul
Dancer
Corrine Russell
Dancer
Les Saxon
Dancer
Gary Sellars
Dancer
Alan Spencer
Dancer
Chris Sullivan
Dancer
Paul Telford
Dancer
Michelle Thorne
Dancer
Christina Thornton
Dancer
Carl Trevors
Dancer
Oke Wambu
Dancer
Anthony Wellington
Dancer
Elizabeth Wendon
Dancer
John Willet
Dancer
Sabra Williams
Dancer
Barrie J Wilkinson
Dancer
Glen Wilkinson
Dancer
Barrie Young
Dancer
David Morgan Young
Dancer
Crew
Ekow Abban
Song
Ekow Abban
Song Performer ("Santa Lucia")
Tony Aherne
3rd Assistant Director
Laurel Aiken
Song
Laurel Aiken
Song Performer ("Landlords And Tenants")
Steve Allen
Song Arranger ("Rock A Bye Baby")
Lynda Armstrong
Makeup Assistant
Graham Attwood
Stills
Edward Barber
Song ("Scorpio")
Gary Barnicle
Song Performer ("Napoli")
Clive Barrett
Assistant Editor
John Beard
Production Designer
Richard Bedford
Editor
Matthew Binns
Location Unit Manager
Sue Blane
Costume Designer
Tim Booth
Song
Elaine Bowerbank
Chief Hairdresser
David Bowie
Song ("That'S Motivation" "Absolute Beginners")
David Bowie
Song Performer ("Volare" "Absolute Beginners" "That'S Motivation")
Michael Bradsell
Editor
Chris Brown
Producer
J Bruton
Song ("Teddy Bears' Picnic")
Peter Bryant
Supervisor
Richard Burridge
Screenwriter
Roger Burton
Costume Consultant
Al Clark
Executive Producer
Michael Clifford
Music Editor
Eric Coates
Song ("Sleepy Lagoon")
Tim Coghlan
Assistant (To Producers)
Paul Conway
Assistant Editor
Ray Corbett
Assistant Director
Jane Cotton
Dance Stage Manager
Valerie Craig
Production Coordinator
Paul Cridlin
Sound Maintenance
Smiley Culture
Lyrics
Smiley Culture
Song Performer ("So What")
Jerry Dammers
Song ("Riot City")
Jerry Dammers
Song Performer ("Riot City")
Ray Davies
Song
Ray Davies
Song Performer ("Quiet Life")
Leo Davis
Casting
Miles Davis
Song ("So What")
Stuart Dejong
Assistant Editor
Robert Devereux
Executive Producer
Bob Devine
Construction Manager Assistant
Dick Dicker
Supervisor
Mary Dockwrey
2nd Assistant Editor
W Donaldson
Song ("My Mammy")
Tracy Drew
Title Design
Arthur Egnoian
Song ("Bongo Rock")
Helen Eley
Assistant Editor
Preston Epps
Song ("Bongo Rock")
Gil Evans
Music Conductor
Gil Evans
Song ("The Naked And The Dead" "Va Va Voom")
Gil Evans
Music Arranger
Gil Evans
Music; Music Director
Susie Figgis
Casting
Peter Frampton
Chief Makeup
Slim Gaillard
Song
Slim Gaillard
Song Performer ("Selling Out")
Stuart Game
Other
Leonard Green
Assistant Editor
David Grimsdale
Sound Editor
Gerry Hambling
Editor
Michael Hamlyn
Screenplay Development
Jack Hammer
Song ("Great Balls Of Fire")
Wee Willie Harris
Song Performer ("Rocking At The 21'S")
William Harris
Song ("Rocking At The 21'S")
Frank Heeney
Gaffer
Derek Holding
Sound Editor
Mary Holdsworth
Script Supervisor
Gerry Humphreys
Sound Rerecording Mixer
Jonas Hurst
Song Performer ("Little Girl (You'Ve Never Had It So Good)")
Luis Jardim
Music Arranger ("Here Comes The Bride")
David John
Sound Recording
Terry Johnson
Additional Dialogue
Terry Johnson
Writer (Dialogue)
Terry Johnson
Screenplay
Ray Jones
Supervisor
Eddy Joseph
Sound Editor
J Kennedy
Song ("Teddy Bears' Picnic")
Patsy Kensit-healy
Song Performer ("Having It All")
Patsy Kensit-healy
Song
Geoff Kingsley
Construction Manager
Peter Kohn
Production Manager
Clive Langer
Music Mixer; Music Recording
Clive Langer
Song Performer ("Napoli")
Clive Langer
Song; Song Arranger ("Rock A Bye Baby")
Clive Langer
Music Producer
Matthew Lannay
Boom Operator
Howard Lanning
Sound Editor
Mark Latimer
Assistant Editor
S Lewis
Song ("My Mammy")
Lee Electric Lighting
Lighting Equipment
Russell Lloyd
Editor
Cynthia Lole
Music Coordinator
Sue Love
Hairdresser Assistant
Nick Lowe
Song ("Little Cat (You'Ve Never Had It So Good)")
Colin Macinnes
Source Material (From Novel)
Don Macpherson
Music Coordinator
Don Macpherson
Screenwriter
Colin Manning
Grip
Roger Mayne
Original Period Photography
Franco Migliacci
Song ("Volare")
Charles Mingus
Songs ("Boogie Stop Shuffle (The Rough And The Smooth)" "Better Git It In Your Soul (The Hot And The Cool)")
Domenico Modugno
Song ("Volare")
Ian Moore
2nd Assistant Editor
David Morgan
Other
Angela Morley
Music Extracts ("Hancock'S Half Hour (A Sunday Afternoon At Home)")
Tom Morley
Song Performer ("Napoli")
R Palmer
Song ("Hey Little School Girl")
Daniel Parker
Makeup Assistant
David Perry
Costume Designer
Chris Phillips
Song
Kieron Phipps
2nd Assistant Director
Amanda Pirie
Assistant (To Julien Temple)
Jenny Pollitt
Assistant (To Producers)
Ken Powell
Supervisor
Nik Powell
Executive Producer
Mike Proudfoot
Camera Operator
Colin Purbrook
Music Associate
Beatrice Reading
Song
Beatrice Reading
Song Performer ("Rock Baby Rock")
Stuart Rose
Art Direction
Barbara Rutter
Costume Designer Assistant
Daniel Secunda
Music Coordinator
Mary Selway
Casting
Jennifer Collen Smith
Unit Publicist
L Stabbins
Songs ("Killer Blow" "Rodrigo")
Oliver Stapleton
Director Of Photography
Adrian Start
Supervisor
Amy Stears
Assistant Editor
Joyce Stoneman
Wardrobe Supervisor
Kathy Sykes
Production Coordinator
Chris Taylo
Hairdresser Assistant
Tot Taylor
Song ("Selling Out")
Julien Temple
Songs ("Ted Ain'T Ded" "Selling Out" "Napoli")
Jonathan Thornton
Choreography Assistant
Sue Thornton
Dance Stage Manager Assistant
David Toguri
Choreography
Edward Tudor-pole
Song Performer ("Ted Ain'T Ded")
Edward Tudor-pole
Song
Richard Wagner
Music ("Wedding March" From Opera "Lohengrin")
Peter Walpole
Props Buyer
Paul Weller
Song (""Have You Ever Had It Blue")
Ken Wheatley
Art Direction
Derek Whorlow
Supervisor
Christopher Wicking
Screenwriter
Arthur Wicks
Property Master
Ray Williams
Executive Music Supervisor
David Wimbury
Associate Producer
Alan Winstanley
Music Producer
Alan Winstanley
Sound Recording Mixer
Alan Winstanley
Music Mixer
Joanne Woollard
Set Dresser
Stephen Woolley
Producer
J Young
Song ("My Mammy")
Videos
Movie Clip
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Musical
Release Date
1986
Production Company
Camera Effects; Goldcrest; Goldcrest Films International; Palace Pictures; Peter Govey Film Opticals; Twickenham Film Studios; Twickenham Studios; Virgin Vision
Distribution Company
Orion Pictures; Orion Pictures; Palace Pictures
Location
London, England, United Kingdom
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 48m
Articles
Absolute Beginners (1986) - Absolute Beginners
Absolute Beginners (1986) - Absolute Beginners
A young photographer seeks media stardom to keep the love of a beautiful model.
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring April 18, 1986
System 35
Super Techniscope
Released in United States Spring April 18, 1986