Stardust

1 9 7 4 (UK)

This sequel to That'll Be The Day has Adam Faith taking over the role of Mike which Ringo Starr played in the original movie.

Now set in the sixties, the movie charts the career of rock star, Jim MacLaine, with and without his band, The Stray Cats. Not surprisingly many parallels can be drawn with the lives of many sixties bands, most notably, The Beatles (the suits are a dead give away guys!) 

Actually there's a great scene containing a bit of a nod and a wink to the old Fab Four. On a plane in the States, Jim is asked how he found America, and while he is giving his sensible answer one of The Stray Cats comment that at least he didn't say turn left at Greenland!!  

Once MacLaine leaves the Stray Cats behind him, around the mid-sixties, a bizarre thing happens. Time appears to warp a little and the latter half of the sixties become the mid-seventies! Perhaps the person in charge of continuity went on holiday or something, but in a scene which we date at around 1967 - 1968 there is a poster for The Rocky Horror Show clearly visible in the background! (The show did not hit the stage until around 1973.)  

All in all though, the movie is most enjoyable, showing both the highs and lows of stardom, climaxing in a dramatic finale in front of the world's cameras! 

However, the highlight of the whole thing is the late Keith Moon (from The Who) as The Stray Cats drummer, J.D. His performance alone is worth the price of the video. Oh yeah . . . and watch out for Mike's limp, too. He seems to forget which leg is the duff one!