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Trailer

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

1980Movie1 h 43 min

ComedyDocumentary
83
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb6.4Rotten Tomatoes100%72%

A gloriously campy, nostalgic comedy movie about show business and pop culture.

Good for friends night · party vibe · teens

Where to watch

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Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for warmth, comfort or uplift.

Movies with

Story

A rather incoherent post-breakup Sex Pistols "documentary", told from the point of view of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, whose (arguable) position is that the Sex Pistols in particular and punk rock in general were an elaborate scam perpetrated by him in order to make "a million pounds."

Feels like

  • Mockumentary
  • Punk Rock
  • Satirical
  • Meta-Narrative
  • British
  • Musical
  • Pop Culture
  • Showbiz
  • Historical
  • Absurdist

Cast

19 of 19

Crew

Directed by
Julien Temple
Written by
Julien Temple
Produced by
Jeremy Thomas, Don Boyd

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

September 11, 1980 · 1 h 43 min · Strong Language

Released
September 11, 1980
Runtime
1 h 43 min
Content
Strong Language
Genres
Comedy, Documentary, Music
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom

Q&A

3 questions, like "Is The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle worth watching?"

Questions about The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle worth watching?

83
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 83 (IMDb 6.4 and Rotten Tomatoes 100%). Critics rate it higher (100 out of 100) than audiences (68).

Will The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle make me laugh?

Very funny

Yes, a lot: the humor is mostly satire (10 of 10) and absurd humor (8 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 7 of 10 for bleakness and 4 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.