MovieChat Forums > Sid and Nancy (1986) Discussion > Rotten Was Unconvincing

Rotten Was Unconvincing

posted 12 years ago by lh_lh82
11 replies | jump to latest

I think the depiction of Johnny Rotten is one of the least successful in the film. He’s more “manic leprechaun” than Johnny Rotten. The viewer gets no sense of how charismatic and intelligent Rotten was (is).

It could have been interesting if they’d gotten the real Lydon to play himself. He's only a bit older than Oldman. Lydon may not be a great actor, and sure, he'd be a little too old, but something tells me he’d have been more convincing in this role. ;)

Of course, once he read the script, all bets would have been off. Lydon disapproved of the film's depiction of events and of drug abuse.

[–] brendanchenowith 12 years ago

I first saw this movie in 1986, with limited release in America. I've had it on DVD for years and have watched it numerous times. Upon my first viewing, I didn't think negatively of the Johnny Rotten character, as I didn't know much about him at that time, but I've seen and read countless interviews with him, and he is light years removed from anything depicted in the movie. I can't imagine the John Lydon I've watched and read about over the years behaving anything like the "Johnny" the way his character was written.

Now I can see "Rotten was Unconvincing".

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.

[–] DracTarashV 12 years ago

The film is full of inaccuracies, of course, but Johnny Lydon's portrayal was the worst. Just inexcusable.

Kill the body and the head will die

[–] BethH24 11 years ago

Did you know that Tim Roth was offered the role of Johnny Rotten, but he turned it down ?. I think he would have been great!.

[–] knoxfan2008 11 years ago

Yeh, there was nothing about the character of Johnny Rotten in this film that made me believe he was the spearhead or the leader of the group. He seemed just as immature as Vicious and the acting was so hammy and over-the-top it was ridiculous. No way this actor looked like an intriguing front man. The best Rotten moments were the quiet ones with him sitting silently in the bar.

But the first scene was so stupid and simple, it was obvious that the director had just read a few books on the Sex pistols judging from the line "He washed his feet too much", which I've read in numerous articles, yet in the film it sounded contrived and out-of-place. Rotten was intelligent and hid it behind his demeanor, this film had barely any of that. Plus he was not a ratty looking and his accent sucked.

[–] Snyder2277 11 years ago

I agree....

[–] henrimaine 10 years ago

Agreed. In reality Johnny Rotten was the brain of Sex Pistols (along with Malcolm MacLaren). But in this movie it is presented as if Sid Vicious had been the most intelligent and creative member of the group.

[–] doctor_dickenstein 10 years ago

idk, i'm not so sure rotten was the "brain" more so than just a front man. the group as a whole was contrived by maclaren, he dictated everything. i don't think the film tries to portray sid as the most intelligent and creative member of the group...anyone who knows anything about the sex pistols knows he was a brutal bass player, it was his image and attitude that was key. besides that, this movie wasn't about the sex pistols per se, it was about sid, his relationship with nancy and their drug use. sure, it touches briefly on the band but really only to show how sid's relationship with nancy, and his addiction, ultimately led to the demise of the sex pistols. just my take.

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[–] evanmang87 9 years ago

Rotten was more than a front man. His unique style pioneered the London punk image of the late 1970s and was the foremost reason he was singled out and asked by McLaren and Vivienne Westwood to join the Pistols. Prior to that, they had been 3 kids playing the same Faces-style pub rock that had been done countless times. Even if you actually listen to the Pistols' music, their music is quite tame -- the sort of raw, simple rock n roll that had been played for at least 20 years. It's Rotten's lyrics that set them apart and made them controversial and his vocals that gave them a distinct sound.

Also, not only did Sid not play on "Nevermind the Bollocks" but their original bass player Glen Matlock, who is often forgotten and his role downplayed by Rotten and the other original members, did much of the songwriting and clearly had a good ear for pop hooks.

[–] jezza115 10 years ago

"But in this movie it is presented as if Sid Vicious had been the most intelligent and creative member of the group. "

Don't know which movie you watched. He was portrayed as a useless talentless smackhead as far as I could see.

[–] againstglobalism 8 years ago

After watching the documentary The Filth and The Fury, I view Rotten in a much different way now. This film really downplayed his character. They made him seem so arrogant. Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed the overall movie. But I just wish they would've made Rotten a little bit more notable throughout the film.

[–] SteveRes (508) 10 months ago

The entire film is a joke. They even have Sid wearing a hammer & sickle t-shirt instead of his iconic Swastika one, pathetic.