Pistol

6part mini-series, 2022, K-18, Disney+

Rock & Metal fans should not miss this miniseries (even if Old School Metalheads have never been quite into Punk): Based on the memoirs of Steve Jones, the legendary guitarist of the Sex Pistols, this series presents a flashy portrait of the band that started the Punk revolution in the UK.

Plus, a streaming show like this (or those featuring superheroines like Ms Marvel) can teach kids all that stuff which certain book-banning extremists would like to sweep under the rug. For example, how miserable working class youth in the United Kingdom must have felt at the time – “no future” was much more for them than just a catchy slogan – and that the Punk movement, no matter if music or fashion, had initially a lot to do with political statements …

What I didn’t like was the screen time wasted on pillow talk – I would have preferred more concert clips and early punk history featuring various contemporary consorts instead. Nevertheless, “Pistol” turned out to be a highly amusing experience – plus a well chosen cast so that it becomes difficult later to separate original clips from the series scenes.

The Sex Pistols proved to be short-lived, the Queen, the target of their breakout song lyrics, died only a few days after the release of this show – the Punk scene, however, has survived and remained active until this very day. Maybe the bands should take a stronger political stand once again in view of the rampant fascism movement – the legendary Vivienne Westwood anti-Nazi shirts have unfortunately always remained relevant…

Directed by Danny Boyle
Writing Credits
Steve Jones, Craig Pearce, Ben Thompson

Cast
Toby Wallace … Steve Jones
Anson Boon … John Lydon / Johnny Rotten
Sydney Chandler … Chrissie Hynde
Jacob Slater … Paul Cook
Talulah Riley … Vivienne Westwood
Maisie Williams … Jordan
Thomas Brodie-Sangster … Malcolm McLaren
Louis Partridge … Sid Vicious
John McCrea … Steve Severin
Freddie Wise … Simon Barker
Christian Lees … Glen Matlock

etc