GAFFA-review of Flame

GAFFA, the biggest music magazine in Denmark, had a review of Flame in their June-issue. The DVD got 3 out of 6 stars and the review went like this:

“SLADE
Slade in Flame
Glam, groupies, gangsters and flame throwing microphones
It has been called “the best rock movie of all time” and “the Citizen Kane of British pop pics”, but the film where glam rock band Slade plays the fictive band Flame didn’t cause a stir when it was released in 1974 and you probably have to be British to be blown away by this kitchen sink drama. The film has recently been remastered and re-released on DVD with a bonus-CD with the soundtrack as well as a new one-hour long interview with the most important people behind the film, including the four hairy glam stars. The film follows Flame from nobody’s to somebody’s and if it wasn’t because they actually reach the top, the film reminds a lot about The Commitments where soul has been replaced by glam. As such the film is really worth seeing with its car chases, a night in jail, corrupt managers using gangster methods, flame throwing microphones, groupies and whatever else that belongs to a good rock flic. But the film with its abrupt ending never really gets interesting. The soundtrack does, however, even without monster hits like Cum On Feel The Noize and Merry Xmas Everybody. But it would have been nice with subtitles of the band’s Brummie-English.
Lars Löbner Jeppesen”

Personally I think the review is rather harsh and all the inaccuracies annoy me. I mean, the guys don’t talk Brummie-English, do they?, the film was not released until 1975 and Flame does not remind of The Commitments, it’s The Commitments that reminds of Flame! When that is said it is a small wonder that Flame got a mention at all as GAFFA consequently has avoided to mention Union Square Music’s re-issues. And 3 out of 6 stars are not bad, either, as GAFFA is always very stingy with their stars.