An exuberant and elegiac ode to the liberating potential of glam rock—named for a David Bowie B-side—Velvet Goldmine depicts an investigation into the life and disappearance of a Ziggy Stardust–era pop icon, Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Besotted-fan-turned-journalist Arthur Stuart (Christian Bale) tracks down Slade’s ex-wife, Mandy (Toni Collette), and her rival for Slade’s attention, Curt Wild—played by Ewan McGregor as an amal-glam of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed—and Todd Haynes brings their memories of glittering excess dazzlingly to life on screen, accompanied by an epic soundtrack featuring Brian Eno, Pulp, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, T. Rex, and more.