Mick Jagger, the charismatic frontman of the British rock band The Rolling Stones, shows no signs of slowing down at age 81. His discography has earned him millions of fans with unwavering loyalty worldwide. But, like David Bowie and Kris Kristofferson of the time, music isn’t the only craft Jagger’s turned his hand to throughout the years.
Jagger was well-equipped for his first film role in the twisted 1970 psychological thriller Performance, considering he plays an enigmatic one-time rock star (named Turner). Co-directed by Donald Cammell and the great Nicolas Roeg, Performance is getting the release it deserves 55 years later, on 25 February 2025, with 4K and Blu-ray options, where viewers are free to make their minds up about the controversial film.
The Two Sides of ‘Performance’
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Performance
Performance is a 1970 British crime drama film co-directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg. The film stars James Fox as Chas, an East London gangster on the run who hides out in the decaying mansion of a reclusive rock star, Turner, played by Mick Jagger. As Chas and Turner interact, their identities and realities begin to blur, creating a surreal narrative that explores themes of power and transformation.
Release Date September 4, 1970
Director Donald Cammell , Nicolas Roeg
Cast James Fox , Mick Jagger , Anita Pallenberg , Michèle Breton , Ann Sidney , John Bindon , Stanley Meadows , Allan Cuthbertson
Runtime 105 Minutes
Writers Donald Cammell
Performance is a film of two halves, portraying different traits of masculinity intertwining as one. In the swinging ’60s, Chas (James Fox), an East End enforcer known for his flair and enthusiasm in his trade, works for a small-time gangster, Harry Flowers (Johnny Shannon). Tensions heighten when Flowers wants to acquire a betting shop owned by Joey Maddocks (Anthony Valentine). Chas goes against Flowers’ orders and murders Maddocks. Flowers now wants Chas dead.
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As a wanted man looking for a place to hide, Chas ends up at the reclusive rock star Turner’s (Mick Jagger) house, where he resides with his girlfriend, Pherber (Anita Pallenberg) and Lucy (Michèle Breton), living a hedonistic lifestyle filled with sex and psychedelic drugs. Chas seeks a disguise and is encouraged to dress up in an androgynous curly wig, and as reality warps, Chas perceives Turner to be morphing into his identity.
‘Performance’ Was Surrounded by Controversy
At its release in 1970, Performance caused debate. As an adaptation of Cammell’s screenplay, it was initially proposed as a gangster film with the plan for its tone to resemble The Beatles’ musical comedy, A Hard Day’s Night. Although the 1960s was a time for experimenting and pushing norms to the extreme, distributors Warner Bros. were horrified at the drug-sex-fueled direction Performance took, with GQ magazine reporting that director Roeg feared Warner Bros. might sue him.
Some reviews were scathing back in the 70s. For example, the New York Times review headline pondered, “The Most Loathsome Film of All?” The Chicago Sun-Times’ response was lukewarm at best, “The movie is neither very good nor very bad.” Opinion has changed over the years, with the artistic merit and striking, textured visuals now commanding respect. Even Quentin Tarantino proclaimed it “one of the best rock movies of all time.” Cult classic can be an overused term, but Performance fits neatly into that category.
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‘Performance’ Marked the Start of Jagger’s Acting Career
Pushing the noise of the film aside, Jagger’s portrayal of Turner earned favorable recognition. His natural magnetic presence as a real-life rock star is intensified by close-ups of his expressive face and hypnotic eyes. The soundtrack by artists such as The Last Poets and Randy Newman includes Memo from Turner, a song written by Jagger and bandmate Keith Richards, featuring Jagger’s vocals as he lip-syncs to them in the movie’s scene.
Performance marked the start of Jagger’s career in film acting, where, in the same year, he played the lead role of Ned Kelly, Australia’s infamous 19th-century outlaw. In total, Jagger has acted in ten movies. However, his back catalog doesn’t only contain fiction: In 2001, he shared a slice of his daily life in Being Mick and collaborating with director Martin Scorsese for the 2008 intimate concert documentary Shine A Light added another string to Jagger’s bow of creativity.
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Fans enhancing their collections with the 4K and Blu-ray formats of Performance next spring is what the movie deserves. After all, Mick Jagger’s ability to transcend musical boundaries holds cultural significance. The restored edition of Performance offers a chance to rediscover and celebrate not only the film but Jagger’s groundbreaking influence as an artist.
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