Marc Bolan / T. Rex (December 14, 1972) – “Bolan’s Movie, Born To Boogie” Feature - Western Daily Press
This short Western Daily Press feature announces the London premiere of Marc Bolan’s first film, Born To Boogie. The article describes the 65-minute production as a piece of rock ’n’ roll entertainment and highlights Ringo Starr’s role as producer and director, while also reporting plans for a limited London cinema release on New Year’s Eve..
Publication: Western Daily Press and Times and Mirror
Date: December 14, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
Published under the headline “Bolan’s Movie, Born To Boogie”, the article reports that Marc Bolan’s first film, Born To Boogie, was receiving its London premiere that evening.
The feature describes the film as a 65-minute production starring Marc Bolan and centred on T. Rex. The clipping identifies Ringo Starr as both producer and director for Apple.
Rather than presenting Born To Boogie as a conventional feature film, the article uses Bolan’s own description of the project. He characterises it simply as a piece of rock ’n’ roll entertainment and explains that he believes it documents the phenomenon surrounding T. Rex during the previous year.
The brief report also looks beyond the premiere to the film’s next stage of release. It states that the Technicolour U-certificate production was due to receive a limited release in six London cinemas on New Year’s Eve.
A portrait photograph of Marc Bolan accompanies the article. The caption beneath the photograph again identifies Born To Boogie as a production directed and produced by Ringo Starr.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The clipping captures Born To Boogie at the point of its London premiere and provides a concise contemporary explanation of how Marc Bolan viewed the project.
Bolan’s own description is central to the article. Rather than assigning a complicated meaning to the film, he presents it as rock ’n’ roll entertainment while acknowledging its role in documenting the extraordinary T. Rex phenomenon of the preceding year.
The article also supplies specific contemporary release information, identifying the production as 65 minutes long, in Technicolour, carrying a U certificate, and scheduled for a limited six-cinema London release on New Year’s Eve.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: London premiere of Born To Boogie
Era: 1972 Bolanmania era
Tone: Informative and promotional
Photography: Portrait photograph captioned Marc Bolan, accompanying the film announcement
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Announcement of the London premiere of Born To Boogie
• Marc Bolan describing the film as rock ’n’ roll entertainment
• Ringo Starr credited as producer and director
• Running time stated as 65 minutes
• Technicolour presentation with a U certificate
• Limited release planned for six London cinemas on New Year’s Eve
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