Marc Bolan / T. Rex (December 28, 1972) – “Bolan Boogie” Feature - Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush Gazette
This Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush Gazette feature reviews Born To Boogie, the Marc Bolan and T. Rex film made by Ringo Starr. The short piece presents the film as a celebration aimed firmly at Bolan's audience, combining footage from the Wembley concerts with recording-studio material and fantasy sequences.
Publication: Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush Gazette / Shepherds Bush Gazette, Hammersmith Post
Date: December 28, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
Published under the headline “Bolan boogie”, the article opens by making clear that Born To Boogie has little connection with the boogie-woogie music of the 1950s. Instead, the newspaper describes it as a thoroughly modern film in which Marc Bolan and friends provide the music.
The feature identifies Ringo Starr as the person behind the film and explains that Born To Boogie features Bolan and T. Rex in several different settings. These include footage from the group's Wembley concert, scenes filmed in the recording studios, and a selection of fantasy sequences.
The writer describes the production as a film made specifically for Bolan fans and notes that Bolan himself regards it as a statement of what he had achieved since first attracting major attention within the music press.
The newspaper then summarises that success in straightforward terms: eight hit singles and sell-out London concerts, followed by a star-filled film created with Bolan's exceptionally strong audience in mind.
The article concludes by noting that distributors were wasting no time in bringing the film to Bolan's followers. At the time the piece appeared, Born To Boogie had received only a brief showing in London's West End.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The clipping presents Born To Boogie primarily as a film for the established Marc Bolan and T. Rex audience. Its emphasis is not on detailed film criticism, but on the combination of concert footage, studio sequences and fantasy material used to document the phenomenon surrounding Bolan.
The article also places the film within the context of Bolan's achievements up to the end of 1972, specifically noting eight hit singles and sell-out London concerts. The involvement of Ringo Starr is given prominent attention, while the Wembley performances are identified as a central element of the film.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Newspaper feature on Born To Boogie
Era: 1972 T. Rex / Bolanmania era
Tone: Positive and concise
Photography: No photograph appears in the supplied clipping; the item consists entirely of text
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Feature titled “Bolan boogie”
• Discussion of Born To Boogie and Ringo Starr's involvement
• Reference to T. Rex's Wembley concert footage, recording-studio scenes and fantasy sequences
• Recognition of Marc Bolan's eight hit singles and sell-out London concerts
• Description of the film as being made firmly with Bolan's audience in mind
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