Director Todd Haynes is no stranger to musically-inclined films. He took on the glam rock genre with 1998’s “Velvet Goldmine” and made a truly singular biopic about Bob Dylan with 2007’s “I’m Not There.” Now, for his documentary feature debut, Haynes tackles a legendary rock group in “The Velvet Underground.”
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The documentary has its world premiere out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival this week. It’s Hayne’s fourth film to debut at the festival, after “Velvet Goldmine,” 2015’s “Carol,” and 2017’s “Wonderstruck.”
Here’s the official synopsis from Cannes:
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The Velvet Underground created a new sound that changed the world of music, cementing its place as one of rock ’n’ roll’s most revered bands. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes, “The Velvet Underground” shows just how the group became a cultural touchstone representing a range of contradictions: the band is both of their time, yet timeless; literary yet realistic; rooted in high art and street culture.
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The film features in-depth interviews with the key players of that time combined with a treasure trove of never-before-seen performances and a rich collection of recordings, Warhol films, and other experimental art that creates an immersive experience into what founding member John Cale describes as the band’s creative ethos: “how to be elegant and how to be brutal.”
Haynes first signed on to direct and produce the “The Velvet Underground” back in August 2017, with his longtime producing partner Christine Vachon. Interviews for the film were shot throughout 2018. They include the band’s surviving members John Cale and Maureen “Moe” Tucker, and musician Jonathan Richman. Of course, archival footage, performances, and glimpses behind the scenes will also feature VU’s irascible frontman Lou Reed, as well as artist Andy Warhol and music manager Danny Fields.
Alfonso Gonçalves, who’s worked with Haynes since his 2011 HBO mini-series “Mildred Pierce,” co-edits the film with Adam Kurnitz. AppleTV+ acquired distribution rights for the movie last Fall.
How will Todd Hayne’s documentary debut fare against his previous ambitious musical projects? Tune into The Playlist’s Cannes coverage when the film premieres this Wednesday, July 7, to find out. In the meantime, check out the first clip below featuring a poem read by Allen Ginsburg.
