The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
1980·Comedy·1h 43m
7.0
★
A rather incoherent post-breakup Sex Pistols "documentary", told from the point of view of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, whose (arguable) position is that the Sex Pistols in particular and punk rock in general were an elaborate scam perpetrated by him in order to make "a million pounds."
Directed by Julien Temple
musical
punk rock
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Cast
Malcolm McLaren
The Embezzler
Steve Jones
The Crook
Paul Cook
The Tea-Maker
Sid Vicious
The Gimmick
John Lydon
The Collaborator
Ronald Biggs
The Exile
Liz Fraser
Woman in Cinema
Jess Conrad
Jess
Mary Millington
Mary, The Crook's girlfriend
James Aubrey
Record Executive
Julian Holloway
Man
Johnny Shannon
Nazi
Crew
Julien Temple
Director
Julien Temple
Writer
Jeremy Thomas
Executive Producer
Julien Temple
Author
Popular Reviews
12 reviews
Neringa
8.0★ · 05/23/25
It is actually quite brilliant
really, the epitome of punk - chaotic, nonsensical and provocative. But fucking malcom should’ve stayed out of this project made it seem like it’s own wet dream, though at the end it seems julien inconspicuously mocked him which ties it up nicely and shows how unreliable of a narrator malcom is.
Honorable mention:
Sid singing my way
really, the epitome of punk - chaotic, nonsensical and provocative. But fucking malcom should’ve stayed out of this project made it seem like it’s own wet dream, though at the end it seems julien inconspicuously mocked him which ties it up nicely and shows how unreliable of a narrator malcom is.
Honorable mention:
Sid singing my way
It is actually quite brilliant
really, the epitome of punk - chaotic, nonsensical and provocative. But fucking malcom should’ve stayed out of this project made it seem like it’s own wet dream, though at the end it seems julien inconspicuously mocked him which ties it up nicely and shows how unreliable of a narrator malcom is.
Honorable mention:
Sid singing my way
really, the epitome of punk - chaotic, nonsensical and provocative. But fucking malcom should’ve stayed out of this project made it seem like it’s own wet dream, though at the end it seems julien inconspicuously mocked him which ties it up nicely and shows how unreliable of a narrator malcom is.
Honorable mention:
Sid singing my way
Hannah
5.7★ · 05/04/25
lmfao
lmfao
Hhh
6.0★ · 05/04/25
lmfao
lmfao
Lewis
2.0★ · 03/24/25
I kinda mess with the animated parts and some of the editing, very disjointed and crude
(Finished watching 3/31)
(Finished watching 3/31)
I kinda mess with the animated parts and some of the editing, very disjointed and crude
(Finished watching 3/31)
(Finished watching 3/31)
afamousfeeling
4.0★ · 04/25/24
Well I want to say I don't know why I put myself through this eyesore of a film, but I do know. What a sick mess this was. Rename this is 'Malcolm Mclaren jerking off whilst reminiscing'. While it's the oddest thing I've seen about the Pistols, that's the only thing it has going for it. That and the footage I haven't seen before. I turned it on with the predisposition it was going to be 103 minutes of trite shit. But it was enjoyable in its own sick way. Hate to admit it but I would've ignored it significantly less if Sid wasn't there. His rendition of My Way is amusingly awful. I think it's my favorite.
Well I want to say I don't know why I put myself through this eyesore of a film, but I do know. What a sick mess this was. Rename this is 'Malcolm Mclaren jerking off whilst reminiscing'. While it's the oddest thing I've seen about the Pistols, that's the only thing it has going for it. That and the footage I haven't seen before. I turned it on with the predisposition it was going to be 103 minutes of trite shit. But it was enjoyable in its own sick way. Hate to admit it but I would've ignored it significantly less if Sid wasn't there. His rendition of My Way is amusingly awful. I think it's my favorite.