Sid and Nancy is a movie directed by Alex Cox and released in 1986 (see 1986 in film). Originally titled Love Kills, Sid and Nancy emerged during a period of renewed fascination in the life of the Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious, and stars Gary Oldman as Sid and Chloe Webb as his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.

The movie is largely based on the mutually destructive, drug and sex filled relationship between Sid and his girlfriend. Anne Beverly, Sid's mother, tried to prevent having the movie made, but Alex Cox was very insistent. She met with him and she decided to help out in the making of the movie.

Gary Oldman slimmed down to play the extremely lanky Sid, and soon bore such an uncanny resemblance to Sid that he even got to wear Sid's trademark heavy metal chain and padlock in the movie. Malcolm Butt , in his book , described Webb's performance as Nancy as "intense, powerful, and most important of all, believable." Courtney Love narrowly missed out on the role and was cast instead in a minor part as a friend of Nancy's called Gretchen. Cox was impressed by Courtney Love's audition and cast her as the lead in his movie Straight to Hell, alongside Joe Strummer.

Alex Cox told the New Musical Express: "We wanted to make the film not just about Sid Vicious and punk, but as an anti-drugs statement, to show the degradation caused to various people is not at all glamorous."

The film was widely hailed by critics, but strongly condemned by Sid's friend and ex-colleague, John Lydon.

US Rating : R, for drug use, language, violence, sexuality and nudity.

External links

• Sid and Nancy at GaryOldman.info