History Film / TelstarTheJoeMeekStory

The film was topbilled by Creator/ConONeill as Joe Meek, reprising his role on stage in the movie. It also starred Creator/KevinSpacey as Meek's business partner Major Wilfred Banks, [[Film/{{Matilda}} Pam Ferris]] as his landlady Violet Shenton, J.J. Feild as Tornados bassist/solo artist Heinz (Burt), and a young, largely unknown [[Series/TheLateLateShow James Corden]] as Tornados drummer Clem Cattini.

** The real Mitchell was part of Meek's band from 1963 to 1964, but the scene where he pisses his pants after having a shotgun pointed at his head by Meek is depicted as taking place around 1965 or 1966.

* UnPerson: In separate scenes, Geoff Goddard, Clem Cattini, Major Banks, Chas Hodges, [[Music/DeepPurple Ritchie Blackmore]] and [[Music/JimiHendrix Mitch Mitchell]], and Heinz all are shown literally disappearing into thin air as they permanently sever their ties with Meek. This symbolizes how both sides no longer see the other as a part of their lives.

The film was topbilled by Con O'Neill as Joe Meek, reprising his role on stage in the movie. It also starred Creator/KevinSpacey as Meek's business partner Major Wilfred Banks, [[Film/{{Matilda}} Pam Ferris]] as his landlady Violet Shenton, J.J. Feild as Tornados bassist/solo artist Heinz (Burt), and a young, largely unknown [[Series/TheLateLateShow James Corden]] as Tornados drummer Clem Cattini.

* FakeBrit: Kevin Spacey as Major Banks.

* FauxYay: In the final confrontation [[spoiler:between a now-broke and desperate Heinz and a similarly broke and desperate Meek, Heinz admits that he was merely pretending to be gay back when they were lovers. But as Heinz was raging mad at Joe at that point, he may or may not have been making that up.]]

* AxCrazy: Joe gets this way in several scenes where he's angry with someone. For instance, he launched into violent rages at Outlaws guitarist Billy Kuy (who complained about his pay), songwriter Geoff Goddard (who claimed Joe plagiarized his composition for the song "Have I the Right"), and Heinz (ostensibly gay man/Joe's lover who married a woman for the sake of his image).

** As such, it have been impossible for Mitchell, Ritchie Blackmore, and Chas Hodges to have left Joe Meek en masse, as shown in the movie. Blackmore left The Outlaws sometime in 1964, while Hodges was part of that band until its final incarnation in 1965.

The film was topbilled by Con O'Neill as Joe Meek, reprising his role on stage in the movie. It also starred Creator/KevinSpacey as Meek's business partner Major Wilfred Banks, [[Film/{{Matilda}} Pam Ferris]] as his landlady Violet Shenton, and a young, largely unknown [[Series/TheLateLateShow James Corden]] as Tornados drummer Clem Cattini.

* FauxYay: In the final confrontation [[spoiler:between a now-broke and desperate Heinz and a similarly broke and desperate Meek, Heinz admits that he was merely pretending to be gay back when they were lovers.]]

* AxCrazy: Joe gets this way in several scenes where he's angry with someone. For instance, he launched into violent rages at Outlaws guitarist Billy Kuy (who complained about his pay), songwriter Geoff Goddard (who claimed Joe plagiarized his composition for the song "Have I the Right"), and Heinz (ostensibly gay man/Joe's lover who married a woman for the sake of his image). So does Heinz toward the end of the film, when he demands that Joe pay him what he's been owing for years.

** Speaking of Clem Cattini, he's portrayed as the drummer of two Meek house bands -- The Tornados and The Outlaws. He was only part of the former band in real life.

* AxCrazy: Joe gets this way in several scenes where he's angry with someone. So does Heinz toward the end of the film, when he demands that Joe pay him what he's been owing for years.

The film was topbilled by Con O'Neill as Joe Meek, reprising his role on stage in the movie. It also starred Creator/KevinSpacey as Meek's business partner Major Wilfred Banks, [[Film/{{Matilda}} Pam Ferris]] as his landlady Violet Shenton, and a young, largely unknown [[Series/TheLateLateShow James Corden]] as Tornados/Meek house band drummer Clem Cattini.

** Mitch Mitchell is portrayed as wearing an Afro hairdo at the time he's part of Meek's house band. In reality, he didn't start wearing an Afro until he became part of [[Music/JimiHendrix The Jimi Hendrix Experience]].

** Clem didn't really leave Meek's house band because he was worried about, and exasperated by his boss' increasing paranoia. He left because he was tired of dealing with the Tornados' [[RevolvingDoorBand always-changing lineup]].

* AtomicFBomb: Joe screaming "FUCK THE KINKS!" at Clem when he finally has enough of his producer and leaves the Meek in-house band to work for Music/TheKinks.

* NobodyLovesTheBassist: Heinz, who is extremely unpopular with his bandmates. He plays bass for the Tornados and the Meek house band, but his bass-playing skills, or lack thereof, are referenced multiple times in the film. It also doesn't help that he's sleeping with his boss, and thusly getting a big push as a solo teen idol.

''Telstar: The Joe Meek Story'' is a 2008 British biopic about legendary record producer Joe Meek, based on James Hicks' and Nick Moran's play ''[[TitledAfterTheSong Telstar]]''. The film tells of his successes producing songs such as worldwide hits "Telstar" (The Tornados) and "Have I The Right" (The Honeycombs) and British hits such as John Leyton's "Johnny Remember Me". But mainly, it paints the picture of a severely disturbed man coping with his homosexuality in a time when it was strictly taboo in the U.K., dealing with creative, personal, and financial problems, and ultimately succumbing to his demons in the worst way possible.

* AmbiguouslyGay: In several scenes, Meek's songwriting partner Geoff Goddard appears to show an unrequited love for him. The scene portraying the fallout between Goddard and Meek also has Goddard railing bitterly about Meek's young, blonde, and handsome protege/lover Heinz.

** A full list of alleged creative liberties can be found on this [[http://www.shadowmusic.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7624 forum post.]]

* UnPerson: In separate scenes, Geoff Goddard, Clem Cattini, Major Banks, Chas Hodges, [[Music/DeepPurple Ritchie Blackmore]], and [[Music/JimiHendrix Mitch Mitchell]], and Heinz all are shown literally disappearing into thin air as they permanently sever their ties with Meek. This symbolizes how both sides no longer see the other as a part of their lives.

* AxCrazy: Joe gets this way in several scenes where he's angry with someone. So does Heinz toward the end of the film, when he demands Meek pay him what he's been owing for years.

* NobodyLovesTheBassist: Heinz. He plays bass for the Tornados and the Meek house band, but his bass-playing skills, or lack thereof, are referenced multiple times in the film.

* SycophanticServant: Patrick. He's often yelled at by Meek and has to witness his boss at his worst while working as his personal assistant. But he's extremely loyal to Meek and is always there to explain, defend, and/or apologize for his actions, especially when Meek's mental instability becomes a problem. [[spoiler:Meek and Patrick eventually become lovers.]]

** Clem didn't really leave Meek's house band because he was worried about, and exasperated by Meek's increasing paranoia. He left because he was tired of dealing with the Tornados' [[RevolvingDoorBand always-changing lineup]].
** The "watch scene" where Meek coldly crushes the watch Geoff gave to him as a gift didn't happen. While Meek was upset that the watch wasn't inscribed -- which is shown in the movie -- he nonetheless accepted it.

* AtomicFBomb: Meek screaming "FUCK THE KINKS!" at Clem when he finally has enough of his producer and leaves the Meek in-house band to work for Music/TheKinks.
* AxCrazy: Meek gets this way in several scenes where he's angry with someone. So does Heinz toward the end of the film, when he demands Meek pay him what he's been owing for years.

* FreakOut: Mitch Mitchell is so freaked out when Meek points a gun at his head and demands that he play a certain drum pattern right. After struggling to play the pattern, he stops playing, and starts crying and babbling, even pissing his pants in the process.

* UngratefulBastard: To commemorate the anniversary of their partnership, Geoff gives Meek a watch as a gift. Meek asks if the watch has his initials enscribed on it. When Geoff says it doesn't, Meek coldly steps on the watch and crushes it, in front of a man who considered him a friend, and possibly even more than that.

** A full list of creative liberties can be found on this [[http://www.shadowmusic.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7624 forum post.]]

* AtomicFBomb: Meek screaming "FUCK THE KINKS!" at drummer Clem Cattini when he finally has enough of his producer and leaves the Meek in-house band to work for Music/TheKinks.

* SycophanticServant: Patrick. He's often yelled at by Meek and has to witness his boss at his worst day while working as his personal assistant. But he's extremely loyal to Meek and is always there to explain his actions, especially when Meek's mental instability becomes a problem. [[spoiler:Meek and Patrick eventually become lovers.]]

** The film was seen as an affront to Heinz's family, and even his ex-wife, who insisted that Heinz was always straight.

* DarkestHour: The first hour, while showing several examples of Meek as a mentally-unstable individual, is chock full of classic hits, including the titular "Telstar", "Johnny Remember Me", and Gene Vincent's "Temptation Baby". We also see some fun scenes with Justin Hawkins of Music/TheDarkness playing Screaming Lord Sutch and Carl Barât of Music/TheLibertines playing Vincent, and the hi-jinks of Meek's in-house musicians such as Clem Cattini, Chas Hodges, and Ritchie Blackmore. But the second hour is as dark as you can get, as Meek falls out with several individuals, falls deeper into depression and paranoia, and loses his hitmaking magic as a producer.

* UnPerson: In separate scenes, Geoff Goddard, Clem Cattini, Major Banks, Chas Hodges, [[Music/DeepPurple Ritchie Blackmore]], and [[Music/JimiHendrix Mitch Mitchell]], and Heinz all are shown literally disappearing into thin air as they permanently sever their ties with Meek. This symbolizes how both sides no longer see the other as a part of their lives.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In real life, Meek wasn't impressed with Music/TheBeatles and told their manager Brian Epstein as much. This is dramatized by Meek tossing the would-be Fab Four's demo tape into a trash can as he promises Epstein over the phone that he'll see what he can do.