Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Julien Temple is a Director, Scriptwriter, Director of Photography and Cinematography British born on 26 november 1953 at London (United-kingdom)

Julien Temple

Julien Temple
If you like this person, let us know!
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 26 november 1953 (70 years) at London (United-kingdom)

Julien Temple (born 26 November 1953 in London) is an English film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners and a documentary film about Glastonbury.

Temple was educated at St Marylebone Grammar School, from which he was expelled, William Ellis School and King's College, Cambridge. He grew up with little interest in film until, when a student at Cambridge, he discovered the works of French anarchist director Jean Vigo. This, along with his interest in the early punk scene in London in 1976, led to his friendship with The Sex Pistols, leading him to document many of their early gigs.

His first film was a short documentary called Sex Pistols Number 1, which set out to show the rise of the band from 1976–1977, in a series of short clips from television interviews and gigs. This led to Temple making The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, another documentary. As band members Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious had left the band by this time, the story of the group is told from the viewpoint of their manager, Malcolm McLaren.

The Great Rock And Roll Swindle tells of the rise of The Sex Pistols, apparently as manipulated by McLaren, and how he had shaped the band throughout their short career. Many of the 'facts' given by McLaren were disputed by John Lydon (who had dropped the Johnny Rotten name after leaving the band), who accused McLaren of using the film to attack him personally. This helped split opinion on the film as, although it was praised for attempting to capture some of the punk scene of the time, it was seen as too skewed towards McLaren's vision.

Controversy aside, Temple was praised for his mix of animated scenes, documentary footage, and specially shot footage which he used to tell McLaren's story. This helped launch Temple into a career making music videos, something for which he would be best known for much of his career. Temple's next theatrical release was the short film Jazzin' for Blue Jean featuring David Bowie which was released as a support feature to The Company of Wolves. By 1985, Temple was now well known for being a director of successful music videos by the Kinks, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and other British artists, several of which were early, groundbreaking, videos for the new MTV channel, but he was yet to direct a major film.

Usually with

David Bowie
David Bowie
(3 films)
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
(4 films)
Don Boyd
Don Boyd
(2 films)
Derek Jarman
Derek Jarman
(1 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Julien Temple (16 films)

Display filmography as detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
2008The Eternity ManDirector
2007Joe Strummer: The Future Is UnwrittenDirector, Scriptwriter
2006GlastonburyDirector, Director of Photography, Cinematography
2001PandaemoniumDirector
2000The Filth and the FuryDirector, Writer
1998VigoDirector, Writer
1996BulletDirector
1991The Rolling Stones: Live at the MaxDirector
1988Earth Girls Are EasyDirector
1987AriaDirector, Writer
1987Running Out of LuckDirector, Writer
1986Absolute BeginnersDirector
1984Video Rewind: The Rolling Stones' Great Video HitsDirector
1984David Bowie: Jazzin' for Blue JeanDirector, Writer
1983MantrapDirector, Scriptwriter
1980The Great Rock 'n' Roll SwindleDirector, Author