For an exposé very little is actually revealed, but as a neon-lit trawl through '70s New York, it's worth a look.
Who Killed Nancy?
United Kingdom · 2009
1h 33m
Director Alan G. Parker
Starring Tony Hertz, Nigel Marshall, Sophie Boyes, George Ancock
Genre Documentary, History, Music
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On October 12th 1978 New York Police discovered the lifeless body of a 20 year-old woman, slumped under the bathroom sink in a hotel room. The woman was Nancy Spungen, an ex-prostitute, sometimes stripper, heroin addict, and girlfriend of Sex Pistols' bassist Sid Vicious. In a trial by tabloid newspapers Vicious was pronounced guilty before noon the following day. But the case never had the chance to be brought to trial, and a number of New York cops weren't convinced. Less than six months later, Sid died of a heroin overdose. For the next 28 years the assumption was that Sid did it - case closed. Over time, the death of Sid and Nancy has passed into rock legend and has only added to the controversial and notorious image of the Sex Pistols and punk music. At the request of Sid's mother, rock author and punk expert Alan Parker has devoted himself to discovering what really happened in room 100.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Simply casting doubts isn't the same as making a compelling counterargument-or crafting a coherent film.
The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck
Ultimately, there's not enough material to sustain a feature-length film, and the sloppy editing, cheesy re-enactments and cheap graphics don't exactly make for compelling viewing.
The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis
An unruly mash-up of terrific anecdotes and terrible teeth, grainy film and garish memories, Who Killed Nancy? cares less about investigating a death than about vindicating an accused killer.
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
The eyewitness testimony of dozens of punk-era survivors and hotel denizens has a disorienting effect, and everyone gets sidetracked, though the colorful anecdotes are priceless.
Village Voice by Nick Pinkerton
An unnecessary retelling of rock's dingiest "legend"--ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
The film offers evidence that Vicious spent the entire night out cold on barbiturates. It plants resonant doubts.
Despite the presence of Glen Matlock, Steve Dior and a handful of other punk rockers, plus a slew of oblique eyewitness who lurked around before and after the fact, the documentary soon bogs down in tiresome minutiae.
Fails as a detective story, but it does offer an entertaining look at the punk scene in the 1970s.
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