To those fascinated by the work of Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and David Bowie in the “golden era” of 1971-1973, this DVD is an interesting sideways look at the time through the eyes of Angie Bowie, Warhol Factory’s Billy Name, authors Victor Bockris, Davie Thompson and others. That all three men are still alive and breathing – and giving interviews – makes the Sacred Triangle a different perspective rather than the last word on how these three pioneers blended their talents. It’s especially enlightening when one gets to see and hear Thompson and Bockris, two writers who have investigated this point in time at length…Bockris with his books on Warhol and Lou Reed (entitled Transformer), Thompson who has an entire book on this very DVD titled “Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell: The Dangerous Glitter of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed”.
The insight on Mainman Management is key, but there is also the glossing over of reality by the very British broadcasting narrator condensing it all into a very neat package: that Lou and Iggy needed Bowie and that Bowie exploited them. That’s hardly true …in 1976 James Osterberg (nee Iggy Stooge) the emerging Iggy Pop introduced me to Bowie at the Springfield Marriot…while we were having drinks Bowie turned to Iggy and told him not to worry, that Bowie knew the rock & roll thing. Indeed, Bowie certainly put a lot of time into Iggy playing keyboards at a Pop show at the Harvard Theater in Cambridge Mass that was packed with an crowd appreciating both artists…and Bowie being quite humble and happy to participate as a sideman along with comedian Soupy Sales’ sons, Hunt & Tony Sales. It was a magical time that extended beyond 1971-1973 …Lou Reed making his segue into the Rock & Roll Animal phase which actually put Alice Cooper (and Mitch Ryder) into the mix.
Is it a good documentary? Yes. Well put together, well directed, but with mostly a focus on David Bowie. That Mott The Hoople is mentioned (and T.Rex) gives an indication that Bowie is the centerpiece here. Not the final word but a nice addition to the pantheon of material documenting that very important period in rock history. A time certainly more interesting than what is going on today.
Joe Viglione is the Chief Film Critic at TMRZoo.com. He was a film critic for Al Aronowitz’s The Blacklisted Journal, has written thousands of reviews and biographies for AllMovie.com, Allmusic.com and produces and hosts Visual Radio. Visual Radio is a fifteen year old variety show on cable TV which has interviewed John Lennon’s Uncle Charlie, Margaret Cho, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Felix Cavaliere, Marty Balin, Bill Press and hundreds of other personalities.
