It was high time The Velvet Underground got a flashy legacy-examining documentary of their own, and there’re few working directors better suited to bringing it to audiences than Todd Haynes. Haynes’ fascination with sexuality, gender and the contradictions of rock stars already resulted in the fantastic glam rock pseudo-biopic Velvet Goldmine, but now he’s turning his sights on a real band, its real members and their real impact in The Velvet Underground—which dropped its first trailer today.
After premiering at Cannes to universal praise, The Velvet Underground looks to bring its blend of archival footage and new interviews with band members to theaters and to Apple TV+. This’ll be just the latest high-profile music doc to join the service, which has already carved a niche for itself in that space.
According to the official synopsis, “the film features in-depth interviews with the key players of that time combined with a treasure trove of never-before-seen performances and a rich collection of recordings, Warhol films, and other experimental art that creates an immersive experience into what founding member John Cale describes as the band’s creative ethos: ‘how to be elegant and how to be brutal.’”
The Velvet Underground hits theaters and Apple TV+ on October 15, 2021.
Check out the first trailer: