Stuff You Gotta Watch: The New Romantics
Everything new hates what came before it. If punk (as a style) was essentially a carefully crafted fad catering to a revolt-fueled youth market, then it's easy to understand the New Romantics, an underground subculture whose eccentric visuals drew their main inspiration from British dandyism. Musically, the inspiration was mod and glam. And just like those two, the New Romantics swept away what came before: synths largely replaced guitars, and artists such as Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, The Human League, Culture Club, and Visage quickly took over the charts.
Though the movement centered around the club scene, its role in the Second British Invasion can’t be neglected. Even the recently-launched MTV joined the party, helping to promote a glamour that felt simultaneously superficial and revolutionary. Good looks, which this documentary delightfully calls “Byronic,” were no longer optional. Camp became an art form. The New Romantics discusses all these elements in a succinct yet clear manner. Touching all the different aspects—society, culture, gender—that defined the movement, the documentary features first-person narratives from the likes of Steve Strange, Boy George, and Adam Ant, as well as testimonies from DJs, journalists, and club owners who played a key part in shaping those exciting times.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.