All the things Rocketman Bought Improper About Elton John’s Life

Turning somebody’s life right into a two-hour movie isn’t any straightforward feat.

In any case, lives are not often lived within the neat, easy-to-track vogue that storytelling requires. They’re messy, they’re do not have a tendency to maneuver in a straight line, and so they’re nearly by no means in good black-and-white. And so, the concept of compressing all that shade, all that craziness, all that commotion down right into a narrative that audiences can comfortably comprehend? Downright unattainable.

So particulars are flubbed, characters are omitted or mixed or made extra of a villain (or hero) than they ever had been in actual life, and timelines are rearranged all within the service of a much bigger image. It is a tremendous line to stroll, however if you happen to get the essence of the particular person proper and the grand scheme of issues throughout, effectively, for some filmmakers, that is a job effectively completed sufficient.

And Rocketman isn’t any completely different.

The brand new Elton John biopic, starring Taron Egerton within the lead position supported by a solid that features Richard Madden, Jamie Bell and Bryce Dallas Howard, is a two-hour musical fantasia that will get issues fairly near proper—and for director Dexter Fletcher (who, coincidentally, was introduced on to complete the equally factually-challenged Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody after director Bryan Singer was relieved of his duties) and screenwriter Lee Corridor, that was adequate.

“It is not a biopic, per se, however actually a narrative of Elton John unpacking all of his points and baggage while in rehab,” Fletcher advised Thrillist. “I believe it is about being as trustworthy together with your method as you probably can, and never making an attempt to sugarcoat or conceal something. And, clearly, you may’t cowl all the things. We’re speaking about two hours lengthy, making an attempt to slot in 35 years of a life, or extra. So you may’t cowl all the things, you must be selective.”

“I did not must be a slave to the chronology of when the songs had been written or what they obtained written about, I simply used them like in a musical, in that manner,” he continued. “And the extra I exploited that chance, the extra fantasy components got here into it, the extra I might discover issues like ‘I Need Love,’ which occurs on this type of home household dwelling, or ‘Saturday Evening’s Alright,’ or ‘Rocket Man’ on the backside of the swimming pool, the Troubadour sequence. They’re all flights of reminiscence and emotions fairly than reality.”

And that was fairly alright for the topic of the movie, who served as a considerably hands-off government producer, as he wrote in The Guardian upon Rocketman’s launch. 

“Some studios wished us to lose the fantasy component and make a extra simple biopic, however that was lacking the purpose,” Elton stated. “It is clearly not all true, but it surely’s the reality.”

So what’s true and what’s simply the “reality”? We’re glad you requested. 

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The “John” of It All

Within the movie, younger Reggie Dwight is uninterested in touring and enjoying music for different folks and hopes to pursue a music profession of his personal. However he is aware of that he wants a brand new identify worthy of a star. Taking a fateful assembly inside Dick James‘ workplace, we see him come across the final identify John after a framed photograph of The Beatles. (Elton was taken from early bandmate Elton Dean.) Whereas the “Elton” portion of that story is correct, the “John” is not. His band had been touring with singer Lengthy John Baldry previous to that assembly with Liberty Data A&R supervisor Ray Williams (held in James’ workplace)—and it is there that his new surname was born. “I stated, ‘I’ve obtained to think about a reputation. I am fed up with Reg Dwight I am unable to be Reg Dwight if I’ll be a singer, so I’ve obtained to think about a reputation,'” he advised Rolling Stone in 1973. “So Elton Dean’s identify I pinched [Elton Dean was in Bluesology and later the Soft Machine.] and John Baldry’s identify and I stated, oh, Elton John, there you go.” In 1972, Reginald Dwight legally turned Elton Hercules John.

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Elton and Bernie’s First Gig

Whereas it is true that Elton and Bernie Taupin had been thrust collectively by happenstance after that assembly with Ray Williams, a pianist with an ideal ear in the hunt for his lyricist different half and vice versa, what Rocketman reveals them doing subsequent is not fully correct. Earlier than the pair would ever start writing music meant for Elton to file, they spent two years working as employees songwriters at Dick James‘ DJM Data starting in 1968, creating easy-listening tracks for artists like Roger Cook dinner and Lulu. Actually, Lulu sang a John/Taupin observe “I Cannot Go On (Residing With out You) for Eurovision in 1969, coming in sixth. And whereas Rocketman would have you ever imagine the primary music the pair ever wrote collectively was “Border Track,” that wasn’t fairly correct both. That observe got here from their second album, 1970’s Elton John. Their first observe ever recorded collectively was 1967’s “Scarecrow” and the primary album filled with the pair’s music was 1969’s Empty Sky.

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His First Engagement

Whereas the movie is correct in displaying Elton John’s transient marriage to Renate Blauel after assembly her in a recording studio—the union lasted all of 4 years in actual life, whereas Rocketman devoted one scene to it—it ignored the truth that he’d been beforehand engaged to marry one other lady a lot earlier in his life. Whereas he and Bernie had been nonetheless working at songwriters at DJM Data, Elton obtained engaged to a secretary named Linda Woodrow.  “It was a really stormy six months, after which I used to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I tried suicide and varied different issues, throughout which Bernie and I wrote nil, completely nothing,” he advised RS. “It was a really Woody Allen-type suicide. I turned on the fuel and left all of the home windows open.” It wasn’t till his namesake John Baldry satisfied him that he wasn’t in love that he did something about it and ended issues along with her. The movie replaces Linda with Arabella, a landlady of Elton and Bernie’s whom the latter convinces the previous he isn’t in love with, making certain that Lengthy John Baldry is rarely referenced within the movie as soon as.

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The John of It All

As Rocketman would have you ever imagine, Elton John was found by extra than simply Los Angeles music aficionados throughout his first career-making efficiency at Doug Weston‘s The Troubadour in 1970. Because the movie reveals, that is the place Scotsman John Reid first lay eyes on the enigmatic performer, following him to a celebration at Mama Cass’ home earlier than finally sharing a night with him in mattress, resulting in a rocky relationship each romantically and as his supervisor. In reality, Elton and John first met the Christmas prior, at a vacation occasion thrown by Motown Data in London. Their first evening spent collectively? Occurred in San Francisco. And John’s first time seeing Elton carry out? Every week after that first present in West Hollywood. And whereas their romantic relationship ended 5 years after it started, in 1975, John would go on to be Elton’s supervisor till 1998, solely breaking ties when it was found that $25.2 million was lacking from Elton’s accounts and he fingered John because the wrongdoer.

“It is not my place to villainize characters. On the identical time, there’s a substantial amount of reality in that portrayal,” Bernie advised TIME of the movie’s depiction of John. “All I can say is, John Reid needs to be completely happy that somebody as handsome as Richard Madden obtained to play him.”

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John’s Different Well-known Consumer

Oddly sufficient, that is the second musical biopic within the final 12 months to function John Reid as a personality, although you would not comprehend it except you place the items collectively your self. Not noted of the Rocketman narrative altogether is the truth that John Reid additionally served as supervisor to the band Queen from 1975 to 1978. In Bohemian Rhapsody, John was portrayed by Aiden Gillen, who will get fired when Freddie Mercury’s lover Paul Prenter convinces the frontman to go solo, taking him on as supervisor as an alternative. (It is a transfer that is oddly just like what Rocketman purports John satisfied Elton to do to Ray Williams and Dick James.)

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Elton’s Well-known Buddies

By leaving out any point out of Queen, Rocketman sidesteps the friendship that Elton and Freddie as soon as shared. It additionally ignores his longtime relationship with Rod Stewart, his legendary collaboration with George Michael, and his shut friendship with Princess Diana. However hey, at the least Kiki Dee made the reduce?

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Elton’s Soccer Buddies

Rocketman will get nice mileage out of lots of Elton’s vices each dangerous (cocaine abuse and bulimia, for starters) and never so dangerous (purchasing), however one of many singer’s obsessions ignored of the movie’s narrative fully is his love of soccer. After rising up supporting the Watford Soccer Membership, Elton bought the staff in 1976 and have become their chairman, appointing a brand new supervisor and investing fairly a bit of cash as they rose in divisions. For a quick time on the identical time, he was additionally part-owner of the now-defunct Los Angeles Aztecs, who performed within the North American Soccer League. Elton bought Watford in 1987, although he stayed on as president, earlier than shopping for them as soon as extra in 1997, serving as chairman till 2002.

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The Rehab Story

Whereas the collection of occasions in Rocketman would have you ever imagine that Elton stormed out of Madison Sq. Backyard in NYC whereas in full costume simply earlier than a present in 1990 and made his option to rehab to lastly search assist for his habit points, it went slightly bit in a different way in the actual world. Whereas it is true that Elton as soon as did cancel a present at MSG, that occurred six months earlier than he entered into remedy. And his street to rehab began when Hugh Williams, a lover and fellow addict, determined to verify himself into rehab. Offended over what which may imply about himself, Elton did not deal with his first go to to Hugh in Arizona effectively. However upon a second journey, he realized that he, too, wanted assist. After discovering that no Los Angeles facility was prepared to deal with each his drug habit and his bulimia, he discovered a hospital in Chicago and checked in on June 12, 1990.

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The place’s Ryan White?

Hugh Williams wasn’t the one one lacking from Rocketman’s street to rehab. Additionally omitted from the story altogether was teenager Ryan White, whom Elton turned connected to after he and his household made headlines in 1985 when their native Indiana college system barred the AIDS-infected teenager from attending courses. Elton grew so near the boy and his household that he was at his bedside when he died at 18 in 1990, inspiring him to not solely get within the battle towards HIV/AIDS, resulting in the Elton John AIDS Basis, but additionally to think about cease utilizing medication, if just for a short while. “I used to be fairly screwed up on the time…getting offended on the littlest factor,” he advised The Los Angeles Occasions in 1992. “I could not imagine household who had had a lot hatred flung at them and a lot bigotry could possibly be so forgiving. I by no means skilled that earlier than…that quantity of affection. And it felt good (for me to) have the ability to contribute. For that week or so I did not do any medication or drink. I used to be too busy organizing issues and making an attempt to assist.”

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The Musical Shuffle

As Elton leaves rehab on the movie’s finish, lastly in a position to write music once more after a go to from Bernie, it is implied that he filmed the music video for the triumphant “I am Nonetheless Standing,” with star Taron Egerton recreating the enduring clip shot-for-shot. And that might be an ideal ending if it had been true. Sadly, “I am Nonetheless Standing” was recorded in 1982 and launched a 12 months later, years earlier than Elton would even contemplate getting remedy. It is one among many cases the place Elton’s iconic music is used to additional his story alongside outdoors of their very own timelines. Take “Crocodile Rock,” as an example. The observe performs a pivotal position within the first efficiency at The Troubadour. Solely drawback? It wasn’t launched for one more three years after that evening. And the utilization of “I Need Love” on the prime of the movie, with younger Reggie Dwight’s complete movie becoming a member of within the refrain on the forlorn music? Properly, contemplating that music did not come out till 2001, it is simply one other little bit of inventive license as effectively.

Rocketman is in theaters now.