Almost 30 years after forming and 20 years after the disappearance and presumed death of their rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards, Manic Street Preachers have become the subject of a sympathetic documentary from Elizabeth Marcus – in the fan’s-eye-view style that is becoming de rigueur, and which has been applied to the Stone Roses, Pulp and Morrissey. The emphasis is on a supportive approach that doesn’t mythologise: the camera shows rehearsal, recording and live shows, with fans of all shapes and sizes being interviewed in the same unpretentious, respectful way as the band members themselves. Speaking as someone who knows nothing of the group’s music, I found that Manic Street Preachers seem intriguingly to inhabit a world outside the usual one of celebrity obsession: they have become hugely successful (more slowly than they hoped), but there is no glitz and glamour, no hanging out with A-list celebrity fans (although there is a meeting of minds with Rush). About Richey, the band are reflective but unsentimental, calmly considering the possibility that his departure might even have enlarged their creative scope. It is a measured, intelligent film, though it primarily addresses the faithful.
