Rocketman- the Elton John story.

Rocketman- the Elton John Story.

Tell your family and friends. Spread the word to one and all. Rocketman is the archetypal story of  a 1970s rock star who lived the lifestyle of sex, drugs, rock and roll, plenty of drink before literally coming out  with an everyday set of glasses, respectable clothing and a substantial bank balance. He set out to be famous one day, achieved his ambition with something to spare, threw caution to the wind, almost pressed the self destruct button but then reflected wistfully on what might have been had it all ended up in complete disaster.

Rocketman, the definitive story of Elton John, is undoubtedly a cinematic masterpiece, a stunning tour de force of dazzling, fizzing colour and splendour, a remarkable hybrid of dancing and singing, a fireball of energy, running around tirelessly from one location to the next and never seemingly coming up for  breath. It is a fabulous, beautifully engaging, wonderfully vivid and at times almost poetic story about love, tears, tantrums, repressed emotions and one man who conquered the world with his lyrical genius.

Starting as it does at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Elton, dressed typically and crazily in red feathers and wings, opens up his heart in the most moving of confessionals about a life that veered almost seamlessly and quite literally from the sublime to the ridiculous. Then he looks back at a childhood terribly damaged by parents who are quite clearly singing from the wrong hymn sheet. Dad just wanted to be on his own, playing Count Basie records in a very austere looking 1950s living room while mum was quite content to play the dutiful if somewhat discontented wife.

Then young Reg Dwight, the real family name that became Elton John, sits down at the newly acquired piano, taps a few tentative keys before revealing a prowess for the musical instrument that would become his permanent friend. Young Reg is then hurried along for his first proper lesson at the Royal Academy of Music by a supportive but pushy nan and within the space of quick, bewildering scene changes Reg Dwight becomes Elton John and all of the hormones kick in with a vengeance.

There is the introduction to Bernie Taupin, Elton's lifelong song writer and inspiration. There were the early gigs at a soul concert in the late 1960s when a young, fresh faced John vigorously hammers away at a very basic piano as if he somehow knew that in a few short years the The Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles would become a regular home from home for him. Taupin, for his part, became John's long term and faithful confidant, a man Elton John could quite happily let off steam in front of when the pressure became too intense to bear.

Rocketman follows Elton John along the long and winding path towards wild and excessive debauchery, ostentatious flamboyance that borders on the near suicidal and a head spinning, spiralling fairground adventure that never seemed to stop. There was that first drink and drugs party in America, the discovery of his homosexuality, the passionate on off affair with manager John Reid, a Scotsman with a blunt turn of phrase and then the introduction to the hot tempered Dick James, curls of cigarette smoke accompanying his every word or phrase.

Elton John's career now soars into the highest stratosphere. After an outrageous sequence of explosive tantrums, heavy drinking, stomping out of both clubs, bars and dressing rooms in a fit of raging pique, John makes his steady way back to the top before quite literally falling off a diving board of a well appointed swimming pool. Here the Rocketman does his utmost to kill himself.

But the songs were the driving force of this most delicious piece of movie gold. The combination of music and Elton's back catalogue of songs performed by all the members of the cast, was truly a sight to behold. There was a distinct feel of Moulin de Rouge and MaMa Mia about Rocketman which spoke volumes for the film's production values.

As the 1970s progressed the more John began to let loose, the costumes on stage becoming increasingly more outlandish and barely believable. There were the glasses of varying sizes, the delightful homage to Dame Edna Everage in Australia followed by  even greater helpings of bizarre showmanship and the utterly indescribable.

Once again the songs characterised and defined the man. There was the unforgettable Saturday Night, a loud, proud, triumphant number that hopped, bopped and bounced around with joyful  enthusiasm. Who could ever forget 'Crocodile Rock', 'Benny and the Jets', 'Your Song', 'Daniel', 'Rocketman', the magical 'Honky Cat', and 'Philadelphia Freedom' which seemed to have been overlooked in the film. Then Elton hooked up with Kiki Dee in a  collaboration which sent 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' straight to the top of the charts for Elton and Kiki. There was the wonderful 'Pinball Wizard' and of course 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', surely a reference to the trajectory of John's career and the path it followed.

In more recent years and decades the defiant 'I'm Still Standing' seemed to speak for itself in its bold statement of intent implying it seemed that nothing could ever break our Elton's indomitable spirit. Dressed in smart waistcoat and trademark boater hat, John sends himself up perfectly with bikini clad girls, a lovely line in humour and the sharpest wit.

In 'Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word', Elton may well be asking forgiveness after splitting up with his German wife Renata. The heartbreaking poignancy of the break up was highlighted when John was seen sobbing his heart out before his Watford side took to the old Wembley pitch in the 1984 FA Cup Final against Everton - or maybe he had other things on his mind at the time.

Above all, the story of Elton John was the story of a young kid from Pinner in Middlesex who was convinced that he could make his feuding parents proud by embracing, the dizzying, giddy world of showbiz. When John goes back to see his father in a desperate quest for approval the reunion is tinged with sadness and frustration as the now unchallengeable superstar and rock legend resigns himself to the fact that nothing can heal the hurt, the pain and the disappointment he may still be feeling.

So here's the thing. Here's the hard sell, the big promotion. You could worse than taking yourself off to your local Multiplex cinema, grab some popcorn, settle yourself in your well padded seat, fasten your eyes on that vast screen and just milk every special moment in this most beautiful of films, a surefire candidate for being the very best. You've just got to treat yourself to an evening of cinematic perfection. It has my highest recommendation. You won't regret it.