BOLAN S SHOES Trailer (2024) Leanne Best

BOLAN S SHOES Trailer (2024) Leanne Best

BOLAN'S SHOES Trailer (2024) Leanne Best
© 2025 - Freestyle Digital Media

Bolan's Shoes
Directed by Ian Puleston-Davies
Screenplay by Ian Puleston-Davies
Produced by
Terri Dwyer
Greg Barrow
Dean Fisher
Starring
Timothy Spall
Leanne Best
Cinematography Richard Swingle
Edited by
Abi Wright
Chris Gill
Mark McKenny
Music by Ian Arber
Production
companies
Buffalo Dragon
Munro Film
Release dates
1 March 2023 (Cinequest Film Festival)
15 September 2023 (United Kingdom)
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Bolan's Shoes is a 2023 British film, written and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies, and starring Timothy Spall and Leanne Best. The film features the music of the band T. Rex. The film has a 15 September 2023 UK release date.

Synopsis
Children in an orphanage in 1970s Liverpool share a fascination with the music of glam rock band T. Rex but have their lives altered by a road traffic accident.[1]

Cast
Timothy Spall as Jimmy
Leanne Best as Penny
Mark Lewis Jones as Geraint
Mathew Horne as Jez
Production
The film is written and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies. Produced by Terri Dwyer, Greg Barrow, and Dean Fisher for Buffalo Dragon in association with Munro Film, with Rolan Bolan, the son of Marc Bolan, as associate producer.[2][3]

Music
The film features the music of the band T. Rex.[4]

Filming
Filming took place in Liverpool and Anglesey in July 2021.[5] Filming was completed by September 2021.[6]

Release
The film premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival on 1 March 2023 and will be released in the UK on 15 September 2023.[7]

References
McNeil, James (24 August 2023). "Film celebrating 'strength' of Scousers coming out next month". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Chapman, Stephen (16 July 2023). "Timothy Spall stars in Liverpool-based film Bolan's Shoes". Prific North. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Kay, Jeremy (12 May 2023). "First-look of Timothy Spall in glam rock drama 'Bolan's Shoes' as MPX unveils Cannes slate (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Eames, Tom (16 August 2023). "Marc Bolan: New film 'Bolan's Shoes' to celebrate music of T Rex starring Timothy Spall".
Ramachandran, Naman (2 July 2021). "Timothy Spall, Leanne Best Commence 'Bolan's Shoes,' Featuring Music by Marc Bolan's T-Rex (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Pelley, Rich (2 September 2023). "Timothy Spall's teenage obsessions: 'For my art A-level I nailed up apples covered in pubic hair'". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
Heath, Paul (5 July 2023). "Trailer for upcoming British film 'Bolan's Shoes' with Timothy Spall". The Hollywood News. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
External links
Bolan's Shoes at IMDb
Categories: 2023 filmsFilms set in the 1970sFilms set in LiverpoolFilms shot in LiverpoolFilms shot in EnglandFilms shot in WalesBritish rock music films
“Bolan’s Shoes,” a British film featuring the music of glam-rock singer Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex, will be released by Freestyle Digital Media in January 2025 and an exclusive new trailer for the film showcases the power of glam.

Set in Liverpool, “Bolan’s Shoes” took specific inspiration from T. Rex’s 1976 concert in Manchester. Per the official synopsis, it “captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children’s home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever. Years later, and still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan to visit Bolan’s shrine in London, but a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget.”

Bolan’s son, Rolan Bolan, has given his permission and support for the film, and serves as an associate producer. “Bolan’s Shoes” will be available to rent and own on all North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms, as well as on DVD, starting on January 3, 2025.

Two Los Angeles events celebrating the music of T. Rex and the life of Marc Bolan are scheduled at Grammy Museum on Thursday, Sept. 26 and also at music venue The Sun Rose (inside The Pendry hotel in West Hollywood) on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Written and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies, “Bolan’s Shoes” was produced by Liverpool-based production company Buffalo Dragon, in association with Munro Film. The cast features Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Mark Lewis, and Mathew Horne.

Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the deal to acquire “Bolan’s Shoes” with Ryan Bury from Motion Picture Exchange (MPX) on behalf of the filmmakers.
For fans of both Marc Bolan and cinema, Bolan's Shoes promises to be a poignant blend of glam rock nostalgia and human resilience. The trailer for this highly anticipated British film, set to release in January 2025, reveals a gripping story set against the backdrop of one of music's most iconic eras. With its roots in T. Rex's electrifying 1976 concert in Manchester, the film channels the feverish energy of glam rock through the eyes of young fans whose lives are forever changed by a tragic accident.

The film's lead character, Penny, stands as a powerful embodiment of both survivor's guilt and unrelenting fandom. Still reeling from the accident years later, Penny's obsession with Marc Bolan endures, culminating in a pilgrimage to his shrine in London—a place where past trauma resurfaces in unexpected ways. The storyline is rich with potential for emotional depth, connecting personal struggle with the larger-than-life presence of a rock icon.

The cast, featuring the versatile Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Mark Lewis, and Mathew Horne, adds even more weight to the film's narrative. With Spall's emotional depth and Best's nuanced portrayal of Penny, the performances are likely to make Bolan's Shoes an unforgettable watch.

Bolan's Shoes Poster
Bolan's Shoes Poster
Bolan's Shoes Poster
Bolan's Shoes Posters
Written and directed by Ian Puleston-Davies and produced by Buffalo Dragon, the film has gained the support of Bolan's son, Rolan Bolan, who serves as an associate producer—adding a personal touch that fans of the rock legend will appreciate. Mark your calendars for Bolan's Shoes' digital and DVD release on January 3, 2025, and get ready for a film that celebrates glam rock while exploring the scars left behind by trauma.

This January, dive into a world where music, memory, and mania collide, and prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions worthy of any true glam rock fan's heart.
Directed by Ian Puleston-Davies
Starring Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Mathew Horne, Mark Lewis Jones

Bolan’s Shoes takes us on a tumultuous journey through the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children’s home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever.

Years later, and still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan, Steffan, to visit his shrine in London, but a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget.

Q&A Screening

Join us on Wed 18 October at 8.30pm for a special post-screening discussion hosted by Bolan’s Shoes writer-director Ian Puleston-Davies!

Please note: This screening will include a short introduction and there will be NO adverts or trailers before the film.
Bolan’s Shoes, the footwear of which, makes for a rather tenuous link to give this British film more gravitas than it deserves.

Siblings Jimmy (Timothy Spall – Away, The Sixth Commandment) and Penny (Leanne Best – A Town Called Malice) – the former of whom is not very well, and describes himself as a “bipolar schizophrenic” – are obsessed with the late Marc Bolan and the music of T-Rex. On the anniversary of his death, people travel to his shrine, with Penny and a friend releasing doves, while Jimmy – looking more like Roy Wood from Wizzard than anyone else – is blowing huge bubbles. This follows on from a schooltrip to see T-Rex in concert, in Liverpool – during which said shoes are swiped from their dressing room – but which also results in a serious coach crash that has serious consequences for some.

In the years which have passed, Jimmy has always felt responsible, but was he? Either way, he was locked up in institutions over time, while Penny, married to vicar Geraint (Mark Lewis Jones – The Pact), has her own demons to reveal.

Living in Anglesey, Wales, Penny is thought of as having an Liverpool accent by the wives of other vicars, but she claims not to… when it’s as clear as a bell!

With some Welsh dialogue, which is subtitled in English, the script for Bolan’s Shoes all feels very bitty, like a 45-minute TV drama strung out to 90 minutes plus credits, as it includes a brief trip for Jimmy and Penny back to Liverpool for a day out, as well as Mathew Horne’s Jez taking advantage of Jimmy in a rather unpleasant scene. How this ended up on the big screen, I’ll never know,as there’s not much of a story here.

Between Jimmy and Penny, each have one of his shoes, but put them together and they’re a right pair! In fact, the Marc Bolan link is a very sparse one on which to hang the film on, as there’s barely any of his music in this. But… if writer/director Ian Puleston-Davies (The Teacher) was just to call this “Penny’s Secret (and she’s a Bolan fan)”, it wouldn’t have got the media attention it didn’t deserve.

And for some stupid reason, albeit destined for the cinema, it’s been shot in 2.00:1, so it gets projected in the same way as a flat 1.85:1 movie with black bars top and bottom. When displayed on a 2.39:1 screen, which is the majority of the auditoriums in my local Odeon, you’re left with black bars all around, since their automated system can only switch between 1.85:1 and 2.39:1, with no-one looking to make manual adjustments for films like this, given that projectors are set up on a schedule, and then basically left to run themselves throughout the day.

That’s aside from any time there’s a Christopher Nolan movie like Oppenheimer, and Vue cracks out the 70mm IMAX projector.

Bolan’s Shoes is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.

Bolan’s Shoes – Official Trailer
Detailed specs:

Cert:
Running time: 95 minutes
Release date: September 15th 2023
Studio: Buffalo Dragon Films and Munro Films
Aspect Ratio: 2.00:1
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 2/10

Director: Ian Puleston-Davies
Producers: Greg Barrow, Terri Dwyer, Dean Fisher
Screenplay: Ian Puleston-Davies
Music: Ian Arber

Cast:
Jimmy: Timothy Spall
Penny: Leanne Best
Geraint: Mark Lewis Jones
Jez: Mathew Horne
Zoe: Holli Dempsey
The Vicar: Andrew Lancel
Simon: Louis Emerick
Tracey: Saffron Rose
Delyth: Ruby Snape
Gillian: Terri Dwyer
Janice: India Sienna Rose Williams
Glyn: Sion Tudor Owen
Steffan: Dyfan Dwyfor
Eleri: Sarah John
Marc Bolan: Phil Furlong
Young Jimmy: Isaac Lancel-Watkinson
Tommo: Alfie Donnahey
Kev: Alfie Paley
Young Penny: Eden Beach
Young Sadie: Amelia Rose Smith
Mister Handsome: Peter Parker Mensah
Dilys: Ceri Bostock
Kathleen Collins: Freya Jones
Police Officer : Iago Patrick McGuire
Gwenda: Anthea Carpenter-Procter
Cadfan: Cadfan Roberts
‘Bolan’s Shoes’ featuring a score by Ian Arber is showing in UK cinemas from Friday 15th September. The film is written by award-winning writer Ian Puleston-Davies (Silent Witness, Marcella) and stars Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Mathew Horne, Ian Puleston-Davies, Mark Lewis Jones, Dyfan Dwyfor and Terri Dwyer.

‘BOLAN’S SHOES immerses us in the whirlwind of T. Rex frenzy during 1970s Liverpool. It captures the electrifying euphoria of glam rock through a group of enthusiastic kids from a local children’s home, whose lives are forever altered by a tragic road accident. Years later, Penny (Leanne Best), a survivor still enamored with her childhood idol, embarks on a pilgrimage with her best friend Steffan (Dyfan Dwyfor), another devoted Marc Bolan fan, to visit his shrine in London. However, an unexpected encounter thrusts Penny back into the haunting memories she had fought hard to suppress. This inspirational tale blends lighthearted comedy with supernatural thrills, delving into the lasting impact of childhood trauma and the transformative power of music.’
Cast: Andrew Lancel, Mathew Horne, Mark Lewis Jones, Timothy Spall, Leanne Best, Holli Dempsey
Genre: Drama
Author(s): Ian Puleston-Davies
Director: Ian Puleston-Davies
Release Date: 15/09/2023 (selected cinemas)
Running Time: 98mins
Country: UK
Year: 2023

Young residents of a children's home are excited to travel by bus to see the glam rock outfit but not all of them will get to see their idols. Many years later, Penny, visits Mark Bolan's shrine in Barnes, close to where the musician lost his life in a car crash in 1977. She is unexpectedly reunited with Jimmy and relives the horrors of that ill-fated bus journey. The healing power of music shepherds Penny through her survivor's guilt and grief.
Dead rock stars inspire a kind of nostalgic reverence that some find oversentimental. I have a weakness for it. This well-intentioned British indie isn’t really about Marc Bolan, the glam-rock sex god front man of T. Rex, who died in a car crash aged only 29. But it does try to express just how much rock ‘n’ roll heroes offer a salve in ordinary folks’ daily lives. If that sounds sappy, well, yes it is, but its big-heartedness makes up for its indulgences.

Made by writer-director Ian Puleston-Davies, who has worked exclusively in television before now, this is hardly a cinematic triumph: it feels like a perfectly tolerable TV movie. It’s a two-pronged story about a tragedy, set in both the 1970s and the present day.

In flashback, we are shown a coach trip from a children’s home in Liverpool to see T. Rex, led by a local vicar. The trip goes badly awry after a crash, and several children are killed. The daughter of the vicar, Penny (in childhood played by Eden Beach, in adulthood by a genuinely great Leanne Best), survives, but is haunted into adulthood by what happened.

Years later, Penny sets off on a pilgrimage to the site of Bolan’s death in London and memories come flooding back.

The film explores its characters' struggles through the lens of the death of glam rock star Marc Bolan (Photo: Munro Films)
The film explores its characters’ struggles through the lens of the death of glam rock star Marc Bolan (Photo: Munro Films)
In the capital, she befriends a bedraggled, eccentric, heavily bearded man (Timothy Spall, full of desperate loneliness even with this hackneyed material). It turns out that he is her childhood friend Jimmy, a former resident of the care home, who was horribly bullied by the older boys. He was also a survivor of the coach accident years before, and has been unravelling ever since.

The film examines the emotional turbulence of long-buried trauma through Penny’s friendship with the now paranoid-schizophrenic Jimmy. Their survival is linked to how well they are able to look after one another and, amid their lives heaped with misfortune, they find peace and respect.

Filmed with curious optimism and zippy deployment of T. Rex on the soundtrack – which is sometimes jarring, given the shockingly bleak plot – Bolan’s Shoes is pure EastEnders-level melodrama. But it worked for me.
Bolan's Shoes takes us on a tumultuous journey through the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children's home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever.

Years later, and still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan, Steffan, to visit his shrine in London, but a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Light-hearted comedy and supernatural chills abound in this inspirational story that explores the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the life-affirming power of music.
There have been many films on music stars' lives with the biopic’s such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Rocketman’, but this take is very different and looks like it will serve well as a standalone feature.

Synopsis
Bolan’s Shoes takes us on a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool to the present-day poignancy of what would have been Marc Bolan’s 75th birthday. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children’s home before a devastating road accident changes their lives forever. Years later, and still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan to visit his shrine in London, but a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Bolan’s Shoes is a joyful celebration of Seventies culture and brims with the energy of that vibrant era but, like Marc Bolan’s legacy, its retro glitter is dimmed by the tragic repercussions of that deadly road accident. Light-hearted comedy and supernatural chills abound in this inspirational story that explores the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the life-affirming power of music.

Timothy Spall leads the cast, with Leanne Best, Mark Lewis Jones and Mathew Horne completing the ensemble.

Ian Puleston-Davies wrote and directed the film, which takes inspiration from T-Rex’s 1976 Manchester concert, with the rest of the plot being Davies’ invention.

‘Bolan’s Shoes’ will be released in UK cinemas on the 15th of September 2023.

Click on the link below to watch the trailer:

movie trailer, new trailer, BOLAN'S SHOES, BOLAN'S SHOES Trailer, Leanne Best