It’s time for a Church of the Poisoned Mind tent revival with the awesome 80s rock doc Boy George & Culture Club, directed by Alison Ellwood. In London in the early 80s, Mickey Craig put together a band with Roy Hay and Boy George, a striking gender bending performer who had been the co-singer of Bow Wow Wow for one night. They eventually also got Jon Moss, who had previously drummed for The Stranglers, The Damned, and Adam & The Ants. After considering several band names, including Sex Gang Children, they decided to call themselves Culture Club. When they filled in at the last minute on the TV show Top of the Pops, they were famous all over England the next day.

It was impossible not to notice that most of the attention was paid to the singer’s appearance alone. When their music videos blew up in the U.S., they suddenly started to become the number one group on the planet. During the band’s rise, Moss and George were openly dating. Once behind the neon curtain of fame, however, Moss would back off from George in public, keeping everything hidden. While the spotlight kept them apart, George would write everything he wanted to say to Moss in his lyrics. George would sing hit songs to huge audiences, all the while his heart was breaking for the man drumming behind him. Ellwood interviews the band members now, including vintage footage of their wild romp through the charts of the 80s.

I was there at the ground zero for pop music during the time period covered in Boy George & Culture Club. Music videos had upended radio as the prime distribution driver, creating runaway successes overnight in the New Wave. I was wowed by the imagery, imitating the dance moves I saw at junior high dances, setting me up for modern dance work later on. Boy George really was an instant pop icon at the time, as one look at his look made the children go insane. I am pleased to see that Ellwood captured that insanity with a capital I. George’s look became so omnipresent that there was a recurring Boy Alvin character on Silver Spoons. This really stood out against the whole whitebread backdrop of the TV show, leaving lipstick traces on the crust. Turns out George was already an admirer of American culture before he took it over. I loved how George was in awe of the home of the brave, because that was where John Waters and Divine were from. Doesn’t get braver than that.

“Current generations will be blown away by how much power television once wielded.”

Due to his infamous visual impact, everyone wanting to watch Boy George & Culture Club will knee-jerk wonder about how a key aspect of George’s appearance is holding up. I am glad to report that George’s hat is not only well, but it is more magnificent than ever. It is the stunning blue high bowler top hat, with a ring of crossbone skulls decorated with patches of darkness. I could not keep my eyes off it. Also, his eye makeup is gorgeous, which reinforces his fan devotion to Siouxsie Sioux. George describes himself as a goth who ended up in a pop band, which makes everything instantly makes sense. Also, he credits his famous dreadlocks to The Slits, which once again explains a lot, clearing up years of confusion over the look overlap with Hasie Fantayzee, the band behind the western sodomy anthem  John Wayne is Big Leggy.

While Ellwood maintains a down-to-business, high-velocity pace throughout Boy George & Culture Club, she does take the time to pull off a major stylistic flair. There is a big entrance for Jon Moss, George’s drummer, lover, and muse. There is a swell of music, with Moss walking slowly through a glowing doorway. It is so grandiose, it would border on taking the piss if it wasn’t so f*****g appropriate. Moss is a perfect gentleman, and he repeatedly opens up about his feelings for George. There are several photos of them as a couple that are very touching. When you consider the level of fame at a time when queers were allowed to be hunted for sport, it is understandable that there was pressure to keep the truth private. Mikey Craig provides the most level-headed perspective on the band’s career; he is utterly charming. The biggest surprise is Roy Hay, which isn’t surprising really, as his invisibility in the group allowed him to get away with the drug stuff George couldn’t.

Current generations will be blown away by how much power the slain cyclops known as television wielded in the last century. Look no further than the footage of the battalions of teenage girls in Australia and Canada swarming Boy George, a perfect image of how bizarre the 80s got. The mystery over the Mississippi steamboat in the Karma Chameleon music video remains an enigma. While we do not get a further explanation as to who came up with the idea and why, we can revel in the bewilderment of the band for both the concept and the costumes. In fact, Karma Chameleon may be the first song in history to chart despite its music video. While much of the band’s history has been covered by unauthorized docs, Boy George & Culture Club is the one rock doc that provides reports from the band members as to what their experience in the pop trenches was like. Remember, they were just kids at the time, going for a ride in the great glass elevator that eventually came down hard. You already know you want it. I am here to let you know you’re gonna like it a whole lot.