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The movie tells a stylised fictional account of the formation, rise and subsequent break-up of the band, from the point of view of their then-manager McLaren. In the film, McLaren claims to have created the Sex
Pistols (in truth, they were already formed, and Jones and Cook asked him to be their
403:
manager), and manipulated them to the top of the music business, using them as puppets to both further his own agenda (in his own words: "Cash from chaos"), and to claim the financial rewards from the various record labels the band were signed to during their brief existence as
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from the band and their subsequent split. The movie was finally released nearly two years later. Lydon (who was listed in the credits as "The
Collaborator") and original bass guitarist
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refused to have anything to do with the film, stating that it was "a pile of rubbish" and "Malcolm's vision of what he believed as not true in any form".
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release from Virgin Video in 1982. Warner/Reprise Video released the film on US home video in 1992. In 2005, the film was released on
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in the 1950s titled "Rock and Roll – It's a
Swindle". A copy of the article resides in the Jamie Reid archive at the
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603:"The Swindle Continues in Your Own Home" was the tagline on the original 18 certificate UK
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only appear in archive footage — Lydon refused to have anything to do with the production.
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who as through a series of set piece acts as uncovers the truth about the band. Drummer
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The title of the movie was inspired by an article written by
Skiffle musician
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The footage was filmed in early to mid-1978, between the departure of singer
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Shadowplayers: The Rise and Fall of
Factory Records
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64:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
27:This article is about the film. For the album, see
758:. London, England: Aurum Press Ltd. p. 121.
982:Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
780:"Sex Pistols - The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle"
659:Shipments figures based on certification alone.
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1601:British films with live action and animation
371:play smaller roles, and the band's manager,
395:also make appearances. Singer and frontman
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872:remembered by McLaren employee Sue Steward
833:"ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 DVDs"
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840:Australian Recording Industry Association
720:British Film Institute Collections Search
124:Learn how and when to remove this message
1076:Anarchy in the U.K: Live at the 76 Club
878:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
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29:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (album)
18:The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle
1083:Live at Chelmsford Top Security Prison
1517:Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
455:as The Collaborator (archive footage)
343:and, most prominently, their manager
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62:adding citations to reliable sources
1016:Some Product: Carri on Sex Pistols
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716:"The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle"
521:as nightclub bouncer (uncredited)
73:"The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle"
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1606:Films produced by Jeremy Thomas
1581:Films directed by Julien Temple
1437:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
1272:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
1189:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
1009:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
870:The Great Rock and Roll Swindle
687:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
313:The Great Rock and Roll Swindle
307:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
144:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
49:needs additional citations for
1:
1525:There'll Always Be an England
1293:There'll Always Be an England
1196:(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
1616:1980s English-language films
1611:1980 directorial debut films
335:. It centres on the British
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1561:British mockumentary films
574:The film was shown at the
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155:Theatrical release poster
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1596:1980s exploitation films
1571:British rock music films
1566:Sex Pistols video albums
681:Great Reality TV Swindle
586:after his 1980 suicide.
1586:British anthology films
1097:Live at Winterland 1978
1493:The Filth and the Fury
1286:The Filth and the Fury
1202:"Pretty Vacant" (live)
592:The Filth and the Fury
1023:Flogging a Dead Horse
589:The 2000 documentary
543:as himself (reporter)
537:as himself (musician)
263:15 May 1980
1469:Earth Girls Are Easy
754:Nice, James (2010).
743:. 10 September 1977.
417:Warner Bros. Records
58:improve this article
1621:1980s British films
1453:Running out of Luck
1251:The Punk Rock Movie
1211:Other notable songs
1150:Holidays in the Sun
1129:Anarchy in the U.K.
788:. 10 September 1992
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599:Home media releases
467:as cinema usherette
367:and bass guitarist
1461:Absolute Beginners
1423:Films directed by
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1377:Neurotic Outsiders
1357:Vicious White Kids
1157:No One Is Innocent
1136:God Save the Queen
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1111:Live & Filthy
1090:Filthy Lucre Live
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114:February 2019
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69:Find sources:
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47:This article
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1501:Pandaemonium
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1337:Ronnie Biggs
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1104:Raw and Live
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992:Compilations
980:
974:Studio album
952:Frank Carter
950:
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938:Glen Matlock
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843:. Retrieved
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815:. Retrieved
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790:. Retrieved
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723:. Retrieved
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580:Joy Division
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569:Glen Matlock
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531:(uncredited)
514:Soo Catwoman
501:James Aubrey
461:as The Exile
459:Ronnie Biggs
437:as The Crook
401:
379:, performer
377:Ronnie Biggs
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323:directed by
316:, is a 1980
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279:Running time
256:Release date
249:Virgin Films
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56:Please help
51:verification
48:
1509:Glastonbury
1317:Discography
1175:Silly Thing
1068:Live albums
1051:Sex Pistols
965:Sid Vicious
931:Steve Jones
919:Sex Pistols
845:17 December
817:11 February
792:11 February
785:Discogs.com
642:Australia (
525:James Jeter
483:Jess Conrad
465:Irene Handl
447:Sid Vicious
435:Steve Jones
389:Irene Handl
369:Sid Vicious
357:Steve Jones
341:Sex Pistols
283:103 minutes
239:Sex Pistols
227:Narrated by
221:Irene Handl
209:Sid Vicious
201:Steve Jones
179:Produced by
161:Directed by
1576:Punk films
1556:1980 films
1550:Categories
1372:Ex Pistols
1347:Jamie Reid
864:DVD review
702:References
584:Ian Curtis
565:John Lydon
548:Background
541:Alan Jones
519:Peter Dean
509:as Ed Bird
497:as Tadpole
477:Liz Fraser
393:Liz Fraser
355:Guitarist
267:1980-05-15
171:Written by
84:newspapers
1352:Rich Kids
1030:Kiss This
945:Paul Cook
725:5 January
582:frontman
441:Paul Cook
365:Paul Cook
337:punk rock
205:Paul Cook
668:See also
535:Dave Dee
491:as Helen
329:Don Boyd
296:Language
235:Music by
193:Starring
183:Don Boyd
1445:Mantrap
1121:Singles
1044:Jubilee
689:(album)
637:/sales
628:Region
558:V&A
503:as B.J.
485:as Jess
473:as Mary
409:A&M
318:British
299:English
288:Country
265: (
98:scholar
1536:(2008)
1528:(2008)
1520:(2007)
1512:(2006)
1504:(2000)
1496:(2000)
1488:(1996)
1485:Bullet
1480:(1991)
1472:(1988)
1464:(1986)
1456:(1985)
1448:(1983)
1440:(1980)
1300:Pistol
1233:E.M.I.
1226:Bodies
1161:My Way
762:
652:7,500
415:, and
413:Virgin
100:
93:
86:
79:
71:
1243:Films
1002:Spunk
836:(PDF)
649:Gold
339:band
105:JSTOR
91:books
883:IMDb
847:2021
819:2019
794:2019
760:ISBN
727:2024
644:ARIA
576:wake
423:Cast
391:and
351:Plot
331:and
77:news
1159:"/"
881:at
611:by
609:DVD
605:VHS
578:of
527:as
405:EMI
60:by
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