"He called it a freedom. A freedom you can allow yourself. Or not" - Arthur Stuart quoting Curt Wild
"According to legend, when Curt was 13 he was discovered in the family loo at the service of his older brother, and was promptly sent off for eighteen months of electric shock treatment. It was guaranteed the treatment would fry the fairy clean out of him, but all it did was make him go bonkers whenever he heard an electric guitar." - about Curt Wild
Curt Wild is a character of the Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine movie, played by hottie Ewan McGregor, who actually sings on the soundtrack and live, for the movie. Curt is probably the most entrancing character of the movie, played with intensity and representing rockstars' wildest side. Incidentally, he's based on early Lou Reed and Iggy Pop.
Curt Wild is the ultimate self-destructive rocker and is a junkie, addicted to heroin - and later on methadone. But he welcomes all kinds of drugs and embraces with abandon classic rock n' roll lifestyle.
The character is almost a force of nature in his wild ways and virility. That does not mean he's shy about engaging in sexual intercourse with men. And women.
Ewan McGregor sang 'T.V. Eye' for the official soundtrack, but he also sings live 'Gimme Danger' for the final concert. Both songs are originally by Iggy Pop. Ewan and Jonathan also lip sync 'Satellite of Love', originally by Lou Reed.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Curt Wild is the object of desire of popstar Brian Slade (played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), who seeks him and gets him record deals, takes care of him in all ways possible and leads him back to success. Brian falls in love with Curt while watching him perform on a festival. Later on, when Brian himself is famous and powerful, he goes to the US, meets Curt and becomes his 'main man'.
The two are quick to become inseparable, even performing together (one of the movie's best scenes, recreating the David Bowie-play-guitar-with-teeth classic act).
But paradise does not last when such egos are involved and Brian's controlling nature soon get to Curt and they break up. Both are heartbroken and Curt goes to Berlin to get away from Brian. There he records another album, putting all his pain into the songs.
Later, Brian is last seen as Brian (he stages his own death and mysteriously disappears) during Curt's magnetic performance of Gimme Danger.
Journalist Arthur Stuart (played by Christian Bale), who actually narrates this Orson Wells' paced story, finds a forgotten Curt in a pub, after a Tommy Stone concert - in the 80's. The movie, even though it's centered around finding out whatever happened to Brian Slade, shows the effects of Curt's force on the lives of the people around him: Arthur's groupie-like obsession, Brian's tragic romance and Mandy's jealousy. It's Curt - and not Brian - who holds the key to understanding the story and the character's behaviour. Ewan McGregor's performance makes him even more entrancing, so it's very easy to fall in love with him, specially during the painful Gimme Danger act.