Who Killed Nancy?

April 22, 2012 12:05 PM

Who Killed Nancy is a documentary examining the lives and deaths of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. It features interviews with many of the people on the Punk scenes in both London and New York, including people who were in Sid and Nancy's Chelsea Hotel room on the night Nancy died.
posted by marienbad (21 comments total)

Thanks for this, the timing is perfect - I just finished watching the Tom Snyder punk and new wave collection, which made me all nostalgic. Looking forward to watching.
posted by davebush at 12:38 PM on April 22, 2012

Bookmarked for later viewing. I'm a little surprised at this though. I didn't think there was any real doubt that Vicious had killed her, presumably accidentally?

Are there other possibilities than Sid, or Nancy herself? I guess I'll have to watch the movie to find out!
posted by 256 at 12:51 PM on April 22, 2012

Thanks for this! I remember reading the biography of Nancy, written by her mother. What a sad story.
posted by Melismata at 1:00 PM on April 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

256: There is a very strong possibility (some would say more likely, in fact) that she was killed by their dealer, and that Sid was too incapacitated to actually do the deed.
posted by Navelgazer at 1:04 PM on April 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

I read that book too, Melismata, which is probably why my reaction to the question in the OP is "Ugh, who cares?"
posted by Rykey at 1:11 PM on April 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

I confess! I did it! I can't keep this secret any longer!
posted by octobersurprise at 1:17 PM on April 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

Ever had the feeling you've been cheated?
posted by gallus at 1:22 PM on April 22, 2012 [6 favorites]

Gary Oldman did an interview around the time he played Sid in Alex Cox's movie in which he talked about the possibility that Sid didn't do it.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:31 PM on April 22, 2012

Ugh. I could have lived without knowing Sid Vicious hanged a cat.
posted by Jess the Mess at 1:55 PM on April 22, 2012 [6 favorites]

Sid was passed out (on massive amounts of speed, apparently)

In the film it says Tuinol. Lots of it.
posted by marienbad at 1:56 PM on April 22, 2012

Rockets Redglare, right? Whether he actually did kill Nancy remains a mystery. He seemed like he was exploiting the suspicion around him to his advantage and using the notoriety for exposure and personal gain. I also recall him saying in an interview that he knew the identity of the real killer but of course he fails to mention who. That whole scene was full of creeps.
posted by cazoo at 2:01 PM on April 22, 2012

LOL I remember going on a date with Courtney Love, she bitched and bitched about how she had just auditioned for Alex Cox but did not get the role of Nancy.

Anyway, I have had this button on the lapel of my leather jacket pretty much continuously since the week Sid died. It is so old and faded, you can barely read it. The jacket has been replaced but the button has not.
posted by charlie don't surf at 2:55 PM on April 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

If you want something shorter, here's three minutes of Sid and Nancy insulting callers on a TV show.
posted by michaelh at 3:02 PM on April 22, 2012

I could have lived without knowing Sid Vicious hanged a cat.

So you've never heard his version of My Way?
posted by localroger at 3:24 PM on April 22, 2012 [9 favorites]

Ugh. I could have lived without knowing Sid Vicious hanged a cat.

But think about it, if someone said to you they would give you a hundred bucks if you answer the following True/False correctly:

Sid Viscious once hanged a cat. True or False?

I would bet 99% of the people who new anything about ol' Sid would say True.
posted by holdkris99 at 3:35 PM on April 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

Rockets Redglare, right? Whether he actually did kill Nancy remains a mystery.

That's long been the rumor. For those unfamiliar with him, I present to you a fixture of the downtown underground scene, Rockets Redglare.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 3:43 PM on April 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

I confess! I did it! I can't keep this secret any longer!

Your confession comes about six months too early, doesn't it, octobersurprise?
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:13 PM on April 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

read Deborah Spungen's memoir, and it was brutally sad.

This is so true. I read it knowing little about the real Nancy, only really knew the movie version. It was depressing because it reminded me a lot of a friend, and made her more "real" to me. Also how it all affected her mother and family, definitely a good but depressing read.
posted by usagizero at 4:19 PM on April 22, 2012

Your confession comes about six months too early, doesn't it, octobersurprise?

Turns out she actually was killed in October. Eponymurderical.
posted by michaelh at 5:54 PM on April 22, 2012 [3 favorites]

> Are there other possibilities than Sid, or Nancy herself?

Does Sluggo have an alibi?
posted by jfuller at 6:36 AM on April 23, 2012

Rockets Redglare? Hunh---I'd always heard Neon Leon was the most likely dealer/killer. But cripes, at this point, who can possibly say---all the people who claim they know are scenester junkies, and therefore liars of epic proportions.
posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 7:19 AM on April 23, 2012