David Bowie was always portrayed as a Starman, waiting in the sky for the perfect opportunity to blow our heads with all of his fuzzy cosmic jives.
A celestial alignment is one indication that the fabled Thin White Duke has caught up with the times. The reason the stars appear different is that an unexpected conjunction occurred. This week saw the Cannes Film Festival debuts of both Moonage Daydream, an immersive documentary by Neon Film, and “Moonage Daydream,” the most recent episode of The Man Who Fell to Earth on Showtime.
The home planet assistance requested by Thomas Jerome Newton, the role Bowie portrayed in Nicholas Roeg’s 1976 film, is provided by K. Faraday (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in the television series. The drone student of the enigmatic Anthean scientist experiences an existential crisis and finds solace in a primal human instinct. The most human-touched biography of Bowie’s career is Moonage Daydream. Through interviews and video excerpts that are presented in various formats, Bowie himself serves as the narration.
Though Bowie has always been a multidisciplinary artist, music is his most well-known medium. He provided voices for intergalactic communications, computer games, art installations, and cartoons. Bowie began by learning mime and later studied dance, painting, sculpture, video, audio collage, and screenwriting. A rich blend of sound and visual will be presented in Moonage Daydream, as the recently released teaser indicates.
In 1967, Bowie made his screen debut in the experimental short X-rated movie The Image. He then went on to appear in or star in scores of legendary movies, including The Elephant Man on Broadway in the lead role. His acting career is almost as well-known as his music, but never quite. The soundtrack that Bowie composed for Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, which at the time was the third best-selling soundtrack ever, overshadowed his performance as Jareth in the film.
Up until his passing in 2016, Bowie continued to produce songs. Blackstar, his last album, which was supposed to be released on his 69th birthday, was released two days before he passed away. “Moonage Daydream” from Man Who Fell to Earth begins on the planet Anthea, where Faraday is departing to finish the mission started in the first movie. His wife begs him to stay and he assures her that he will return as he gets ready to board his vessel. Although it is extraterrestrial, it is very human. The alien must be loved.
Up until his passing in 2016, Bowie continued to produce songs. Blackstar, his last album, which was supposed to be released on his 69th birthday, was released two days before he passed away. “Moonage Daydream” from Man Who Fell to Earth begins on the planet Anthea, where Faraday is departing to finish the mission started in the first movie. His wife begs him to stay and he assures her that he will return as he gets ready to board his vessel. Although it is extraterrestrial, it is very human. The alien must be loved.
The former David Jones, who adopted the stage name David Bowie in 1966 after singing actor Davy Jones achieved prominence as a member of the Monkees, spent the most of his career exploring alienation. He was considered as such when he first touched down because he had won an Ivor Novello Award for the song “Space Oddity” in 1969.
Dick Cavett’s voice can be heard in the Moonage Daydream teaser musing about Bowie’s beginnings. Who is he?” He is what? What was his origin? Is he a creation of an outside force? Is he creepy, violent, intelligent, stupid, or kind to his parents? Real or a ruse? Crazy? Sane? Male, female, or robot? He had performed as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Major Tom, and The Thin White Duke on the musical stage. Instead of attempting to describe Bowie, the documentary explains why he must be understood.
Bowie’s work is interpreted as a manual for living our finest lives. In 1971, what seemed radical is today considered standard. Bowie’s dissonance introduced a brand-new standard. Bowie wasn’t a chameleon, though. He never vanished into the background.
You can watch the trailer here:
Bowie was an expert at reinventing himself. Francis Whately, a British filmmaker, made three distinct movies to examine the singer’s career: The documentaries David Bowie: Five Years (2013), David Bowie: The Last Five Years (2017), and David Bowie: Finding Fame (2019) looked into the making of Bowie’s final two LPs and his early years, respectively.
In addition to Cobain: Montage of Heck, a 2015 documentary on Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, The Kid Stays in the Picture, Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America, and Jane (2017), a Nat Geo documentary on primatologist Jane Goodall, Moonage Daydream was written, directed, edited, and produced by Brett Morgen. The Bowie project, which took more than five years to complete, is designed for a rich cinematic experience that is adapted to particular theaters. When it debuts this fall, the documentary will be shown in IMAX theaters. For a thorough tour of Bowie’s 54-year career, Morgen spent two years choosing 16mm and 35mm print film, much of it previously unseen.
Bowie rejected to provide Todd Haynes the rights to use his music in the 1998 movie Velvet Goldmine, which bears his song’s name. Maybe if they had given him just a piece. The only movie approved by the Bowie Estate, which gave Morgen unrestricted access to all of Bowie’s master recordings, is Moonage Daydream. 40 newly restored tracks from Bowie’s 1970–1977 song catalog are included in the documentary. Changes, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, The Jean Genie, All The Young Dudes, Life on Mars, Rebel Rebel, Fame, Young Americans, and Golden Years are among the tunes. The music is produced by Tony Visconti, a seasoned Bowie collaborator.
It’s a good time for the Bowie combo. Even the Sex Pistols episode Pistol on FX begins with video of Bowie’s last performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1973. That evening, he bid Ziggy Stardust farewell. David Bowie, though, has never drifted away.
The Man Who Fell to Earth airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on Showtime. Moonage Daydream is set for a September theatrical release. The film is expected to premiere on HBO and HBO Max in the spring of 2023.