Moonage Daydream

                                                                                    

    When I first heard David Bowie’s music, I was in high school. As his voice blasted out of my TV, Ziggy Stardust caught my eye with his orange mohawk hair, neon costumes, eye shadow, and high-heeled shoes. My friend in college dyed his hair and dressed like Bowie. I couldn’t put Bowie into a box as he burst into the 1970s music scene like a rocket. If you want to take a magical, music trip back in time, be sure to see Brett Morgen’s cinematic biography, “Moonage Daydream.” 

The film was created by a 53-year-old dedicated filmmaker who almost died during the movie process from a sudden heart attack. When he healed, he continued this five years long project to put together the footage of the Bowie years into a remarkable documentary. The David Bowie Estate granted permission to Morgen to access his treasures of original recordings, never seen videos, paintings, photos, and memorabilia. Bowie created 27 studio albums between 1967-2016. David Bowie toured the world and recorded in studios in London, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Montreux. 

My husband and I were fortunate to see it in a Las Vegas IMAX theater with surround sound. There was no one else in the theater but my husband and me. I guess it was not well publicized for its one-week showing. Where were all the Ziggy fans? I expected crowds dressed in various outlandish Bowie costumes. The regular movie theaters are showing it now and it is coming out on the cable Peacock channel next. There is no excuse for missing this creative film about one of our music icons. 

The film is a magical compilation of Bowie’s private writings, songs, and photos. The only voice in the movie is David himself speaking and singing. However, he is so much more than a singer as we learn in the film. His insightful lyrics and multiple personas evolve around his life story portrayed on the screen. Bowie is a creative compilation of an artist who is introspective, artistic, musical, and shy. He even took a long break from performing and chose to travel the world incognito. Then he went home and wrote the songs for “Hero” and turned it into a sold-out World Tour.

The film shows the daily pressure of being famous, and you can see Bowie adjust, retreat, and emerge as new personas throughout his life. From changing his hair color and costumes, finally straightening his teeth, Bowie transforms himself through life stages. We all know the sad ending of his life when he bravely succumbs to liver cancer leaving his wife and daughter behind at age 69. What about us? The world felt his loss too even though we were just fans. 

I was lucky to see David Bowie perform in concerts in The Netherlands, in 1990 and 2003. He was a unique persona in each concert from costumes to music. Bowie added black and white film clips to his concerts, unique costumes, and a talented band. I waited all night in The Netherlands outside in the cold to buy tickets when the box office opened. Somehow, our tickets were still on the balcony.

What can we learn from this documentary? Life is short, make the best of each day, and use your talents to make others happy. In this respect, the documentary portrayed the life experiences that David Bowie had to reach others through music around the world. “When you rock 'n' roll with me, There's no one else I'd rather be”  is what David Bowie sang in 1974 and is what we continue to do in his memory.