David Bowie - New Live/Documentary Movie "Moonage Daydream"

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by EfWe, Nov 18, 2021.

  1. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    There was no tour. Bowie just went to Asia and rode escalators 24/7.
     
  2. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Maybe, but I seem to recall seeing the same dude turn his head to look at Bowie going down the escalator after Bowie passes him.

    Anyway you look at it, there's an awful lot of "Bowie on that escalator in 1983", even if some are alternate takes.

    And an awful lot of "Ricochet" material period.
     
    Cat People likes this.
  3. aphexj

    aphexj Sound mind & body

    It's a vibe
     
  4. Zach Johnson

    Zach Johnson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    I saw it last night and was surprised to come here and see negative reviews, as I'd only seen really positive ones on film sites. My only major criticism was that the story seemed to begin with Ziggy (skipping over the early years and The Man Who Sold the World/Hunky Dory period), and in the end, went straight from the Outside/Earthling period to Blackstar, skipping over everything in between and making it seem a little rushed. While there may not be much in the way of footage from the earlier period, we know that there is plenty from the late-90s and 2000s. I have to assume that the filmmaker felt that there wasn't a particular hook from this period that would have added anything to the overall story, but including some footage couldn't have hurt. I also agree that certain footage was overused.
     
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  5. Azorbz

    Azorbz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, England
    When I was watching, which was overall a great time, I was occasionally left in confusion, and I couldn't really explain it, but after thinking more about it, I believe that I can. In certain spots, the film felt like a high-budget YouTube video. Not in terms, but in terms of presentation. With a song in the background, and some slideshow pictures, it felt like something you'd find from a fan-channel, not a professional film.

    As I said, I really liked the film, but it was not all perfect.
     
  6. Bink

    Bink Forum Resident

    I seem to remember reading that Brett Morgan said that when he went into this project he didn't know any of DBs later material which maybe one of the reasons why some parts of that period are overlooked.

    Personally I think there is a really interesting story to be told about that later period. People often focus on the 70's and then touch on the sudden commercial music in the early 80's.

    However I think the way that he deliberately tried to get rid of the 'Let's Dance' audience with Tin Machine and then build up his career again in the 90's and early 2000's is arguably a more interesting story.

    I think it was clear by The Next Day and Blackstar that he had succeeded in building his career up again. He no longer needed to do countless tv interviews, talking about the old days or go on tour in order to generate interest in his latest album. They were able to succeed on their own merits, largely because we were all relieved that he hadn't actually retired.
     
  7. Azorbz

    Azorbz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, England
    Whilst he did say that, I don't think that's the reason. Brett Morgen said in an interview that he wanted to include the later material. He once met Bowie, who proceeded to criticise his work, and, in response, he said that he couldn't enjoy anything past Let's Dance (this was in 2007, I believe). In truth, he had never heard any of the material he was criticising. During the planning stages for Moonage Daydream, he realised how cruel that statement was, and wanted to include the material in the film; however, he ultimately decided against it as it didn't fit the film he was making.
     
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  8. Zach Johnson

    Zach Johnson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    I feel like that was touched upon slightly with the Outside/Earthling bit, but anything afterwards wasn’t mentioned. And of course Tin Machine wasn’t featured at all as far as I recall.
     
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  9. MichaelH

    MichaelH Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    I'll probably rent it like I do most movies nowadays, but I definitely am intrigued enough to want to see it.
     
  10. TonyCzar

    TonyCzar Forum Resident

    Location:
    PhIladelphia, PA
    ...and the crowd went wild...!
     
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  11. Tanx

    Tanx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I thought I saw fragments of The Next Day...?

    Granted, just a blip--and definitely no Tin Machine.
     
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  12. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Wait: he met Bowie, Bowie criticized Morgen's work and then Morgen lashed back at Bowie?
     
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  13. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    If there was any nod toward TM, I missed it too.

    IIRC, the movie goes from Glass Spider/Pepsi commercial to Iman and then skirted over the rest of his life...
     
  14. Azorbz

    Azorbz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, England
    Yes. When Morgen met with Bowie, Bowie criticised Morgen's most recent film at the time. Upset, Morgen responded saying he didn't like anything past Let's Dance, despite not hearing anything after (I think) Never Let Me Down.
     
  15. Frankie_Collector

    Frankie_Collector Bowie nut extraordinaire

    Location:
    Mexico City
    Did you ever get to meet Bowie or tell him about your idea for a film?

    I met David in 2007 to discuss a potential collaboration on a hybrid nonfiction project – not “Moonage Daydream,” something very different that was going to be more performance-based. That film that I pitched him imagined that David never evolved after Ziggy and that we would find him in present-day Berlin, and he has been playing the same songs for the past 40 years at a dive bar in the middle of the night to the last four people on Earth who are paying attention. It was a kind of wild presentation. It was going to require a lot of shooting and David was in semi-retirement at that point.

    The man who became his executor called afterwards and said, you know, “David enjoyed the pitch but he’s not at a place where he can do this right now.”
     
  16. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    So there you have it: "Moonage Daydream" is a mess because Morgen wanted his final revenge! :laugh:
     
  17. Azorbz

    Azorbz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, England
    Morgen actually said that, in a way, Moonage Daydream is him apologising.
     
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  18. PES

    PES Forum Resident

    This may be a repeat comment, so apologies for that. But the soundtrack is definitely worth picking up because it has a number of unique remixes, edits and live versions. In fact, you could almost say that the soundtrack album represents something of a new / alternate Bowie collection. To cite just one example, the second cut of "Memories of a Free Festival" actually has the intro from "Station to Station" mixed in the background. It's almost like Tony Visconti (who I assume coordinated the soundtrack...apologies if I got that wrong) was trying to illustrate a point about Conceptual Continuity in Bowie's work ala Frank Zappa.
     
  19. Robotlove

    Robotlove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto Ontario
    I'd be stoked if Bowie said he saw anything I directed.
     
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  20. ShockOfDaylight

    ShockOfDaylight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit, MI
    From some of the reviews I’m seeing, it sounds like Moonage Daydream is essentially an over stylized version of the Five Years doc. Both primarily focuses on Ziggy to Let’s Dance. Only the new one is minus the interviews with his collaborators.

    [​IMG]
     
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  21. muzzer

    muzzer Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Not a million million miles away from Lazarus….?
     
  22. Bowie Fett

    Bowie Fett Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Not over-stylized at all. And not a traditional documentary. After viewing and reading every piece in the estate’s archive, he found three recurring themes throughout Bowie’s life. He chose to focus on them and cut anything (including songs) that didn’t connect, including his favorite part of the film (a 12-minute live version of “Station to Station” from the Isolar II tour).

    For me, his approach created a more intimate and personal film that feels like a classic Bowie album.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2022
  23. Colocally

    Colocally One Of The New Wave Boys

    Location:
    Surrey BC.
    Sounds like style over substance to me and belies the idea that Bowie did nothing of worth between 1983 and 2016 except ride elevators in Hong Kong.
     
  24. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    ... but not quite. What's on the soundtrack will be listened to out of context and it's just lots of edits, fragments (three slices of Ian Fish, anyone?) mashup attempts, very little unreleased live material - that should of course be accompanied by the rest of the show - topped off with surprise surprise Changes and Starman.
    This is a disc with stuff that most will shelve after the first spin, never to return to again. Maybe those who'd never heard the Beck Hammersmith part, that he couldn't agree to when Bowie was still alive, will play that again. But that'll probably be on the next Ziggy Motion Picture release. Good thing people can stream this soundtrack beforehand.
     
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  25. smiley69

    smiley69 Forum Resident

    Location:
    lyon, france
    The holy grail for me would be the whole concert (we only miss Around and Around") and the "undoctored" version of the show (the one that was available once from Robyn Mayhew website and reviewed here : David Bowie 1973-07-03 London ,Hammersmith Odeon – Complete soundboard of the famous last Ziggy concert – SQ 9 – DavidBowieWorld.nl but from the original 24 tracks recording). 4cd + BR/DVD of the movie will make my day ! One can dream...
     
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