Morgen (Producer of Cobain: Montage of Heck and The Kid Stays in the Picture) continues with his idiosyncratic take on the documentary genre. The story is mostly told in audio clips from Bowie himself and does its best to lay out his artistic vision.

It’s interesting how much of a male view this is and gives short shift to the women in his life that helped him at numerous points in his career. Iman barley gets a mention and ‘Angie’ Angela Barnett not at all. Both of these women played pivotal roles in his life and helped in a large part with his artistic and fashion direction.

That criticism aside, the film does a solid job of highlighting some of his major changes in direction and leaves the less successful ones on the cutting room floor. For fans of his more esoteric periods there is also a fun run of train spotting. The live clips used look and sound great on the big screen and the film swells with energy during their appearance.

Rob Hudson
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With a mix of nostalgic and recent music woven into multimedia displays, archival and live performance footage, and behind the scenes interviews, these three iconic artists from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, deliver a feast for your ears and eyes.

David Bowie illuminates the screen for one last time in Brett Morgan’s Moonage Daydream, a celebratory montage including Bowie’s own experimental video art and painting, movie and stage work. Experience this immersive cinematic and audio-visual space odyssey that illuminates the enigmatic legacy of Bowie.

Moonage Daydream screens at Dendy Coorparoo and Dendy Portside from Thursday 15 September.

For one night only, 80’s band a-ha delivers a letter from their home to the world with their documentary, a-ha True North.

90km above the Arctic Circle, Norway’s very own a-ha recorded their first collection of music since 2015’s Cast in Steel. With the talents of the Arctic Philharmonic, a-ha weave a narrative showing a collective connection to the environment. In recurring vignettes, the multidimensional film follows this narrative arc through actors portraying life in the North as well as documenting Magne, Morten and Paul recording music over two days in Bodø, Norway. This is a unique release from a-ha, a multimedia experience with a powerful narrative.

a-ha True North screens at Dendy Coorparoo and Dendy Portside Thursday 15 September and includes a special behind the scenes featurette exclusive to Dendy Cinemas.

Billy Joel’s legendary 1990 concert at Yankee Stadium stands as one of the greatest concert films of all time.

In celebration of 50 years, Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium has been re-mixed and re-edited in 4K including a never-before-released performance of “Uptown Girl” along with interviews from Billy and behind-the-scenes footage from the event’s production. The set list consists of re-edited versions of songs from the original film including “Piano Man,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “New York State of Mind,” “Shout” and more – all live from the iconic stadium in The Bronx.

Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium screens at Dendy Coorparoo and Dendy Portside Wednesday 5 October and Sunday 9 October.

www.dendy.com.au

MOONAGE DAYDREAM is not a documentary. It is a genre-defying cinematic experience based on one of the most iconic and global rock stars of all time, destined to be one of the defining cultural moments of the year

The film has the full support of Bowie’s estate and features many of his greatest tracks, as well as previously unseen concert footage.
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The evening commences at Netherworld, with the group making its way up Brunswick St to Marquee Bar, and ending at Bloodhound Bar with a David Bowie Party!

FROM 5PM – Kristian Fletcher is encouraging fans to gather at Netherworld dressed in anything David Bowie-themed – whether it be a costume, a lightning bolt on your face or Bowie shirt.

Make a donation to Cancer Council and participate in the BOWIES DOWN BRUNSWICK charity walk which leaves Netherworld at 5.30PM.

Costumed ‘Bowies’ will make their way up Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, stopping in the mall at Marquee Bar for music and drinks.

The walk will continue to Bloodhound Bar and end with a DAVID BOWIE PARTY upstairs from 7.30PM.

Donations can be made on the day / A ticket is required to attend the DAVID BOWIE PARTY.

Bowies down Brunswick
Saturday 6 September 2021
Various locations in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley
www.kristianfletcher.com

With unprecedented access to Zappa’s archives, exclusive interview and eye-popping unseen live & behind-the-scenes footage, ‘Zappa’ will open your mind to the creativity & fearlessness of a man whose “worldview, art & politics” were, in Winter’s words, “far ahead of their time, & profoundly relevant in our challenging times.”

Zappa will be released in Australian cinemas February 18!
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David Bowie is was created by the prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London drawing upon unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive of costumes, objects, album artwork, and memorabilia. The exhibition includes lyric sheets, hundreds of photographs, stage sets, rare videos, filmed live shows, over 50 costumes and interviews with key collaborators.

Special displays within the exhibition explore Bowie’s influences as musician, stage performer, writer and actor – and his continuing legacy. At its world premiere in London in March 2013, it was the V&A’s fastest selling exhibition and became one of its most popular shows, drawing over 311,000 visitors and widespread critical acclaim.

ACMI Director & CEO, Tony Sweeney, said the landmark exhibition showcases Bowie as a true innovator in music, fashion and culture, and traces his changing style and reinvention.

“The mystery of David Bowie as an enigma is so lovingly explored in this incredible immersive exhibition you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped inside the mind of this astonishing cultural and pop icon,” Tony said. “Bowie is a figure whose social and creative influence and significance far exceeds his status as a pre-eminent rock performer and in David Bowie is, his incredible career is showcased in glorious detail.”

The V&A’s curators, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, from the Museum’s Department of Theatre and Performance, selected more than 300 objects and films for the show. Of the exhibition they said:

“The exhibition looks in-depth at how Bowie’s music and radical individualism has both influenced and been influenced by wider movements in art, design, film and contemporary popular culture over an incredible 50-year career and demonstrates how Bowie has inspired others to challenge convention and pursue freedom of expression.”

Bowie’s first major hit Space Oddity (1969) and the introduction of his first fictionalised stage persona Major Tom, inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, granted him critical and commercial success as an established solo artist. His cinematic influences abound with his elaborate storyboards and set design for the Diamond Dogs tour (1974) – originally envisioned as a musical – inspired by Fritz Lang’s film Metropolis (1927), leading him to take the combination of rock music and theatre to new heights.

Excerpts and props from Bowie’s own work in feature films such as Labyrinth (1986) and Basquiat (1996) are displayed in the exhibition, as do many of his ambitious and ground-breaking music videos. The year 1972 marked the birth of his most famous creation; Ziggy Stardust, a daringly androgynous and otherworldly being. A pivotal performance of Starman on Top of the Pops in a multi-coloured suit signalled a challenge of social conventions, daring fans to shape their own identities.

Bowie’s collaborations with artists and designers in the fields of fashion, sound, graphics, theatre, art and film are explored throughout the exhibition. On display are more than 50 stage costumes including Ziggy Stardust bodysuits (1972) designed by Freddie Burretti, Kansai Yamamoto’s flamboyant creations for the Aladdin Sane tour (1973) and the Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the Earthling album cover (1997).

Bowie’s fruitful experimental period in Berlin between 1977 and 1979 is also explored through a series of pioneering records he produced known as the Berlin Trilogy, including the creation of the stylish Thin White Duke persona identified with the Station to Station album and tour (1976).

More personal items such as never-before-seen storyboards, handwritten set lists and lyrics are also featured in the exhibition as well as some of Bowie’s own sketches, musical scores and diary entries, revealing the evolution of his creative ideas.

ACMI is the exclusive Australasian venue for David Bowie is. The ACMI season will include a specially curated program of talks and special events, late night programs, film screenings and live performances.

“The sheer grandure brought tears to my eyes” – The Daily Telegraph

“Absolutely incredible… fabulous” – Jean Paul Gaultier

“A simple endorsement of pure stardom” – The Independent

David Bowie is
16 July – 1 November 2015
Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne
www.acmi.net.au/exhibitions/bowie