Page

Bowie: The Final Act

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Bowie: The Final Act

Save

Summary

The 1990s were a bad time for David Bowie. With slow ticket sales and poor reviews, it seemed the man who defined reinvention had lost his magic. But Bowie was not yet done. Ten years after his death, this documentary reveals the influential musician's final creative journey, from conquering Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage in 2000 to producing Blackstar, the 2016 swansong LP that reminded the world why he was irreplaceable

Ad

Powered By

IMDB

Review

b-5suy61

Bowie’s absence seems more keenly felt at this time of year, perhaps because his death in January 2016 was such a shock to his fans and friends. But this King Creative was recording for as long as he possibly could, and as tonight’s mighty Channel 4 documentary reveals, he turned his confrontation with death into one last artistic statement.

Adopting a “Starman” framework, director Jonathan Stiasny re-examines the star’s gift for reinvention but specifically at times of greatest challenge. Kicking against his 80s Let’s Dance persona, Bowie formed the band Tin Machine; after years in pop’s wilderness, he decided to play Glastonbury in 2000. And while the former attracted stinging criticism (one review made him cry), Glasto proved a triumph. Rick Wakeman, early girlfriend Dana Gillespie and writer Hanif Kureishi are among the impressive guest-list. The film flits around the years, initially, but settles down into a poignant and very human portrait, with producer Tony Visconti providing much of the emotional insight: “I cried my eyes out… he was my lifetime friend.”

imdb-square

7.2/10

How to watch

Loading

Streaming

Credits

Crew

rolenameDirectorJonathan StiasnyProducerDan HallExecutive producerJan YounghusbandExecutive producerJames Rogan

Details

Languages

Formats

Colour

Ad

Ad

Ad