Thoughts on a myth and of nostalgia
Bowie: The Final Act (2025)
Documentary
Life and death sometimes are close together. Like Lemmy, who was born on 24th and died on 28th December. So fans like to celebrate those days with his music. The same applies to David Bowie, born on 8th and dead on 10th January. There are live tributes like at G5, movie screenings and whole series in cinemas like Filmcasino, Gartenbaukino or Metro Kino, and on TV, documentaries take oneself back in time.
The visual side has always been part of the the character, the person, the star, David Bowie. So ARTE presents „Bowie: The Final Act“. As the title implements, the focus are not so much the beginnings as unknown stories and the late work of the icon. But it does not miss the first Glastonbury appearance 1971 and milestones like „Hunky Dory“ or „The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars“.
The live burial of this character showed how Bowie got rid of fellows when he newly invinted himself, like band-members remember with a smile. Examples are Mike Garson or Earl Slick (both on „Diamond Dogs“ amongst others and founders of A Bowie Celebration).
Producer, musicians like Moby, family, friends, astronaut Chris Hadfield and even the writer, who made Bowie cry with his review on „Tin Machine“ (1989) share their memories and thoughts. „The Buddha of Suburbia“ didn’t prepare for the 90s Rave, that influenced „Earthling“.
A big part is the Glastonbury show of 2000, before the health issues in Prague and at Hurricane Festival. In 2013, Bowie returned with „Where Are We Now“, and „Blackstar“ is his own wonderful requiem, played at Sound of the Universe at the end.
„David Bowie: Finding Fame“ from 2019 (and on ORF) perfectly completes „The Final Act“, as it tells about his beginnings, when he played The Kings and The Who with The Lower Third or got rejected by the BBC. His debut flopped as well, as The Beatles were up with „Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band“.
But „Space Oddity“ turned a mega hit and „The Man Who Sold the World“ worked with Bowie wearing a dress on the cover. He will always be a myth and always more to explore, enjoying the voice and vibes like the Live BBC Radio Theatre 2000 show..