Bowie: The Final Act – 10 years after his death, the rock god gets a rapturous resurrection
Packed with incredible scenes, this heartbreaking anniversary documentary can’t help but offer up a huge serving of nostalgic bliss There’s a theory that the world spun off its axis with the passing of David Bowie, 10 days into January 2016. It was also two days after his final, death-infused album Blackstar appeared from nowhere. As an artistic statement it was prophetic and impeccably theatrical. A feature-length documentary now shines a black light on that album’s recording, which some call Bowie’s creative resurrection. What does it reveal? And do we want to revisit that place, emotionally? Thankfully, Bowie: The Final Act (Saturday 3 January, 10pm, Channel 4) does not live solely in the catacombs. It begins at the zenith of Bowie’s pop fame: the 1983 Serious Moonlight tour, where the Thin White Duke turned American soul hero. This MTV-approved, Pepsi advert-inducing stardom was the onset of a career-stalling ennui, Bowie’s artistic voice drying out under the bright lights he sought. It then ricochets back to the start of his musical journey, pinballing us through its highlights. With a mythology this seismic it would be a crime not to. David Bowie invented serving looks, you know. They just happened to come from another planet. Continue reading...
Packed with incredible scenes, this heartbreaking anniversary documentary can’t help but offer up a huge serving of nostalgic bliss
There’s a theory that the world spun off its axis with the passing of David Bowie, 10 days into January 2016. It was also two days after his final, death-infused album Blackstar appeared from nowhere. As an artistic statement it was prophetic and impeccably theatrical. A feature-length documentary now shines a black light on that album’s recording, which some call Bowie’s creative resurrection. What does it reveal? And do we want to revisit that place, emotionally?
Thankfully, Bowie: The Final Act (Saturday 3 January, 10pm, Channel 4) does not live solely in the catacombs. It begins at the zenith of Bowie’s pop fame: the 1983 Serious Moonlight , where the Thin White Duke turned American soul hero. This MTV-approved, Pepsi advert-inducing stardom was the onset of a career-stalling ennui, Bowie’s artistic voice drying out under the bright lights he sought. It then ricochets back to the start of his musical journey, pinballing us through its highlights. With a mythology this seismic it would be a crime not to. David Bowie invented serving looks, you know. They just happened to come from another planet.