Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1973)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

D.A. Pennebaker

Release Date:

December 1973 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | Music

Plot:

The July 3rd, 1973 historic concert of the 'leper Messiah'. This was to be David Bowie's last concert...

Plot Keywords:

Concert Film | Mime | Rock Music | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Cast

David Bowie	...	Himself / Ziggy Stardust
Mick Ronson	...	Himself
Trevor Bolder	...	Himself
Mick Woodmansy	...	Himself
Angela Bowie	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maureen Starkey	...	Herself

Also Known As:

Bowie '73 with the Spiders from Mars (UK)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Hammersmith Odeon, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Company:

Bewlay Bros.

Trivia:

Jeff Beck guested on guitar in two songs and was supposed to have been in the film, but asked not to appear in it because he felt his solos and his appearance, looking more like a '60s blues rocker than Bowie and the Spiders' theatrical outfits didn't quite fit the movie.

Quotes:

David Bowie: What do you know about make-up? You're Just a Girl.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V)

Buy The Soundtrack Instead

This is the film of the final concert that Bowie would ever play with his (then)back up band, The Spiders From Mars (featuring Mick Ronson on guitar). It was filmed/directed by D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back, Monterey Pop). Despite those credentials, this is unfortunately a very poorly shot & edited document of a very good concert. The camera(s) seem to shake,rattle & roll every time they're fixed on a band member (Pennebaker seems to have a real problem keeping the camera in focus, making this film about as much of a challenge as watching the first reel of Warhol's 'Poor Little Rich Girl'--where the entire first reel is totally out of focus). Bowie & company manage to be in finer than fine form,snorting fire during this Odeon Hammersmith performance in 1973. This film was originally filmed for what was intended to be the pre cursor of the DVD, the laser disc, but after viewing the poor quality of the film, the producers of the laser disc quickly changed their minds. 'Ziggy' then managed to sit in the can for ten years, until it managed to somehow get spotty distribution (via the art house circuit)in 1983. If you can get past the clumsy, in and out of focus camera work & poor editing,this film just might give you a clue into what Bowie was into back then. Honestly,I would have to recommend picking up the sound track CD instead.