In the times of paradox, when musicians don’t really care about their video presentation, and the music is predominantly listened via YouTube, we lost one of the pioneers of video work and theatrical engagement. David Bowie was one of a kind, no doubt about that. Besides remembering him for his music, we should also not forget about his glorious movie career. I actually became his fan after watching couple of those.
Bowie’s songs were a significant part of various soundtracks. In many of those movies, it was his song that set the bar high for the whole production. The last example for that was the opening song he recorded for the TV Show The Last Panthers. As a composer of original movie scores, Bowie did not stand out much. He mostly appeared via archive numbers or new songs made specifically for some titles.
Still, as a movie actor, Bowie has a very interesting portfolio. At the beginning, he was mostly playing himself, probably because his public figure required transformations that were more tough than for most of the fictional characters. Bowie has played himself from cameo appearances in sitcom Extras to comedy Zoolander.
Bowie had also played historical characters, from Andy Warhol, to Pithy Pilate and Nikola Tesla. In each of this roles, Bowie was brilliant. The Man Who Fell To Earth was a bizarre sci-fi satire that was better than most of avant-garde movies of that time. Even most of the movies of this time. Just A Gigolo, directed by David Hemmings, saw Bowie right next to Marlene Dietrich and Kim Novak. Fetishistic and fatal drama about a vampire, with a very suggestive atmosphere called Hunger is one of my favorites., right next to the Labyrinth.
By the end of the 80s, Bowie’s name in the movie teaser meant that it is a piece by a brilliant author or at least by someone who is on his way to become one. On the other hand, the roles he chose in the 90s were not as conceptually strong. After 2000, my favorite role of his was playing Nikola Tesla, a scientist from Serbia, in the movie The Prestige.
David Bowie’s filmography can serve as a guide to who is who among the directors of a certain time. And that could accomplish only someone who knew very well what is what.
Hail to the king-queen! Whenever I miss you, I will just find you in your roles or in your music.
