Fans of David Bowie, rejoice! Neon and Universal Pictures have announced a release date for Brett Morgen’s Moonage Daydream documentary, a “cinematic odyssey” that will not only showcase the music legend's life, but also shed light on the various art forms he explored, such as dance, painting, sculpture, screenwriting, and live theater, encapsulating his creative, musical, and spiritual journey. The documentary is set to hit theaters in the US on September 16.
The title of the documentary references a song from Bowie's 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which introduced the world to his iconic and groundbreaking stage persona, Ziggy Stardust. The documentary partly follows Bowie at the peak of his career between the years 1970-1977, though it is also set to cover the later years of his career, and as the previously released trailer tells us, it is nothing like a conventional documentary. The trailer emphasizes various facets of the singer's influence, such as how he changed music culture around the world, as well as how he challenged established norms in the music industry. If the trailer is any clue the documentary is psychedelic enough to put you in a musical trance.
The movie is the first-ever Bowie documentary sanctioned by his estate, which also provided the filmmaker with unfiltered access to his personal archives, including all master recordings, and ample 35mm and 16mm reels of never-before-seen performances — all of which will be incorporated in the upcoming feature, along with 40 exclusively remastered tracks. Morgen wrote, directed, and produced the film, while Andrew Murray co-produced the movie. Bowie’s long-time producer, Tony Visconti, serves as the music producer on the film.
Morgen previously worked on titles like Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America, and Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck in 2015, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program. He also made the documentary Crossfire Hurricane, about the English rock band Rolling Stones.
Moonage Daydream premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews. The documentary will hit theaters worldwide on September 16. Meanwhile, take a look at the synopsis below:
‘Moonage Daydream’: a cinematic odyssey exploring David Bowie's creative, spiritual, and musical journey. From the visionary mind of Brett Morgan, ‘Moonage Daydream’ features captivating, never before seen footage and performances spanning Bowie's illustrious 54-year long career. The film includes 40 exclusively remastered Bowie songs and is the first film ever sanctioned by the Bowie estate with total access to the artist's archives.