Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Although David Bowie passed away ten years ago, he remains as present as ever in the minds, ears, and images of popular culture. He became a true icon, with a unique aura and a fascinating voice and presence. As if his musical success weren’t enough, Bowie also made a name for himself on screen, captivating filmmakers with his talent and charisma. While he sometimes appeared simply as himself—a star of the stage—he also crafted intriguing and deeply intense roles. Among them is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a film that bridges this series with the one dedicated to Nagisa Ōshima in October.
This concert documentary features the final show of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, which took place at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on July 3, 1973. During that concert, Bowie made an unexpected announcement, saying that it would be his last performance with the Spiders from Mars, which meant he was putting an end to his Ziggy Stardust persona. The version presented here is the 2023 restoration.
D. A. Pennebaker
D. A. Pennebaker is an American filmmaker, writer, and painter. Famous for his music documentaries, he demonstrates a true talent for filming concerts, taking his camera right onto the stage to capture the excitement of a live performance combined with an undeniable sense of rhythm, as evidenced by Don’t Look Back (1967), which chronicles Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of England, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1973), capturing David Bowie's concert accompanying the release of his legendary album Ziggy Stardust, and 101 (1989), in which Depeche Mode's live performance is filmed with a dynamism that their stage setup would not have suggested—since three of the four band members were stationary behind their synthesizers. Pennebaker also directed documentaries on the Monterey Pop Festival (1968), John DeLorean (1981), Jimi Hendrix (1989), and Woodstock (1994). His films bear witness to the history of rock and the counterculture of the 1960s.
