Movie Review: Moonage Daydream
Brett Morgen is the visionary director behind Cobain: Montage of Heck, a biographical documentary about the late Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain. Inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall, it’s been Morgen’s ambition to create similarly eclectic depictions, now sanctioned by the Bowie estate for Moonage Daydream. As writer, editor, producer and director, Morgen’s signature is all over this cinematic odyssey, which explores David Bowie’s influential creative genius and musical journey.
What follows is a surreal, shapeshifting documentary and labyrinthine music video that attempts to capture the essence of the artist. A true creative whose life was given meaning by his perpetual search for deeper meaning through his art, Bowie’s surreal biography reflects his creative energy and ceaseless reinvention. The film tracks his music career, taking a chronological approach, diverging into his art and performance.
From wardrobe and make up to his on the road lifestyle, Moonage Daydream captures snippets of Bowie’s life through introspective interviews, photographs and archive footage. Instead of an interrogation of his biography, this kaleidoscopic music documentary is a spacey exploration, approaching its subject through his varied works. Interview soundbites embroider his philosophical outlook as Morgen gently peels back the layers with flashbacks and flashforwards as if by association.
“We can be heroes…”
Live performances are re-invigorated, a rapid fire edit picks up the pace, sound effects add a thematic overlay and fragments of pop culture from across the 20th century add a retro verve and reflect the zeitgeist. Much like Cobain: Montage of Heck, this film goes to some intimate spaces, piecing together a scrapbook of personal history and giving it a psychedelic overlay. Paying homage to the legend of Bowie, the film captures some of his most iconic moments, showing the extent of his influence through the fans themselves.
Moonage Daydream lives up to its title, pouring from one evocative chapter into the next, transported by Bowie’s quintessential music and countercultural spunk. Morgen’s film isn’t so much a comprehensive chronicle of the artist but rather a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience, designed to capture Bowie’s quintessence. This makes it a whistle stop tour for those unfamiliar with his legacy and a vivid reimagining to die hard fans.
At times overwhelming with its multisensory overload, this expressive music documentary clocks in at over 2 hours, an artwork in and of itself. While it’s not for everyone, Moonage Daydream remains captivating and enigmatic, a trippy ode to a rock star and entertainer who lived every moment in a constant state of evolution.
The bottom line: Mesmerising