If you want to see a closer glimpse of who David Bowie really is, this is the short for you. And the secret of what Bowie's music is all about and what a genius he really is is found here.
Throughout history, we have seen David Bowie as this stud beyond all studs. From his pre-Ziggy days through The Thin White Duke and into the present, David Bowie has presented himself as THE Glamorous Rock Star without which there could be no rock stardom. And while that role has changed constantly with the times, there is no doubt that Bowie has changed with it. But if you watch closely, you will see that this "Rock Star" was always played with a wink and a smile; for underneath the visage of David Bowie the Rock Star is David Bowie (or really David Jones) the ordinary guy creating extraordinary music and theatre. And while he has been seen as a complete doppelganger without a true personality compass, the reality is that he is one of the modern world's truly great actors and has been but playing a role for us to take in with awe.
And to see this movie short is to understand this. This movie finally has Bowie drop the rock star visage to reveal a much closer glimpse of who he really is. Certainly he is playing a role, and this role should not be mistaken for the "real" David Bowie. But equally certain is that this role is the closest we have seen him to his real self. In essence, this film shows Bowie mocking the rock star image to the hilt while simulataneiously teaching us how our perceived gods can be mortal. And just as the boobish Vic is in reality the godly Screaming Lord Byron, the Glamorous Rock Star is but an Englishman with an overactive imagination.
To not realize Bowie's normalness and mediocrity is to not realize his genius and extraordinary talent. A god is born a god and should be faulted for acting short of that. But a human that acts like a god should be praised for performing the impossible. And David Bowie has performed the impossible for several decades. To fault this mortal's later works as being unnecessary and embarrassing is to not understand how his earlier works were beyond comprehension and expectation.
And oh yeah, it's a very funny movie for those with a sense of humor. It's a tad on the dry side, but if you don't find this movie to be funny then you should just be embarrassed. Remember, life should be played with the wink and the smile. You only get to do this once, so make the most of it while you've got the chance.
