Search - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Movie Release: 1983 DVD Release: 11/10/1998 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 29 mins Studio: Image Entertainment Members Wishing: 12 Genres: Music, Concerts See Also: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture [30th Anniversary Edition]

The July 3, 1973 concert by David Bowie at London's Hammersmith Odeon Theatre is the subject of this documentary by director D.A. Pennebaker, best known for the earlier rock films Don't Look Back and Monterey Pop. Framed by a smattering of behind-the-scenes footage, the bulk of the film concerns the actual concert, notable as the final time that Bowie would perform under the Ziggy Stardust persona -- an announcement that, at the time, led many fans to mistakenly believe Bowie was retiring altogether. This "final" performance features numerous songs from Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane and other Bowie albums, including "Ziggy Stardust," "Moonage Daydream," "Changes," and "Space Oddity," as well as a cover of the Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat." Though a shortened version of the film was broadcast on television in 1974, the film did not receive a full theatrical release until 1983. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

David Bowie shot to superstardom in the early '70s on the strength of his Ziggy Stardust persona. This DVD documents a concert from that time period. The disc offers a standard full-frame transfer. The English soundtrack is rendered in PCM Stereo. There are neither closed captions nor subtitles on this release. Fans of Bowie or glam rock in general should enjoy this Image release, but the lack of extras is a shame. Supplemental materials could have placed Bowie's sound and look into cultural context. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide