Moonage Daydream [Blu-ray] [2022] [Region Free]

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For more about Moonage Daydream 4K and the Moonage Daydream 4K Blu-ray release, see Moonage Daydream 4K Blu-ray Review published by Dr. Svet Atanasov on September 9, 2023 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.0 out of 5. While it’s clever, one question we must ask is whether this technique truly works as a documentary. Does Moonage Daydream teach us anything new about David Bowie? The wonderful footage, the probing interviews (some more revealing than others) and the incredible live performances are all highly enjoyable, but when stitched together they do not add up to more than the sum of their parts. The film searches for some higher truth and deep insight but fails to find it. David Bowie was an interesting interviewee, but you have to question whether linking disparate, on the hoof responses together provides us with a reliable world view. But even though the cameras loved Bowie and there was always plenty of material with him to feed the demand for information about his life and legacy, the truth is that it was never enough. There are two reasons for this. First, Bowie was an introverted person who sought solace because it stimulated his mind and too much of what he did when the cameras were not around remained veiled in secrecy. It is why a great deal of mystique developed around him and a lot of people became fascinated by it. Second, Bowie was very smart and did a lot of interesting things to take maximum advantage of the mystique. For example, Bowie intentionally created a lot of controversies, merged them with the mystique, and enhanced his strangeness because he understood its market potential. In other words, while the strangeness defined Bowie, over the years it was also brilliantly managed by Bowie to ensure the longevity of his illustrious career.

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray - Zavvi UK Moonage Daydream Blu-ray - Zavvi UK

Despite its hypnotic presentation, Moonage Daydream is ultimately all flash and no depth. Disappointingly, it refuses to fully engage the entirety of its subject’s output, instead presenting retreads of footage and periods that have been extensively (and more definitively) covered elsewhere. The songs are transcendent, but the film is not. For the film, the sound team — featuring Bowie’s long-time collaborator, friend and music producer Tony Visconti and Academy Award-winning sound mixer Paul Massey — remixed and translated Bowie’s original stems for a theatrical environment that will be presented in 12.0, 5.0, Atmos, and 7.1/5.1. Moonage Daydream is a definitive new portrait of Bowie by acclaimed filmmaker Brett Morgen. Morgen synthesized Bowie’s music and art into a sublime kaleidoscopic experiential cinematic odyssey that explores Bowie’s creative, spiritual, and philosophical journey. With never-before-seen footage, performances, and music, the film is guided exclusively by Bowie’s narration with long-time collaborator and friend Tony Visconti serving as the film’s music producer. Morgen pulls together a feature made up of file footage and old clips, while newer visual effects and artful detours are present. Color is securethoughts on the ways of the world, the state of art, and the complexity of music are included via old interviews, and such thinking is as close to Moonage Daydream" is perhaps best appreciated in an altered state of mind, as Morgen tends to go for sensorial overload, which has its appealing Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by writer/director/producer/editor Brett Morgen in the spring of 2023.

Moonage Daydream’ on Blu-ray How to Watch David Bowie’s ‘Moonage Daydream’ on Blu-ray

The disc’s lone bonus feature is the film’s theatrical trailer. What a missed opportunity! While it is understood that licensing additional clips for inclusion as bonus features would have added to the budget without benefitting the film proper, I would have loved an interview or commentary with Brett Morgen. It would have been interesting to hear why he focused on the portions of Bowie’s life that he ultimately chose, and illuminating to discover why he felt other equally acclaimed moments were deemed unworthy of inclusion. Alas, there’s nothing like that to be found here. A cinematic odyssey exploring David Bowie's creative and musical journey. From visionary filmmaker Brett Morgen, and sanctioned by the Bowie estate. (less)The movie is also available in a Blu-ray edition, which includes the same special features that come with the 4K edition.