The July 3rd, 1973 historic concert of the 'leper Messiah'. This was to be David Bowie's last concert with the Ziggy persona and the Spiders from Mars. A great medley of 'Wild Eyed Boy From ... Read allThe July 3rd, 1973 historic concert of the 'leper Messiah'. This was to be David Bowie's last concert with the Ziggy persona and the Spiders from Mars. A great medley of 'Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud'/'All The Young Dudes'/'Oh! You Pretty Things', a Lou Reed cover, and a Rolling ... Read allThe July 3rd, 1973 historic concert of the 'leper Messiah'. This was to be David Bowie's last concert with the Ziggy persona and the Spiders from Mars. A great medley of 'Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud'/'All The Young Dudes'/'Oh! You Pretty Things', a Lou Reed cover, and a Rolling Stones cover are but some of the highlights.
- Self - Drums
- (as Mick Woodmansy, Woody Woodmansey)
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Self
- (uncredited)
- Self
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJeff Beck guested on guitar in two songs and was supposed to have been in the film, but asked not to appear in it because he felt his solos and his appearance, looking more like a '60s blues rocker than Bowie and the Spiders' theatrical outfits didn't quite fit the movie. His performances have been added to the film for its 50th anniversary re-release.
- Quotes
David Bowie: What do you know about make-up? You're Just a Girl.
- Alternate versionsThe 50th anniversary re-release has been restored in 4K picture and sound, and features two previously un-released songs featuring Jeff Beck in the encore (specifically "The Jean Genie" and "Round and Round").
- ConnectionsEdited into In Concert: Bowie '73 with the Spiders from Mars (1974)
Be aware that this film is listed as 1983 also, because it was released in 1973, but only in a few theaters and film-festivals. It wasn't until Bowie got really huge in the 80s that the film was re-released ten years later. The film had a number of problems with the shooting of the concert. Director D. A. Pennebaker, who was only planning on shooting 20 minutes' worth of the concert, was so taken in by Bowie's amazing aura on stage, that they changed plans and shot the whole thing. Unfortunately, that caused extra challenges due to lack of cameramen, audio issues and lighting problems between the stage and the audience.
His simple solution for the lighting was telling everyone to take as many photos as possible so the flashes would help with the lighting issue. The initial release of the film in 1973 was deemed a sloppy mess. Even Bowie, who said in the film, that this was their last appearance as the Spiders From Mars, who would bail on the Ziggy persona a year or two later, lost interest in the film, because of the delays in getting the technical issues fixed, until they were able to clean things up for the 1983 re-release.
If you ask me those technical issues are what make this film so great. The grittiness of the film grain, because of the low light, the streakiness of the lights and colors, because of the film stock and the edgy, vinyl recording sound, all help to create this mood that I feel Bowie was trying to convey.
Bowie is all smiles throughout this film too. He obviously is having a lot of fun and thoroughly enjoys his craft. Even in moments when things get serious you still feel a playful positive mood coming off of him and out of the screen. His talent is beyond amazing, especially when you consider this was very early in his career. They do an amazing version of Space Oddity. All the songs are well done. This is a definitive version of what a cool concert film can be and it is even more interesting when you think about the fact that he would have an even more amazing career for the next 40 years after this.
7.8 (B- MyGrade) = 8 IMDB.
- PCC0921
- Dec 29, 2021
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Bowie '73 with the Spiders from Mars
- Filming locations
- Hammersmith Odeon, Hammersmith, London, England, UK(concert venue)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $162,547
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,816
- Jul 14, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $565,228