David Bowie: Five Films for Newcomers
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Five years…
Five years is the opening track of the iconic album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, where David Bowie sets the story straight: time can truly put history into perspective, after seeing the ramifications of an event or knowing the current duration of loss. Five years is now how long it has been since David Jones passed away. It’s already been half a decade, and I can’t believe it. My personal favourite singer of all time has been all but a memory for that long. Of course, I’m going to use any instance I can to celebrate him today (his actual passing was January 10th). As an actor, Bowie almost exclusively played the oddballs and eccentrics of fiction or history, often as the outlier looking in or contrasting with leads. These include Pontius Pilate foiling Jesus Christ in The Last Temptation of Christ, Nikola Tesla’s vision presented in The Prestige, and Philip Jeffries being the guinea pig of warning in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. He was as mysterious on screen as he was on album. Here are five films for newcomers of the works of David Bowie.
5. Basquiat
Of all of the artists represented in Julian Schnabel’s breakthrough biopic Basquiat, David Bowie as Andy Warhol is one of the most interesting casting decisions. Warhol is someone Bowie was fond of, enough to sing a song about him (the track of the same name off of Hunky Dory). Here, Bowie brings the polarizing artist back to life, with the occasional sneer and a permanent sense of intrigue.
4. Jazzin’ for Blue Jean
The ‘80s (post Let’s Dance) was Bowie’s musical low point, but it made up for this drought with the occasional cause for celebration, including the “Blue Jean” music video. The stretched video is a short film called Jazzin’ for Blue Jean, and it has Bowie playing multiple characters (including a pathetic version of himself, showcasing Bowie’s comedic chops). Otherwise, he is back to his rockstar ways, proving that the only person that can steal the show (and the girl) from David Bowie is David Bowie himself.
3. Labyrinth
It’s an obvious pick, but it makes so much sense. Jareth the Goblin King was the greatest villain of many childhoods, and Bowie is a big reason as to why. He plays Jareth so fascinatingly bratty, but he never comes off as whiny; rather, he is enjoyable in his awfulness. If anything, I feel like many people watch Labyrinth (as children or as adults) for Jareth alone, despite the fact that he’s the antagonist who stole a baby. That’s some real charm that Jareth has.
2. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
I wish we got more leading parts where Bowie showcased his dramatic capabilities, because he was quite good at raw acting as well. One such instance I can point you to is Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a harrowing World War II epic by Nagisa Ōshima. It’s honestly the biggest array of talent in a straightforward role that we ever got from Bowie, who brings a certain unorthodox visceral quality to the film, as if we’re watching a real person and not a superstar actor carrying a picture.
1. The Man who Fell to Earth
It feels stupidly basic to go with The Man who Fell to Earth, but it is the best place to start with David Bowie as an actor. His breakthrough film features the starman as an alien walking amongst humans, disguising himself as one of us. Bowie embraces the film’s minimalist nature by channeling these intrinsic qualities, making for a science fiction experienced based on mystery and not abrasiveness. Bowie’s performance is incredibly nuanced without many instances of overselling, which is quite fascinating for a non-actor’s first major performance; it’s not just good, but it’s difficult to pull off as well. There is no better first film of his to watch than The Man who Fell to Earth.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.