‘Moonage Daydream’ directed by Brett Morgen isn’t a movie, it isn’t even a documentary, it’s an experience, a whole total experience. Moonage Daydream is a total symphony of colour, sights and sounds for all your senses.

His whole life, David Jones, more famously known as David Bowie, has been an enigma; a controversial, strange and wall-breaking figure through the ages of music. While not endeavouring into Bowie’s whole life, Moonage Daydream focuses on what could be perceived as the alien rockstar himself, Ziggy’s greatest influences and what drives his music through the decades. Brett Morgen creatively diverges from audience expectations, creating a twisting journey of the more profound side of the artistry of the esteemed musician. Expressing how he worships life in an interview, Morgen’s film definitely conveys this passion Bowie has never hidden.

Sifting through events of his life, Brett Morgen through the lens of Bowie’s life touches on gender fluidity, identity, trauma and our purpose in time and space. All boundaries David pushed beyond the line of society and are still very relevant today, with some forgetting that he really was ahead of his time. While some audiences might be expecting this film to answer “Who David Bowie is?” and be disappointed as those facts are cast aside, The real excitement is how it sets out to explore “What David Bowie is ?” instead.

David Bowie, the musician, the artist, and the performer is showcased beautifully through an overwhelming abuse of your senses, visually and audibly. Bringing my father to the screening with me as my guest (the true critic as someone who lived through each era and reinvention), we couldn’t help but tap our feet or sing along the moment any track hit our ears. While some of his most famous tracks are present they are nestled in nicely amongst some of his more obscure music.

The visuals are a mixture of live footage, and violent and psychedelic explosions of colours spliced together with montages of era-specific cultural references and its concept of time and future often with David’s voice silkily sliding over the top.

The narrative of solely him hits just as hard as the visuals, really emphasising the constantly changing directions of his work. At times, it can be spine-tingling, as it transitions from an older David to Ziggy brandishing a guitar performing ‘Ziggy Stardust” to a live audience, girls and men streaming and crying out his name at his feet. The editing between these milestones is flawless and the jarringness of the interstellar transitions keeps you on your toes, keeping you questioning is ‘Bowie really of this world?’.

One thing I wish we were exposed more to was his later life, as he embraced his final path. It is understandable though in its absence as like Ziggy Stardust was killed off in his stage presence, David would have definitely had a direction in reinventing himself in death. Respectfully missing, it still feels like a missing piece to this jigsaw.

Being a hard film to review as an avid fan of David Bowie, it is clear from the start that if you aren’t, this might be a hard pill to swallow with the same appreciation. Regardless, Bowie says ‘Embrace the chaos in life’ and this dedication to him is pure organised, beautiful and indulgent chaos. 140 minutes of Bowie laying out his life like a well-oiled plan before the audience you can’t help but wonder if he knew what was coming in modern society.

In cinemas on September 15th, this is one unique art experience that David himself, as a forever creationist would be proud of as it toes the line of creative uncomfortableness just as he did.

Written by: Stacey