David Bowie and the Moving Image: A Standing Cinema

The central image of David Bowie’s ＂Life on Mars?＂ could have been ripped from his own experience: a child sits ＂hooked to the silver screen,＂ reliving fantastical scenes played out on film. Throughout his life, Bowie was similarly transfixed by the power of film. From his first film role in The Image to his final music video before his death, ＂Lazarus,＂ Bowie’s musical output has long been intrinsically linked to images.

Analyzing Bowie’s music videos, planned film projects, acting roles, and depictions in film, David Bowie and the Moving Image provides a comprehensive view of Bowie’s work with film and informs our understanding of all areas of his work, from music to fashion to visual art. It enters the debate about Bowie’s artistic legacy by addressing Bowie as musician, actor, and auteur.

Katherine Reed is Assistant Professor of Musicology at California State University, Fullerton, USA. Her research interests include musical semiotics and the use of pre-existing music in film. Reed’s work has appeared in Popular Music & Society, Music and the Moving Image, and the Society for American Music’s Digital Lecture Series.