Tuesday, January 12, 2016

The Man Who Fell to Earth Has Gone Home

by Melissa Uhrin
Plans change in the blink of an eye.

Now this may sound over dramatic, especially as you read on and see where this goes, but there's truth to that in most every aspect of our lives and for me this is how my day began.

I awoke this morning excited to get writing about what films I am most excited for this coming year. But instead as I checked my news feed, I was welcomed with post after post about the world's loss, our loss of the music legend and movie star David Bowie. Tributes were pouring in, everyone from Sir Paul McCartney to Molly Ringwald to the ladies who run the coffee shop that he frequented several times a week. The many faces of Bowie are being remembered: the musician, the actor, the husband, the father, the friend, the roadie, the voracious reader. The world is mourning the loss of a man who changed the way music beat, and I am yet another sad person typing away at her computer about him.
Life is too short, and time is far too sparse to spend it delving into the lives of everyone who has touched us with a musical note or beautiful onscreen performance. I seem to know the intermediate basics about so many artists of song and film, but never truly about what makes them tick, and it is typically after their loss that I find time to read up about them. UGH. Which makes it all the worse I believe as I am essentially appreciating and discovering my love of them even more after their passing.

What better way to remember an incredible artist than to dance to his music in the kitchen and dive face first into a few of his films? Obviously I haven't yet had the opportunity to watch these in preparation for this piece, but Daryl and I will be plugging away at our Davie Bowie marathon throughout the course of this week, starting with Labyrinth. Of course.
I remember my first time watching Labyrinth (1986 Jim Henson), being scared to death about all the creepy Jim Henson muppets (uggghhhh creepy muppets, I have definitely written of my childhood hate/fear/fascination of them previously), and then entered Jareth the Goblin King! From the best of my memory, I do believe David Bowie as Jareth was my very first experience with a musician showing up in a film as a character (obviously I refer to their appearance as a musician in a film or portraying themselves), and I very vaguely remember talking to my parents about it. I haven't watched this movie in quite some time, but it has been creeping into my thoughts more and more frequently over the past few months, and I am bittersweetly excited to watch it tonight.

Next up we will be watching Basquiat (1996, Julian Schnabel), and while I have been aware of it for quite some time (like 20 years some time HAHA), I have yet to see it. First viewing! I am really excited to explore this biographical drama about the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat, an American postmodernist/neo expressionist artist. David Bowie plays Andy Warhol, and with performances by Christopher Walken, Benicio Del Toro, Gary Oldman (and even Courtney Love), I am more than excited to FINALLY watch this film. Shame on me for waiting so long.
Another one I have yet to watch and will definitely need to track down is The Hunger (1983, Tony Scott). You had me at “A Sensual/Erotic vampire horror film starring David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon,” The Hunger. You had me.

I watched The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976, Nicolas Roeg) years and years (and years) ago, but am very excited for this revisit. David Bowie plays a humanoid alien from a drought stricken planet that travels to Earth to seek out water. What most draws me back to this film is my remembrance of Bowie's wonderfully eerie portrayal of his character, and I am beyond excited to revisit it.

And lastly for this list (although I am sure I will have many more to add throughout the week), The Prestige (2006 Christopher Nolan). I love love LOVE this movie, and Bowie as Nikola Tesla is always amazing.
Weird aside: When I was young, I used to confuse David Bowie and Billy Idol: both English musicians, actors and sporting wonderfully crazy hair and make-up. I think Annie Lennox even got lumped in that category once too.

I always find that after the loss of someone, whether it be family, friend, someone I knew or a person with whom I have felt a connection due to their gift to us through music or film, I get to thinking about my own mortality. I have never really been afraid of death: it is the most inevitable part of life, and as a Christian I know that when I leave this world, it will be to an everlasting paradise. (I have in fact, pre-planned the best and final party I will ever throw, and it's going to be a doozy... Bright colours, karaoke, Harry Potter films on repeat and tequila for everyone!)

We are all here for but a short period of time. I am so grateful to the artists that spend their time creating lasting memories of themselves by pouring heart and soul into music and films that will remain with us for eternity. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Memories are what keep us alive.

“I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring” - David Bowie

12 comments:

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  2. This is a very good piece. If you have time, you may want to also check out Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which has a very interesting Bowie performance. I think it's on Hulu.

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    1. Oh my gosh, yes I will DEFINITELY be checking out Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence! Thank you for the recommendation!

      I have a huge fascination/obsession with history, particularly World War II, so this is has been moved to the top of the list! Yay!

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    2. Love that performance, which almost feels like something Peter O'Toole would have played. (And it's in the Criterion Collection section on Hulu.)

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  3. What you said about Billy Idol and Annie Lennox- that is so cute!

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  4. Bowie as Warhol in Basquiat is amazing. "Uhh it's like I don't know what's good anymore." :-)

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  5. Don't forget 'After Hours'

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    1. Wait - I meant Into the Night

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  6. My first exposure to Bowie was also Labyrinth as a kid. Even at the time I was astonished how someone could look so striking and ridiculous at the same time and somehow pull it off with such confidence. I don't think that fear or insecurity existed within him at all, something all humans should strive for.

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  7. I love that Bowie has three movies in the Criterion Collection (four if you count The Life Aquatic), two of them as leads. The third, The Last Temptation Of Christ, is kind of fascinating to me as a Bowie fan because it's his most normal performance, playing Pontius Pilate not as this mad tyrant but as someone who's normal office job day has been interrupted by yet another petty little prophet. It's a fascinating little scene.

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  8. Great article, and great idea to have a Bowie film fest. The man was such an interesting and sometimes otherworldly looking fellow.....He seemed to be perfect for any of his characters......He was probably under rated as an actor. “Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. ”

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  9. My local theater is playing Labyrinth on Friday, I have no doubt it'll be sold out quickly, so I'm going when they open to buy day of first come first serve tickets. I must cry and sing my heart out.

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