Product: Ziggy Stardust [VHS]
Rating: 4.0
Classic footage, great concert, but technically poor
It's 1973, in Hammersmith, London. Platformed teenagers in bell bottoms with blue hair and moons painted on their faces gather in civilised lines outside the converted cinema for what was a truly great concert. Although glam rock was far from the only teen movement in London at the time, this film makes it seem the most important. The first section of the film, and that with the clearest images, focuses on the fans outside the Hammersmith Odeon and Ziggy in the dressing room. Once the Spiders from Mars and Ziggy arrive on stage the atmosphere is electric. Some might miss the stereo of modern recordings, but the inferior sound quality somehow adds to the drama of the moment... for those who are eager to witness such a concert. Then there are the theatrics of Ziggy on stage - something never since emulated to the same degree. The concert is a seminal event both for Bowie's development as a performer, for glam rock (and then punk) as a movement, and for today's fans who only wish they had been there. If you have invested in a DVD player, then this film should definitely not be your first purchase. As other reviews testify, the picture and sound quality is poor; but then there are modern Bowie concerts with higher production values available. If you are keen to see what Ziggy was really like, however, it is well worth the money. Listen to the albums on your CD player, watch the modern concerts on your DVD player and watch this for the sheer spectacle. If you love Bowie and crave a closer view of his most acclaimed period, this is invaluable.