Hulu Views: Stardust

 

If you've ever wondered what "Rocketman" would have been like without Sir Elton John's blessing or what "Bohemian Rhapsody" would have been like without Brian May and Roger Taylor, watch the David Bowie biopic "Stardust."

It's the story of Bowie's 1971 road trip across America when his manager didn't get him a work visa so he could perform in the U.S. His publicist Ron Oberman (played by Marc Maron -- pretty much the brightest spot in the movie) does manage to get him some gigs -- like singing at a vacuum cleaner salesman convention -- and interviews with radio stations. But even when Bowie (Johnny Flynn) is singing, he's not singing Bowie songs. The filmmakers were not able to secure the rights to Bowie songs, it seems.

We do see how the filmmakers imagine Bowie came up with Ziggy Stardust, which has to do with his half brother's schizophrenia and Bowie's fear that he will be the next person in his family to suffer from it.

Flynn is OK as Bowie, but he doesn't have the rock star swagger we think of when we think of Bowie. Yes, this was before he became an icon, but Flynn played him as almost shy and unassuming. Even at the end when he's performing as Ziggy Stardust, it just doesn't give you that feeling. You know, the one you got at the end of "Rocketman" and "Bohemian Rhapsody."

I'd say watch it and see for yourself but, if you're like me, afterward you'll be craving an authorized Bowie biopic.

Photo: by Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65719296