Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 3, 2022

“Moonage Daydream” is not a documentary about David Bowie. It’s a love letter to the musician, with director Brett Morgen (“Crossfire Hurricane,” “Cobain: Montage of Heck”) working to create a celebration of artistic impulses and philosophy, occasionally breaking up interview audio with songs from the iconic musician. Morgen builds a ride through the cosmos, spending time with the subject at various points during his career, but it’s also attentive to his love of creation and analysis. “Moonage Daydream” isn’t an education, it’s an experience, and one specifically built for Bowie fans longing for another trip around the sun with a man of mystery and music, pursuing his elusive nature for 135 minutes of screen time, and often in the trippiest manner imaginable.

“Moonage Daydream” isn’t a traditional look at the growth of an artist. Morgen hopes to recreate the David Bowie experience with the film, which glides through different eras of the musician’s life, avoiding the rules of the genre to achieve a more appropriate understanding of the subject. Bowie’s thoughts on the ways of the world, the state of art, and the complexity of music are included via old interviews, and such thinking is as close to structure as “Moonage Daydream” gets, understanding Bowie’s relationship with his image and sound. As fascinating as all of this is, the production is aiming to create an “experience” with the endeavor, often mashing together imagery and music, or simply noise at times while Morgen zooms around outer and inner space, looking to be the Bowie documentarian the star would approve of.

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Moonage Daydream" is working with an enormous amount of visual information, as Morgen pulls together a feature made up of file footage and old clips, while newer visual effects and artful detours are present. Color is secure throughout the viewing event, exploding with deep reds and blues. Primaries are well-represented in the picture, which takes particular note of Bowie's clothing and stage lighting. Skin tones are natural. Detail reaches as far as possible with various film and television sources, and the overall documentary carries compelling depth. Compression issues are present, as mild banding is detected.

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix has a lot of sonic layers to manage during the run time, as Morgen is working to create a sense of beautiful chaos to the listening experience, reflecting David Bowie's interest in art and music. Interview audio is pulled from a variety of sources, and it largely remains clear, capturing the subject during different stages of his career, also detailing a growing comfort with the process of promotion. Songs wallpaper the track, coming through with distinct instrumentation and position, often filling the soundstage with heavier rock anthems and delicate acoustic moods. Surrounds are active, offering panning effects and channel separation, and there's a fuller sound for concert performances. Low-end is also responsive. Sound effects are crisply detailed.

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:07, HD) is included.

Moonage Daydream Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Moonage Daydream" is perhaps best appreciated in an altered state of mind, as Morgen tends to go for sensorial overload, which has its appealing peaks and unavoidable valleys. Bowie's music remains front and center, and while the feature isn't a greatest hits package, there's a sense of history in play, watching the musician go through his sonic moods and inhabit various characters, finding ways to disrupt expectations and extend his career. "Moonage Daydream" is a wild viewing experience, and admittedly a tiring one at times, but the primary push to respect Bowie's obsessions with art and self-expression is appreciable. Morgen goes wild with his editorial vision, putting on a richly cinematic show of visual force, committed to the legacy of David Bowie and his indefatigable pursuit of creation. Even when it wanders off at times, getting a little lost along the way, the pure celebration of rock star and rebel remains potent.