COURSEWOR K IDEA 1 ZIGGY STARDUST MUSICAL BIOPIC

COURSEWOR K IDEA 1: ZIGGY STARDUST MUSICAL BIOPIC, DRAMA, HISTORICAL

NOTES Brought back rock and roll, a time for sexual antics and crazy fashion 1969 Luna landings co-insided with space oddity (didn’t click with confused image) Man who sold the world front cover – David in dress (shocking/ bringing in a audience) Bowie went to America – learned from Andy Warhol ideas contributing to Ziggy persona Hunky dory – hit songs – building of spiders from mars – widely praised by music critics in America and Britain but failed in public Velvet underground inspo, early rock and roll – queen bitch on hunky dory – began transformation to Ziggy made him famous – created inspo for many – tells story of doomed alien who transforms into a human rock and roll star London extremely poor – 1972 bomb site, cold war – Ziggy provided escaped and way to relate Inspo from Iggy pop– bowie made spiders from mars as a gang – clock work orange inspo for costumes – very bizarre clothing Bowies hair changed from long hippy to bright

NOTES CONTINUED 1972 top of pops with starman – arrived at time of vacuum in music – youth loved it David saying he was gay and seen as very submersive – very taboo After top of pops sexual orientation very interested , had a son and wife so created ambiguity To break it in America – pretended to be huge with body guards and 1 st class everywhere – luxury living on borrowed money, Beverly hills for 6 weeks Tour in san Monica brought shock in America – conservative places were less popular – money problems led to tainted relationship between bowie and spiders Glam rock – 1973 bowie comes back releasing jean genie, urban males loved Ziggy look Aladdin sane – written in America, Ziggy on tour, jazzy/ blues piano in background lifting song Aladdin sane 1973 and back on American tour When bowie was big people didn’t want bowie but Ziggy – a struggle of identity trapped with Ziggy

PLOT (TODOROV’S NARRATIVE) Equilibrium: § Building his ‘spiders from mars’ during hunky dory times taking § Begins with flash forward to ‘Ziggy’ performing on stage with lively costuming inspo from A clockwork orange audience § performance of Starman on top of pops 1972 led to huge public § Image from TV of a rocket ship flying up, 1969 with space oddity playing interest in him and his sexuality (camera pans out and turns to bowie) § Bowie playing music, trying to make it, having positive critic reviews Resolution: § Releases ‘The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the spiders from mars’ Disruption: in June 1972 § Bowie struggles to make it in Britain and America § Huge hit, becomes Ziggy persona through the hairstyle, clothing and § Space Oddity failed with public due to confused image (dressed more music (brought in glamour rock and roll) hippy like compared to rock and roll music) § To be big in America acted as though already famous § Man who stole the world failing due to cover (bowie is a feminine dress causing controversy) Re-equilibrium: § Drop of Hunky dory failed § Has become an icon for glamour rock culture and music § Dresses ahead of time – seen as too bizarre for an older audience § Most famous for his Ziggy persona preventing development of fame § Ends with a performance in his famous Ziggy costumes in front of a roaring crowd Recognition: § Goes to America and develops the Ziggy image § Inspo from Warhol, velvet underground, Iggy Pop & early rock and roll

CHARACTER TYPES Protagonist: David Bowie/ Ziggy Stardust – He is the main character and is shown to display development through the display of his image and willingness to express himself no matter the social expectancy. Antagonist: Social views of the late 1960’s – The views were still very conservative meaning Bowie struggles to reach fame till 1970’s when cultural change toward music changes. Round characters: The band used within Ziggy Stardust (Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey) – They will help in the creation of Ziggy and the final stage to David Bowie’s star persona (what will make him eternally famous) Flat characters: The majority of the audience and crowds, media critics. Though they are displayed and mentioned they are only for a minimal amount of time.

SOCIAL/ CULTURAL ISSUE Societies views and beliefs of homosexuality: > Brutality towards gay men and people believed to be homosexual during late 1960’s > Effected Bowie as he dressed effeminate for the time period making it difficult to become famous > E. G the man who sold the world front cover displayed Bowie in a dress leading to failure of album, older generations in 1970 still very conservative and didn’t want to associate with Bowie’s style Bowie’s later performance of Starman on top of the pop 1972 › His performance was deemed sexual for the time, leading to discussion over his sexuality › He had said in an interview he was gay but many became confused as he had a wife and son › He used this to gain fame, his name became more known 1972 London suffered from poverty and the cold war › Ziggy Stardust became a distraction for many and extremely popular with the youth