Next month, exactly 50 years since David Bowie retired Ziggy Stardust in front of 5,000 stunned fans at London's Hammersmith Odeon, the famous alter-ego will return: throughout July, at upwards of 500 cinemas across the US, a fully restored version of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture will screen for the first time in honor of the momentous performance's 50th Anniversary.
Originally captured on July 3, 1973, by renowned filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Monterey Pop, Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back, Depeche Mode - 101), the digital restoration has been overseen by his son, Frazer Pennebaker, with a remastered soundtrack that will also be released August 11th via Rhino.
Tickets to North American showings are available at davidbowie.com.
While the event happened 50 years ago, Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture was not widely seen for over a decade, and will now allow fans to finally see the complete set that was played on that fateful night for the first time. Both the forthcoming film and soundtrack have been expanded to include a medley of "The Jean Genie/Love Me Do" and a rendition of "Round And Round" featuring the late, legendary Jeff Beck, whose scenes were famously cut from the original version of the film. Audio for each of those performances has been newly mixed by longtime Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti.
The concert featured Bowie's famous speech just before the final encore, "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide," where he revealed that he was retiring the Ziggy Stardust persona. The shocking announcement was a surprise to all in attendance – including members of his band and was the first proclamation of its kind in rock and roll. The Eventim Apollo Hammersmith (formerly the Odeon) will host the global premiere of the newly restored version of the film on July 3, fifty years to the day, followed by showings at more than 1,500 cinemas worldwide.
"The film being shown around the world, is the closest people will come to seeing us play. I'm glad that there's a chance for them to see us after all this time," says Woody Woodmansey, drummer from the Spiders From Mars.
Pianist Mike Garson adds, "The Hammersmith gig itself was phenomenal. What people don't know about that gig is that I opened the show on solo piano. David asked me to be his opening act. So, for just fifteen minutes I took some of his hits, 'Changes,' 'Life On Mars?,' and 'Ziggy' and made a medley for the gig. I came out to do the spot and I was scared to death. So was Bowie. He told me backstage that he was more frightened for me that night than for him!"
Pre-order David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (50th Anniversary Edition), available digitally and as 2CD/Blu-Ray, 2CD, and 2LP Limited Edition Gold Sets
