I’m Not a Film Star

Name: I’m Not a Film Star
Brand: Allen & Unwin
SKU: 9781501368684
Price: 459.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

David Bowie as Actor

0.0 (0 reviews)

Summary

I'm Not a Film Star is the first collection devoted to exploring David Bowie's film career, revealing how his acting roles and performance styles evolved as dynamically as his musical personas. Through twelve scholarly essays, the book analyses Bowie's diverse filmography including iconic movies like The Prestige and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, cult classics such as Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell to Earth, as well as lesser-known appearances in The Image, Christiane F., and his Broadway success The Elephant Man. Beyond examining Bowie's stardom, it celebrates his serious talent as an actor, mime, and icon known for risk-taking and versatility in performance.
Read More

Format: Hardback

$459⁰⁰

International Supplier

This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

I’m Not a Film Star

$459⁰⁰

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for fans of David Bowie, students of film and popular culture, and readers interested in performance studies, the book appeals to those seeking a deeper understanding of Bowie's multifaceted artistry beyond his music career.

"A critical exploration of David Bowie's varied works as an actor, revealing who 'Bowie' is while affording the reader keen insights into the nuances of performance studies"--

A critical exploration of David Bowie’s varied works as an actor, revealing who ‘Bowie’ is while affording the reader keen insights into the nuances of performance studies.

Description

The first collection dedicated to David Bowie's acting career shows that his film characterisations and performance styles shift and reform as decoratively as his musical personas. Though he was described as the most influential pop artist of the 20th century, whose work became synonymous with mask, mystery, sexual excess, and ch-ch-ch-changing genres, Bowie also applied his genius to the craft of acting.

Bowie’s considerable filmography is systematically examined in 12 scholarly essays that include tributes to Bowie's performance craft in other media forms. Classic films such as The Prestige and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, cult hits Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell To Earth, as well as lesser-known roles in The Image, Christiane F. and Broadway hit The Elephant Man are viewed, not simply through the lens of Bowie’s mega-stardom, but as the work of a serious actor with inimitable talent.

This compelling analysis celebrates the risk-taking intelligence and bravura of David Bowie: actor, mime, mimic, and icon.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as a "lively, welcome and often surprising" addition to Bowie scholarship, this book is noted for being scholarly yet highly readable. Victoria Broackes, co-curator of the David Bowie is exhibition, describes it as an enlightening and thorough examination of Bowie's lesser-explored acting career that sheds new light on his entire body of work. The rich essays offer engaging insights spanning Bowie's film, stage, and video appearances, emphasising his resistance to categorisation as an artist.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781501368684

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 11 August 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Illustration: 56 bw illus

Contributors:

Edited by Ian Dixon
Edited by Brendan Black

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 232.0mm

Height: 154.0mm

Weight: 640g

Pages: 336

Collections

Arts & Culture Education & Reference Non-Fiction

About the Author

Ian Dixon completed his PhD at The University of Melbourne, Australia, in 2011 and currently lectures at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Ian publishes on Bowie, celebrity studies, cultural studies and film theory and delivers academic papers internationally. He also acts and directs for film and television and writes funded screenplays and novels.

Brendan Black is a Melbourne, Australia-based filmmaker, playwright and writer, with a Masters in Applied Linguistics. He has written widely on wine, food, travel and film for titles such as Gourmet Traveller Wine, RoyalAuto and Senses of Cinema. He has premiered three plays through the Melbourne International Comedy Festival: Trotsky and Friends in 2016, The Business of God in 2021, and Empathy Training in 2022.