Loving the Alien: David Bowie's Music Videos and Filmography

What is the course about?

The passing of David Bowie on 10th January 2016 left planet Earth decidedly blue. Dystopia, extraterrestrials, surrealism, the occult, psychosis, and androgyny are some of the themes in Bowie’s avant-garde artistry that endeared him to mavericks and weirdos the world over. He mastered musical genres as diverse as folk, glam, soul, rock, funk, drum & bass, industrial, and jazz, updating his image with every ground-breaking step. Bowie’s enduring impact reaches beyond music, influencing the fields of the internet, fashion, cinema, painting, dance, and theatre; we lost a veritable multi-media virtuoso. His embodiment and shedding of various alter egos (Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Thin White Duke) became a symbol of bold experimentation; these characters were masks he initially relied on as a performer to cover up shyness and crippling stage fright. In this course, we will rely on psychoanalytic theory as the interpretive framework of David Bowie’s music videos and filmography, with a focus on his personas, experience of childhood trauma, struggle with mental illness, addiction, isolation, resilience, and creative autonomy. This course is a celebration of a unique musical genius, our dearly departed glamorous alien, one so evolved that he turned his own death into a work of art.

What will we cover?

• MUSIC VIDEOS
Exploring Bowie’s game-changing music video legacy, from the radical early years (Life On Mars), to the innovative Berlin period (Heroes), New Romantic phase (Ashes To Ashes), mainstream chart-topping success (Let’s Dance), via house, jungle, and techno (Little Wonder), culminating in the neo-classical era of a nostalgic artist reconnecting with modern culture (Where Are We Now?)

• FILMOGRAPHY
Examining Bowie’s acting career and how his star status was reflected and elevated in feature film roles, including The Man Who Fell to Earth, Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, The Hunger, Absolute Beginners, Labyrinth, Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me, and The Prestige.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

-Understand the relationship between psychoanalysis, cinema, and popular culture
-Learn film interpretation techniques to approach moving image in a deep and investigative way
-Discover the work of a cultural auteur that represents psychoanalytic themes and motifs.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is for anyone who is interested in the subject. The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for culture and a willingness to contribute to discussions.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Psychological terms will be taught in an inclusive, accessible and engaging way with the help of bespoke PowerPoint slides and video montages. Group discussion will be encouraged, and there will be no assignments outside of class.
Mary Wild is a film lecturer and podcaster with an academic background in psychoanalytic theory. Her research interests include cinematic representation of the mental illness, feminine subjectivity, the horror genre, and auteur studies.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

There are no additional costs beyond the enrolment fee. Material for taking notes will suffice during sessions.
Scenes will be shown during the course; students are not required to obtain them.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Look for other Culture and Film, TV and Media Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.