The American film-maker Brett Morgen, 53, has made documentaries on the musician Kurt Cobain, the naturalist Jane Goodall and the notorious Hollywood producer Robert Evans (2002’s The Kid Stays in the Picture). His new subject is David Bowie and, in Moonage Daydream, he has created an entrancing, visually explosive film that is almost as idiosyncratic as the man himself. Morgen lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
David Bowie incites extreme fandom in people. Did you have to put that out of your mind?
I’ve been wildly surprised; I have felt almost nothing but appreciation and support. I think the way the film has been created is that, if you’re a hardcore aficionado, there’s enough new material to satiate you. And if you’re a casual fan, being able to see the journey in one sitting is illuminating. Most people seem to be very pleased that I didn’t try to explain him. I didn’t do interviews, I just let it be adventurous. Moonage Daydream is a creative endeavour - it’s not a corporate endeavour.
