Professor Eoin Devereux, University of Limerick, will introduce the classic film with music and videos from David Bowie this Tuesday February 9
University Concert Hall will screen a full cinema season from this Tuesday February 9 commencing with a screening of ‘Labyrinth’, to mark the passing of David Bowie.
The screening will be preceded by some of Bowie’s best loved music videos including ‘Ashes to Ashes’, ‘Fashion’ and ‘Heroes’.
Professor Eoin Devereux, co-editor of ‘David Bowie: Critical Perspectives’ (2015) will introduce Bowie’s videos and the film, with all proceeds from the evening going to the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation.
The first ever academic conference on David Bowie was held at UCH in 2012. Speaking to Limerick Post this week, Professor Devereux said: “David Bowie was truly an iconic figure who invented and reinvented his music and art until the very end.”
Since the passing of David Bowie there has been volumes of column inches written about the artist and multiple events have been organised worldwide. In Limerick there will be the screening of Labyrinth in UCH, Limerick bands are playing A Tribute to Bowie in Dolan’s this Friday and local DJs are playing sets dedicated to Bowie music.
Is Professor Eoin Devereux surprised by the amount of discourse since Bowie’s passing?
“I have not been surprised at all by the sheer outpouring of grief and celebration of Bowie’s life and art at locally. Across several decades Bowie’s creativity touched the lives of so many people.
“Fans strongly connect with Bowie as a result of the multi-faceted way in which Bowie constructed himself. There are so many levels through which fans connect with Bowie. His ambiguity about sexuality and gender; his ‘outrageous’ image and his capacity to invent and reinvent personae. His art dealt consistently with feelings of dislocation and alienation.
“For me however, Bowie’s music is full of hope. He was the born survivor who managed to overcome drug dependency and mental health issues through his creative genius. I am particularly proud of the fact that UL was the very first university in the world to hold a major conference on his work.
“In addition to being a versatile songwriter and performer, Bowie had considerable success as a film actor. ‘Labyrinth’ sees David Bowie playing the role of Jareth, The Goblin King. Directed by the late Jim Henson, ‘Labyrinth’ has become a cult classic and is a favourite with audiences of all ages.”
Professor Devereux added: “The background to the making of ‘Labyrinth’ is interesting in that Jim Henson convinced Bowie to act in the film by sending him a handwritten note in which he insisted that Bowie would be ‘wonderful in the role’. He accepted and the rest is history.”
For the younger generation, Bowie is best known as The Goblin King as opposed to Bowie the musician. Have we underestimated Bowie as an actor?
“Don’t forget that Bowie started his career by training as a mime artist. He was first and foremost a performer who created personae for the greater part of his musical career (Ziggy, The Thin White Duke).
“His stage performance as Elephant Man received widespread critical acclaim. He used his acting ability to create powerful music videos like ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and ‘Black Star.’
“Labyrinth is one of those films which in spite of failing to live up to high expectations commercially, has managed to become a cult classic. It has become a favourite film for many people and especially for David Bowie fans.”
Bowiemania has taken over the cultural discourse in recent weeks, with events nationwide and fans sharing their particular memories on social media.
With the Bowie Tribute Live event this Friday in Dolan’s, all the bands involved are playing their favourite selections from Bowie’s productive career, from Ziggy Stardust era, to the Berlin era, to his drum‘n’bass adventures in the ’90s and his most recent ‘Blackstar’ album. There seems to be a ‘Bowie for everyone’.
Professor Devereux reflected on Bowie’s ability to keep his fans guessing.
“Bowie’s reach can be explained through the sheer breadth of his activities as an artist. Bowie’s significance as a songwriter, performer, recording artist, music producer, actor, film producer, scriptwriter and painter all contributed to his overall reach.
“Like Samuel Beckett, Bowie had the capacity to keep us all guessing and his capacity to intrigue lasted until the very end. Bowie was a well read and informed artist who drew upon a deep well of influences such as Buddhism, German Expressionism, Mime, Oriental Culture and Jungian Psychology.
“Bowie’s real strength was his capacity to synthesise complex ideas and make ample use of them in his art. In the end, I don’t think that commercial success or even positive fan reactions mattered much to Bowie – with the exception of his mainstream ‘Let’s Dance’ period. Following his own creative star is all that mattered.”
UCH will screen ‘Labyrinth’ on Tuesday January 9.
