News: David Bowie: The Last Five Years Debuts January 8 on HBO.

In a press release:

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DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS,

EXPLORING HIS REMARKABLE LATE-CAREER CREATIVITY,

DEBUTS JAN. 8 ON HBO

In the last years of his life, David Bowie ended nearly a decade of silence to engage in an extraordinary burst of activity, producing two groundbreaking albums and a musical. Exploring this unexpected end to a remarkable career, the illuminating documentary DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS, debuts MONDAY, JAN. 8 (8:00-9:35 p.m. ET/PT), on what would have been his 71st birthday, exclusively on HBO.

The film will also be available on HBO On Demand, HBO NOW, HBO GO and affiliate portals.

News: <i>David Bowie: The Last Five Years</i> Debuts January 8 on HBO. 2

David Bowie. Photo courtesy of gratefulweb.com.

On the 2003-2004 “Reality” tour, David Bowie had a frightening brush with mortality, suffering a heart attack during what was to be his final full concert. He then disappeared from public view, only re-emerging in the last five years of his life to make some of the most important music of his career. Made with remarkable access, Francis Whately’s documentary is a revelatory follow-up to his acclaimed 2013 documentary “David Bowie: Five Years,” which chronicled Bowie’s golden ’70s and early-’80s period.

While illuminating iconic moments of his extraordinary and prolific career, DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS focuses on three major projects: the albums “The Next Day” and the jazz-infused “Blackstar” (released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, two days before his death in 2016), and the musical “Lazarus,” which was inspired by the character he played in the 1976 film “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”

Dispelling the simplistic view that his career was simply predicated on change, the film includes revealing interviews with many of Bowie’s closest creative collaborators, including: Tony Visconti, Bowie’s longtime producer; musicians who contributed to “The Next Day” and “Blackstar”; Jonathan Barnbrook, the graphic designer of both albums; Robert Fox, producer of “Lazarus,” along with cast members from the show, providing a unique behind-the-scenes look at Bowie’s creative process; and Johan Renck, director of Bowie’s final music video, “Lazarus,” which was widely discussed as foreshadowing his death.

The documentary also features excerpts from many of Bowie’s biggest hits, including “Fame,” “Rebel Rebel,” “‘Heroes'” and “Space Oddity,” as well as songs from his last two albums, juxtaposing footage from the music videos “The Stars (Are Out Tonight),” “Blackstar” and “Lazarus” with studio performances by the musicians on the albums.

On Feb. 12, 2017, David Bowie posthumously swept the 2017 Grammy Awards with five wins for “Blackstar,” including: Best Rock Performance, Best Alternative Music Album, Best Recording Package, Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best Rock Song.

HBO Documentary Films presents DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS; a BBC Films Production; directed and produced by Francis Whately; executive producer, Phil Dolling; film editor, Ged Murphy.

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———— Original Post Feb 16, 2017 ———-

In a press release:

HBO ACQUIRES U.S. TV RIGHTS TO LANDMARK FILM

DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS

David Bowie. Photo courtesy of gratefulweb.com.

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2017 – HBO has acquired U.S. TV rights to DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS, directed and produced by Francis Whately, it was announced today. The film spotlights two critically acclaimed albums and the stage musical “Lazarus,” offering new insights into his extraordinary creativity during the final five years of his life. The deal with HBO was negotiated by Melissa Green, VP, Factual TV Sales and Co-Productions at BBC Worldwide North America.

Featuring a wealth of rarely seen Bowie interviews, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators, the film is a tribute to one of the greatest rock icons of all time.

On Feb. 12, David Bowie posthumously swept the 2017 Grammy Awards with five wins for “Blackstar,” his final album, including: Best Rock Performance; Best Alternative Music Album; Best Recording Package; Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; and Best Rock Song.

“Looking at Bowie’s extraordinary creativity during the last five years of his life has allowed me to reexamine his life’s work and move beyond the simplistic view that his career was simply predicated on change,” says Whately. “HBO, whose global output the world admires, is a great channel to get this incredible documentary out to the U.S. fans.”

Perhaps no period of David Bowie’s extraordinary career has inspired more fascination, more surprise or more questions. DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS focuses on three major projects: the albums “The Next Day” and the jazz-infused “Blackstar” (released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, two days before his death), and the musical “Lazarus.” The film includes revealing interviews with, among others, Tony Visconti, Bowie’s longtime producer, musicians who contributed to “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” Jonathan Barnbrook, the graphic designer of both albums, and Robert Fox, producer of “Lazarus,” along with cast members from the show, providing a unique behind-the-scenes look at Bowie’s creative process.

HBO Documentary Films presents DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS; a BBC Films production; directed and produced by Francis Whately; executive producer, Phil Dolling; film editor, Ged Murphy.