Like the video films we saw…
I’m sure many of you have seen details of the above auction lot posted here and there. But in case you haven’t, here’s the description…
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Item # 103 ? DAVID BOWIE 16MM AND 8MM ORIGINAL FILM FOOTAGE
35 16mm and 9 8mm Kinescope archival films showing David Bowie. Sound and silent, including 16mm magnetic audio sound film. These films were probably produced beginning in the late 60s through the 80s. Some of the labels read: “Bowie >From The Beginning,” “Bowie Space Odity [sic],” “Bowie Ziggy,” “Bowie 1984,” “Genie Jeanie” and “Do Not Use Old Ziggy Stardust.”
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These films, or certainly films like them, have dribbled out on eBay over the years, and, to be honest, I’ve always been suspicious of the content.
If you study the stills provided, it seems that practically everything illustrated had been broadcast on US TV during the 70s. The most obvious being the Dick Cavett show, the Ziggy Stardust motion picture, Cracked Actor and The Jean Genie promo.
My suspicion is that this stuff has been filmed directly from TV and the example below would seem to bear out this theory.
For starters, it looks like TV quality as opposed to first generation film quality. The shape of the TV screen can clearly be seen and it even looks like a bit of horizontal banding in the top frame.
Anyway, by the time you read this the auction will be over and though I can’t find the results right now, it will be interesting to see what the final bid was.