David Bowie’s “Lazarus” music video, directed by Johan Renck was released on January 7, 2016, Bowie’s birthday and two days before he passed away. The video is part of a bigger collection of works that Bowie was inspired to create when he was diagnosed with cancer eighteen months prior. These include a music album, a documentary and the musical of the same name, Lazarus. While shooting the music video, Bowie discovered his cancer was terminal, yet he kept that fact mostly private except for a few close family and friends. He continued to shoot the video with the knowledge that he was dying, perhaps filming this a final farewell to his fans and musical career.
What is amazing and interesting about this music video is the similarity in the narrative of the video and Bowie’s experience during the shooting, some planned some serendipitous. Knowing this, the viewer asks the question; what is acting and what is real life? Scenes include Bowie singing from a hospital bed with the face covered by bandages, filmed in washed-out over-exposed tones giving him a pale complexion and moody, dream-like atmosphere. Renck explains the initial concept for the video when it was known that Bowie was undergoing treatment for cancer, but before it was discovered to be terminal,
David said: ‘I just want to make it a simple performance video’,” said Renck who conceptualised the video, which features Bowie singing lines such as “Look up here, I’m in heaven” from a hospital bed.
“I immediately said ‘the song is called Lazarus, you should be in the bed’,” says Renck of his ideas for filming the clip.
Another interesting element to this music video is the unconventional 1:1 format, which has connections to the narrative and Bowie’s personal circumstances. Knowing that this video would be his last and be a prominent piece of work into the future, it is possible that Bowie chose this ratio with consideration to new digital platforms such as mobile phones and Instagram. The video could become a time capsule in itself, designed to play on new technologies for the future. It is also a very tight format to film in, perhaps a way to be closer to the audience and feel more personal for the viewer or act as a snapshot in time like a Polaroid photo. This unique format links to the narrative of the music video and to mark this moment of immortality in Bowie’s history.
References list:
Bowie, David, author, Walsh, Enda, & Tevis, Walter S. (2016). Lazarus (NHB Modern Plays). London: Nick Hern Books.
Gitsbone, H (2016) Watch the video for David Bowie’s Lazarus, The Guardian, 8th of January viewed on 8th November 2019.
Greene, A (2017) Inside David Bowie’s final act: New doc dives into ‘ Lazarus’. Rolling Stones. 16th of November viewed on 8th November 2019.
