Bertolt Brecht's BAAL ~ (1982) ~ David Bowie, Zoë Wanamaker, Robert Austin, Jonathan Kent
ABOUT THE SHOW
In August 1981, Bowie had begun rehearsals to appear in the BBC version of Baal .
The lyrics to the songs were all translated by Ralph Manheim and John Willett. Dominic Muldowney provided all new musical settings, except for " The Drowned Girl ", which was a setting by Kurt Weill done originally for Das Berliner Requiem.
In September 1981, Bowie and Tony Visconti returned to the Hansa studios in Berlin to re-record the five songs Baal performed in the play.
" Baal’s Hymn " is a combination of the vignettes spread throughout the play and establishes Baal’s amoral character.
" Remembering Marie A " concerns Baal’s reminiscences of a past conquest, where he can remember a cloud drifting overhead but not the face of the girl he was with.
" Ballad of the Adventurers " is Baal’s aggressive lament to the death of his mother. " The Drowned Girl " relates the suicide of one of Baal’s conquests – a video clip for this song was shot by David Mallet at the same time as the one for " Wild is the Wind ". " The Dirty Song " is a short number, with Baal humiliating his lover Sophie.
Baal is a young amoral rebellious poetic genius who, after a short and eventful life of debauchery, betrayal and violence, is about to cut his ties to the world and meet his doom. A high society party is where the end begins.
Starring
- David Bowie ... Baal
- Robert Austin ... Mech
- Zoë Wanamaker ... Sophie
- Jonathan Kent ... Eckart
- Russell Wootton ... Piller
- Tracey Childs ... Johanna
- Julian Wadham ... Johannes
- Juliet Hammond ...Emilie (as Juliet Hammond-Hill)
ABOUT THE CAPTURE
Excellent pro-shot capture with beautiful color and sound. (A)
Year(s): 03.02.82
Format: DVD
Run time: 64m
Country: UK
Language: English
B&W / Color: Color