How do you capture the life and art of an icon such as David Bowie? Through a kaleidoscopic cinematic journey, of course.
Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Brett Morgen was allowed access to a lifetime of materials in Bowie’s archives — including an extensive catalog of unseen footage and a personal art and poetry collection — after his death in 2016. He took four years to compile it and arrange it into a film, then another year and a half to capture the colors, animations, and sounds with long-time Bowie collaborator and music producer Tony Visconti and Oscar-winning sound mixer Paul Massey. The results are what Mashable’s Film Editor Kristy Puchko calls a “trippy spin on a biographical documentary” that “defies convention.”
Whether you’re a David Bowie superfan or a film buff wanting to see what the hype is about, here’s everything you need to know to watch the kaleidoscopic feature-length film Moonage Daydream online (and maybe even for free).
Is Moonage Daydream a documentary?
Technically speaking, yes, Moonage Daydream is considered a documentary, guided by David Bowie’s own narration and told through never-before-seen footage, performances, and music. Realistically, though, it’s more of an “experiential cinematic odyssey,” as it claims in the description. It takes you through Bowie’s creative, musical, and spiritual journey through otherworldly visuals and all-encompassing sound. There’s a reason it premiered in IMAX theaters exclusively.
“Morgen boldly dives into the psychedelic, less concerned with making a movie than molding an experience,” Mashable’s Film Editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her review of the film. “Ziggy Stardust’s songs playfully threatened to shatter me into the ether, and it was divine.”
Is Moonage Daydream Streaming on HBO Max or Netflix?
Netflix has plenty of musical documentaries available, but Moonage Daydream is strictly available on HBO Max (soon to be known as simply, ‘Max’) as of April 29. As an HBO Documentary Films production from filmmaker Brett Morgen, it only makes sense that the film will make its streaming debut on the premium network’s streaming counterpart.
Is HBO Max free with Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime members can score seven free days of HBO Max by adding the channel to their account. Since Amazon already has your payment information, it will automatically charge you $15.99 per month when your trial ends (the same price it costs to subscribe to ad-free HBO Max separately). Your best bet is to add the HBO Max channel to your account and cancel it immediately after watching Moonage Daydream. You’ll still get access for seven days for free, but you won’t be charged when your trial is up.
Is HBO included with Hulu?
Hulu users don’t get HBO content included with their subscriptions automatically but can add HBO Max to their account for $14.99 per month. There’s currently no free trial offered at the time of writing, but you will save $1 per month on the ad-free version of HBO Max by choosing to subscribe via the Hulu add-on. Unfortunately, the price will increase to $15.99 per month on May 17. Pro tip: subscribe for a month, watch the documentary, and cancel it before the price hike sets in.
How can I get HBO for free?
Since HBO is a premium streaming service, getting it for free requires a few prerequisites — but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There are a couple of ways to secure a free subscription if you have a specific mobile plan through AT&T or Cricket Wireless. If not, you’ll have to utilize a free trial strategically, which only exists for Amazon Prime members who add HBO Max as a channel through their existing subscription. The fine print can be tricky, but here’s what you need to know to watch Moonage Daydream on HBO for free.
If none of the free options apply to you, you can still get HBO Max at a discount. It may not be the freebie you were hoping for, but HBO Max is a premium streamer with all kinds of hidden gems. In other words, you won’t be disappointed if you choose to pay for it. The best bang for your buck is to watch with ads and sign up for an annual subscription (as opposed to monthly). This will save you 16% over the course of a year, breaking down to just $8.33 per month. Here are your other options for subscribing to HBO Max.
Other ways to watch Moonage Daydream
Want to avoid the streaming route altogether? We get it — subscriptions can add up quickly. Fortunately, Moonage Daydream is available for rent or purchase on platforms like YouTube, Vudu, Apple TV, and more. With the film’s epic visuals and experiential cinematic direction, we highly recommend going the 4K route if possible (or HD at the very least). The SD version may be cheaper, but it won’t do the ethereal flares any favors.
