Legend of Leigh Bowery (The)
- Director: Charles Atlas
- Producer: Sylvie Blum; Lucy Sexton
CGiii Comment
Knowing Leigh Bowery was like watching a train-wreck - excruciatingly slowed down, pinpointing the moments of mutilation and subsequent deterioration.
Here, there is no mention of the drugs, the depression - especially after the death of his former lover - Trojan.
Here, he is presented as ART.
On a dancefloor, he was a pain-in-the-arse - a huge bulk...bumping and flattening everything that got in his way.
His form of art is gone, Lucien Freud's lives on - what does that say about his artful life...maybe Christopher Biggins could play Bowery and comment further on how an 'artist' was immortalised by a successful artist...
This film isn't an insight, it is all flattery.
In reality - in clubland, Bowery was a buffoon...becoming an offensive buffoon, later on!
But he sure did light up a room - only for those in the room.
RIP Leigh.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
This documentary explores the life and times of artist/designer/performer/provocateur Leigh Bowery. He designed costumes and performed with the enfante terrible of British dance Michael Clark, designed one of a kind outrageous costumes and creations for himself, ran one of the most outrageous clubs of 1980s London club scene Taboo (later immortalized in Boy George's Broadway musical, and was the muse of the great British painter Lucian Freud. The film includes interviews with Damien Hirst, Bella Freud, Cerith Wyn Evans, Boy George, and his widow Nicola Bowery. The sound score is by Richard Torrey, who performed with Bowery in their band Minty.
Cast & Characters
Leigh Bowery