Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (film)

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	D. A. Pennebaker
Produced by	Edith Van Slyck Tony DeFries MainMan Bewlay Bros. Miramax Pennebaker-Hegedus (2002 re-release) RZO Music (2002 re-release)
Starring	David Bowie Mick Ronson Trevor Bolder Mick Woodmansey Angela Bowie
Music by	David Bowie
Cinematography	Nick Doob Randy Franken
Edited by	Lorry Whitehead
Distributed by	20th Century Fox (1983) Thorn EMI (1983) Cowboy Pictures (2002 re-release)
Release date	31 August 1979 (theatrical world premiere) 23 December 1983 (general cinema release) 10 July 2002 (re-release)
Running time	90 min.
Country	United Kingdom

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (sometimes called Bowie 1973) is a 1973 documentary and concert film by D. A. Pennebaker. It features David Bowie and his backing group The Spiders from Mars performing at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 3 July 1973. At this show, Bowie made the sudden surprise announcement that the show would be "the last show that we'll ever do", later understood to mean that he was retiring his Ziggy Stardust persona.

The full-length 90-minute film spent years in post-production before finally having its theatrical premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival on 31 August 1979. Prior to the premiere, the 35 mm film had been shown in 16 mm format a few times, mostly in United States college towns. A shortened 60-minute version was broadcast once in the USA on ABC-TV in October 1974.

In 1983, the film was finally released to theatres worldwide, corresponding with the release of its soundtrack album entitled Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture. The following year, in 1984, the film was released to home video under the title, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture. The film was first released on DVD in 1998. A digitally remastered 30th Anniversary Edition DVD, including additional material from the live show and extras, was released in 2003.

Early in 1972, Bowie had taken the stage persona of Ziggy Stardust, a science fiction-based, theatrical, enigmatic, androgynous character, and produced two hit albums during this period. By July 1973, Bowie had been touring to promote his albums for nearly a year without a break. The 3 July show at the Hammersmith Odeon was the last show in the English concert tour promoting Bowie's 1973 album Aladdin Sane and the 60th gig in a tour of Britain that started on 12 May, though an American tour was already being booked for the autumn. Very few people knew that Bowie had decided to drop the Ziggy persona and cancel performing for a while. Within his own entourage, Bowie had told only his then-manager Tony DeFries and one member of his band, Mick Ronson.