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Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

The historic farewell performance of the king of glitter rock.

197990 minPGMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Director
D.A. Pennebaker
Starring
David Bowie, Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey

Hammersmith Odeon, London, July 3, 1973. British singer David Bowie performs his alter ego Ziggy Stardust for the very last time. A decadent show, a hallucinogenic collage of kitsch, pop irony and flamboyant excess: a musical symbiosis of feminine passion and masculine dominance that defines Bowie's art and the glam rock genre.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars streaming on Qello Concerts via The Roku Channel.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars earns 5 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of films.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars worth watching?

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all films, from 12K ratings across 5 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of films

86th percentile among Documentary94th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)93rd
Approval (how many liked it)91st

77 /100

93rd percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Documentary95th percentile among 1970s

Critics 58 · Audience 79

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.6 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

81% liked it

91st percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Documentary93rd percentile among 1970s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Critics 73% · Audience 89%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Reach

How many have seen it

76th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Documentary80th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$6.8K
Domestic gross$163K
Worldwide gross$576K

81st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

An historically important concert film with great music, but technically rough and visually messy.

Fans praised

  • Bowie's incredible stage presence and showmanship in his prime
  • Mick Ronson's fiery, ahead-of-its-time guitar work
  • Raw, gritty cinema verite aesthetic that captures the era's energy

Detractors panned

  • Amateurish, blurry camerawork and constant focus issues
  • Lack of visual variety and poor editing makes a great show boring
  • Dated costumes and campy antics that haven't aged well

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Bowie's magnetic, flamboyant stage persona and showmanship

Sound and musicDivisive82

Powerful performances with variable audio clarity

OriginalityDivisive80

Groundbreaking glam-rock artifice vs. dated gimmickry

Emotional impactDivisive70

Bittersweet final show, raw connection with fans

AtmosphereDivisive68

Grainy, sweaty immersion vs. frustratingly murky presentation

PacingDivisive35

Slow stretches and repetitive editing kill momentum

CinematographyDivisive20

Shaky, grainy, out-of-focus footage with poor lighting

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
JoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Exuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.Warm
Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film presents its subject with a mix of gritty realism and affectionate energy, played straight as a document of performance.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently energetic and joyful mood as Bowie performs.
StructureThe film alternates between backstage preparation and the chronological concert performance.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayViewers feel inspired by the performance and nostalgic for the era.
How it ends · evidence
Cyclical ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeA non-narrative concert film documenting a live performance; no plot archetype applies.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% (this title) · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsArt · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film captures the tension between Bowie's constructed Ziggy persona and his authentic self, while celebrating his musical artistry.
StanceThe film celebrates David Bowie's performance and his Ziggy Stardust persona.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanRealistic
RockForeground music · diegetic only · David Bowie
SettingHammersmith Odeon in London during a glam-rock concert
MusicThe film features live performances of Bowie's classic songs with his band.

Content guide

Is Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars okay for kids?

PG

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is rated PG. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • UKPG
  • FranceU
  • Czechia12+
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (7 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?

Cast

David Bowie
as Self
Mick Ronson
as Self - Guitar and Vocals
Trevor Bolder
as Self - Bass
Mick Woodmansey
as Self - Drums
Angie Bowie
as Self
Jeff Beck
as Self
Ringo Starr
as Self

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?

Movies like Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars include Monterey Pop (1968), Shine a Light (2008) and Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back (1967). Of the 7 closest matches, two are films by D.A. Pennebaker, and all are music documentaries.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 7 share its story type: concert film. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?

1.4K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: concert film. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.