“Moonage Daydream” is not your typical rock doc.

A rockumentary it is not.

It’s a documentary film unlike any other.

Writer-Director Brett Morgen builds on his impressive documentary career with a documentary film that is really no documentary at all.

It’s much more than that. It’s an experimental film: a serious, scholarly take on the career and life of David Bowie rendered in a highly-entertaining, impressionistic and eccentric way, not unlike the British singer-songwriter superstar.

Morgen directed the highly-regarded “Jane” (2017) about primatology scientist Jane Goodall and her research with chimpanzees.

Morgen directed “Cobain: Montage of Heck” (2015) about grunge-rock band Nirvana lead singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain.

Morgen co-directed, with Nanette Burstein, “The Kid Stays in the Picture” (2002), based on the 1994 autobiography of movie producer Robert Evans.

Morgen and Burstein received an Oscar nomination for the documentary feature film, “On the Ropes” (1999), about three aspiring boxers and their coach.

Morgen directed “Crossfire Hurricane” (2012) for the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones.

Morgen directed “Chicago 10” (2007) about the trial of anti-war protesters at the 1968 Democrat National Convention.

For want of a better way to explain Morgen’s film-making approach, you might say he gets into the heads, hearts and spirits of his subjects.

“Moonage Daydream” takes its title from a David Bowie song on the Bowie album, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” (1971), and Bowie’s book, “Moonage Daydream” (2002).

For comparison, think “I’m Not There” (2007), director Todd Haynes’ film about the life and career of Bob Dylan, in which numerous actors (Christian Bale, Cate Blanchette, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin) play Dylan at various ages and stages.

In “Moonage Daydream,” David Bowie plays Bowie at various ages and stages (Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, and many more stage personas). Glam rock, in Bowie’s hands, became apocalyptic rock.

David Bowie (born David Robert Jones; 1947 - 2016) excelled in music (more than 100 million records sold), in movies (“The Man Who Fell to Earth,“ 1975; “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” 1983; “The Hunger,” 1983; “The Labyrinth,” 1986) and on stage “Elephant Man,” 1980-81).

Bowie ushered in the glam-rock era in 1969 (“Space Oddity,” released prior to the Apollo 11 Moon landing), dominated the nascent 1980s MTV video era (for example, “China Girl,” 1983) and collaborated with rock and pop greats (“Fame,” 1975, John Lennon; “Under Pressure,” 1981, Freddy Mercury, Queen; “Dancing in the Street,” 1985, Mick Jagger, and even Der Bingle (“The Little Drummer Boy”-”Peace on Earth,” for Bing Crosby’s last TV special, 1977).

After a tumultuous marriage to Mary Angela Barnett (Possibly the “Angie” immortalized in the 1973 song by Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones), Bowie found wedded bliss in 1992 with Somali-American model Iman. They have a daughter, Lexi Jones, a model and singer. Bowie and Barnett have a son, Duncan Jones, a film director (“Moon,” 2009; “Source Code,” 2011; “Warcraft,” 2016; “Mute” 2018).

In “Moonage Daydream,” Bowie is shown in all his reckless and feckless glory, from a quirky “Space Oddity” through his many incarnations as he reinvented himself: a karma chameleon of pop music if there ever was.

In declamatory vocals (“Modern Love”), interviews, the many guys and guises of his stage persona (a forehead lightning bolt face painting to the mime of a clown), Bowie’s five-decades career makes him a bona fide rock icon.

According to Morgen, “Moonage Daydream” includes “never-before-seen footage, performances and music.”

Bowie wrote, sang and produced a prodigious 26 albums during his some 49-year discography. The songs (some 45 listed in all for the film’s soundtrack), his voice, his recordings, his performances are endlessly fascinating in the film.

Those looking for a straight-forward documentary about Bowie can find that on VH1.

“Moonage Daydream” is a feverish, blistering, hallucinogenic take on one of the greatest artists of the rock era. Look for an Oscar feature documentary nomination.

For those looking for something far-out, “Moonage Daydream” is the ticket to ride.

Yet, after viewing “Moonage Daydream,” you may be no more closer to knowing the real David Bowie. Will the real David Bowie please stand up? Probably not.

He was the Anthony Bourdain of rock. A restless soul. He was “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”

And in many ways, that’s “Hunky Dory.”

“Moonage Daydream,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for some sexual images, nudity, brief strong language and smoking; Genre: Documentary, Music; Run time: 2 hours, 15 minutes. Distributed by Neon.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Moonage Daydream” is the first posthumous film about David Bowie to be approved by his estate. A soundtrack album, in digital, CD and vinyl is available.

At The Movies:

“Moonage Daydream” was seen in the Imax Theatre, AMC Center Valley 16. See and hear this movie, at minimum, in a Dolby Theatre.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

Sept. 30 - Oct. 2: “Smile,” a horror film, put a smiley face at No. 1, opening with $22 million, in 3,645 theaters, displacing “Don’t Worry Darling,” dropping to No. 2 with $7.3 million, in 4,121 theaters, $32.8 million, two weeks.

3. “The Woman King” dropped one place, with $6.9 million, in 3,504 theaters, $46.7 million, three weeks. 4. “Bros,” opening, $4.8 million, in 3,350 theaters. 5. “Avatar” dropped two places, $4.6 million, in 1,860 theaters, $18.5 million, re-release. 6. “Ponniyin Selvan,” opening, $4 million, in 500 theaters. 7. “Barbarian” dropped three places, $2.8 million, in 2,720 theaters, $33.1 million, four weeks. 8. “Bullet Train” dropped one place, $1.4 million, in 1,931 theaters, $101.3 million, nine weeks. 9. “DC League of Super-Pets” dropped one place, $1.3 million, in 1,924 theaters, $91.6 million, 10 weeks. 10. “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped one place, $1.2 million, in 1,561 theaters, $713.4 million, 19 weeks. 14. “Moonage Daydream” dropped two places, $855,718, in 675 theaters, $3.4 million, three weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Oct. 2 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Oct. 7:

“Amsterdam,”

R: David O. Russell directs Christian Bale, Margo Robbie and John David Robinson in the Comedy. Three friends witness a murder during the 1930s and must unravel a plot.

“Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,”

PG: Josh Gordon and Will Speck direct Javier Bardem, Constance Wu and Lehigh Valley native Winslow Fegley in the Live-Action Animation Comedy. The film is based on the children’s book about a crocodile that lives in New York City.

“Bromates,”

R: Court Crandall directs Josh Brener and Lil Rel Howery in the comedy. Two best friends who break up with their girlfriends move in with each other.

Movie opening dates information from Internet Movie Database as of Oct. 2 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes