Looks like I'm the first one to vote and comment on this film! I must admit that I had a heck of a time finding this page at all. I saw this documentary way back when it was (fairly) new late at night on the old "Night Flight" show that used to air on the USA cable network every Friday Night from 11pm to 7am showing all kinds of "counterculture" type programs, including drug related doc's, early propaganda films; I saw Reefer Madness for the first time on Night Flight. And of course many music related programs, if I remember correctly they would run music videos at the end of the night, from 5-7am I believe.... this is before everything went commercial. Anyway, that was the first and only place that I had seen Ricochet (until tonight after much searching), I had recorded it on VHS and had it for quite awhile, until it was either worn out or lost.
The film is a documentary filmed during David Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour in 1983 while he was in Southeast Asia, specifically Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, which is what makes it fascinating and unique. In between concert footage we see the different city's many sides. The cameras often follow Bowie as he explores the diverse areas which make up these ancient city's, from the modern city streets and skyscrapers of Hong Kong, still under British rule at the time,(the upcoming transfer of governing to Communist China in 1997 is discussed by Bowie and some residents). The areas where poverty and overpopulation are a serious problem are also featured. In Singapore he visits temples and other traditional places, even taking part in some rituals. In Bangkok he cruises the red light district, and travels down a river in a native style boat. All in all I found it a fascinating look at these countries as well as a concert documentary, with some very beautiful photography of Southeast Asia in 1984.
The film is a documentary filmed during David Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour in 1983 while he was in Southeast Asia, specifically Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, which is what makes it fascinating and unique. In between concert footage we see the different city's many sides. The cameras often follow Bowie as he explores the diverse areas which make up these ancient city's, from the modern city streets and skyscrapers of Hong Kong, still under British rule at the time,(the upcoming transfer of governing to Communist China in 1997 is discussed by Bowie and some residents). The areas where poverty and overpopulation are a serious problem are also featured. In Singapore he visits temples and other traditional places, even taking part in some rituals. In Bangkok he cruises the red light district, and travels down a river in a native style boat. All in all I found it a fascinating look at these countries as well as a concert documentary, with some very beautiful photography of Southeast Asia in 1984.
