Flamboyant, flashy, and fiercely fashion-minded, Australian-born Leigh Bowery was one of the art world's most overlooked sons. After leaving behind the constraints of family life, this young man headed for London in search of a new life and a satisfying career. His life's work included that of a nightclub owner, artist's model, and even the leader of a band ("Minty"), but performance art and fashion were easily his most impacting ventures.

As a literal "human canvas", Bowery was a work of art in the flesh, easily spotted with his outlandish makeup, multiple piercings, and colorful costumes. Although he turned many heads during his career as an artist, Bowery remained generally unappreciated for years after his untimely 1994 death (from complications related to AIDS). He remains a legendary figure in both the worlds of art and fashion, a ghost of a young man who lived passionately and died too soon. Appropriately, The Legend of Leigh Bowery celebrates his work and lasting influence.

Alhough I can't say I'm the biggest fan of fashion (usually opting for comfort over flair), it's easy to appreciate where Bowery's coming from. His love for the unusual shines through in every elaborate costume, and his dedication is obvious. Through a selected assortment of interviews with friends and colleagues---as well as a vivid cross-section of archival footage---director (and personal friend) Charles Atlas has assembled a very interesting portrait of a colorful individual. Although the adult subject matter and risque performances will limit the film's audience, The Legend of Leigh Bowery is one of the better documentaries of recent memory. Clocking in at a breezy 80 minutes, it also never wears out its welcome...and that's never a bad thing.

As if it wasn't blindingly obvious by this point, The Legend of Leigh Bowery is not for everyone. In all honesty, your level of enthusiasm this film may reflect solely on your interests in fashion and art...but I'd encourage any fan of great documentaries to give this release a spin. Lions Gate Films and Palm Pictures have done an admirable job on this from top to bottom, including a terrific technical treatment and a broad assortment of special features. By all means, The Legend of Leigh Bowery a solid effort that really aims to please: from performance art newcomers to full-fledged Bowery buffs, this is one show you really won't want to miss. In any case, let's see how this disc stacks up:

Speaking of "packing a punch", the solid Dolby Surround audio mix does an equally impressive job of supporting the film. While the dialogue-driven portions of the show (interviews, etc.) and archival footage aren't overly impressive, the film's aggressive techno/dance soundtrack really keeps things moving. It's an appropriately ear-opening audio treatment for this documentary, and a surprising highlight to an already great release.

Here's where things get a little more interesting, as the film's menus are especially noteworthy. The screen capture above is a composite of four "menu themes"---each one with a completely different feel and layout---that alternate randomly during navigation. While this takes a little getting used to (and will probably slow viewers down a bit), it's a great effect that doesn't feel gimmicky in the least. Hopefully, the packaging continues the trend of eye-catching design, but it wasn't on hand for review purposes. Still, this is a great presentation, and very much appropriate to the subject matter.

If that weren't enough, Lions Gate and Palm Pictures have loaded this disc with a healthy mix of great bonus features, kicked off with a Filmmaker's Commentary featuring director Charles Atlas and producer Lucy Sexton. This is an especially interesting listen, as the pair give even more insight into the life and career of Leigh Bowery. Both Atlas and Sexton had been long-time friends of Bowery, and their understanding and admiration for the man really took this to the next level. Although it spends a little less time from a technical standpoint than some viewers may be accustomed to, this is an invaluable listen for any fans of the film and one of the better commentary tracks I've heard this year.

Also here are a wide assortment of other notable extras, including an interesting Multi-Angle Presentation of Bowery's infamous performance at Fort Asperen (6 minutes), as well as a few vintage Short Films by director Charles Atlus. Other extras include a Photo Gallery of Bowery's costumes and fashions (seen above), Bowery's 1998 Performance at the D'Offay Gallery in London (12 minutes), and nearly 20 minutes worth of Previews for other releases by Palm Pictures. Overall, this was an awesome lineup of special features that really rounded out this package nicely!

In nearly every category, The Legend of Leigh Bowery is a great release that really took this reviewer by surprise. Anyone remotely interest in the work of Leigh Bowery should consider this disc a must-own. From a quality presentation to a colorful mix of bonus features, this disc easily trumps most documentary packages of recent memory. Palm Pictures has released some top-notch discs, and The Legend of Leigh Bowery is no exception! It's a thoroughly engaging documentary that, like the artist himself, will really turn a lot of heads. Highly Recommended.

Leigh Bowery Xtranaganza! (Complete Reference Archive)