Chronicle of the evolution of the concert film

Although never a true representation of the magic of live shows in real time, concert film has always been an attempt to distill some of the energy felt in the room at that moment , capturing special moments as it oscillates between the audience’s reaction on a grand scale and the more intimate parts. In the 1940s, these were often short performances of filmed live acts, which focused more on the talent of the performers than any accompanying narrative.

However, a turning point occurred in the 1960s, with the counterculture movement affecting music and storytelling in a way that focused more on the context and cultural impact of the artist Concert films during these years still focused on the skill of a musician, but began to inject more artistic freedom on the part of the camera operator to make the experience even more immersive and engaging.

Although this concept took off in the following 1970s Woodstockauthors such as Pennebaker interwoven the concept of the concert film with a cinéma vérité approach that cast the subject in a more casual and authentic light. In Don’t look backfor example, Dylan is not always the most likable figure, and is often filmed arguing with reporters or treating his team with disdain, but his mannerisms and features paint a picture that is unapologetically real and placed with the backdrop of one of his innovative tours, which allow the public a view of the person and the visionary.

With the exception of the 68s Farewell concertwhich captured Cream’s final farewell at the Royal Albert Hall, concert film began to transition into something more palpable by incorporating behind-the-scenes moments and behind-the-scenes footage. decade of the 1970s Give me shelterfor example, it not only reaped the benefits of this cinematic release due to the chaotic backstory of the Rolling Stones, but went beyond the music to provide an immersive and enlightening experience.

In typical fashion, Martin Scorsese further revolutionized the form in 1978 with the last waltz a film that marked the dissolution of The Band by venturing beyond the typical domain of concert footage and with an obvious touch of cinematic grandeur. This was the first instance of a director taking the concept of a concert set and turning the film into an art form in itself, reframing the impact of a band in a new light, culturally distinctive and artistic.

Also, Scorsese deliberately broke expectations with The last waltz eliminating the typical transaction between audience and performer, disrupting the usual concert spectatorship and instead placing the audience in a more passive mindset. This may sound demeaning, but it worked because it relied on alternative audience tropes associated with traditional big-screen storytelling, placing the concert film in a more observational space rather than relying on interaction subtle

This had already begun to emerge with the efforts of the Maysles brothers and works like What’s going on! The Beatles in the USAwhich turned out to be a window into the turbulent world of Beatlemania from the band’s perspective. However, these fly-on-the-wall documentary styles only set the framework for what would later become the contemporary concert film, from Scorsese’s liberties to an almost complete return to set shooting of concerts

However, even the following examples, such as Talking Heads It stops making sense or, better yet—The Tour d’Eres—incorporate subtle narrative inclinations without taking center stage, focusing solely on the performances without relying on any prior contextual knowledge of the viewer. The simplicity of these, especially in the case of It stops making senselies in its ability to build organic momentum through music alone, reflecting the powerful nature of art without much in the way of cinematic grandeur.

The Tour d’Ereson the other hand, it presented an exception by offering a more structured thematic narrative of Taylor Swift’s journey from the beginning of her career to her later years, demonstrating that storytelling in the medium of concert film has not always of relying on classic cinematic tropes to create a more complete picture. While the format has naturally gravitated more towards dynamic collages of on-stage footage and behind-the-scenes activity, some of the more recent examples have shown a revision of earlier styles, while others have continued to use the power of the narrative arc. either to present a more poignant message or to execute something simpler, such as comic effect.

An interesting case study comes when looking at Ghost’s latest concert film, Rite here Rite now. Not only does this band naturally add a more cult edge by incorporating a backstory and built-in fictional characters, but the concert film also embellished the pre-existing lore by exploring the band’s next chapter, chronicling the laments of the leader with the possibility of leaving office. make way for another leader.

In Rite here Rite nowdirectors Tobias Forge and Alex Ross Perry incorporated various unconventional concert film elements, including animation, CGI, and over-the-top thematic concepts, while overlaying them with footage from the band’s last two North American performances in late 2023. This was a deliberate choice to satisfy the loyal fan base the band has established over the years, Rite here Rite now it seems similar to everything concert film has evolved since the early trendsetters of the 1960s.

The traditional concert film format, the one that depicts musicians performing and little else, will never really be resigned to the sidelines, as evidenced by the many recent films that rely solely on this trope. However, in today’s world, where context is critical, and audiences develop more parasocial relationships with their favorite singers, storytelling has become a more natural aspect of the concept due to increasingly blurred lines. between the subject and the viewer.

When done well, interlacing or overlapping cinematic tropes and spot-on camera footage will always enhance the viewing experience. The extensive work done in this space shows that regardless of the direction a band, camera operator or director decides, the importance of storytelling has become a crucial facet that is impossible to ignore. Of course, engagement also depends on specific messages, themes or stories; sometimes a simple live set is enough to captivate from start to finish. Other times, a more nuanced approach can transform a simple concert film into an evocative artistic statement.

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