Bring on the Night

They don't get much better than this. This is one of those films that after viewing, you want to thank the producers for capturing and preserving the events for all of us to repeatedly enjoy.

I came to this project knowing little of Sting and his music and being more familiar with the work of the Saxophonist, Brandford Marsalis, of the renown New Orleans Marsalis music family. I later learned that Sting was receiving much of the same criticisms Mr. Marsalis and his fellow musicians were receiving for joining in on this project of merged rock/jazz/blues/funk idioms. However, as we all know, the critics travel at a slower speed than the artists and often require time to catch up. One need only reflect on Gershwin's 'Porgy and Bess,' 'Charlie Parker with Strings,' or any other project that breaks from traditional established patterns.

Twenty years later, this is still some of the best music made. It rocks in the full sense of the word. This group of personnel were only together for a relatively short period of time, but fortunately, we have this event and period captured on video. When the pianist in this film, Kenny Kirkland, past away at such a young age in 1998, I was reminded of the great work of all the musicians in this film.

This is a terrific documentary about the organization and workings of a band being formed from very talented players. And yes Miles Copeland might seem arrogant but in reality he's just being real. The other members of the band wouldn't get paid as much or draw the same audience without Sting headlining. That's one of the primary points of the film. But despite that, you appreciate that the amazing performances are solely due to the COMBINED talent of the players - not just Sting. I just wish I could find a place to buy a copy.

The ending is also very touching. This is a great movie to watch if you are a fan of Sting, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland or any of the other musicians.

Apted is a marvelous documentarian - he caught the spirit of rehearsals, and the personal, creative dynamics between gifted musicians. Unfortunately, he also captured Sting and his manager Miles Copeland during a variety of candid and staged interviews. The two of them have the worst personalities you'll ever see in a documentary - arrogant, pompous, pretentious and in Copeland's case, just down right mean spirited to the point where you feared for the man's emotional stability. It was a real eye opener to see that a supposedly 'spiritual' talent of Sting's stature would employ such a truly tacky, nasty piece of work such as Miles Copeland. If you love Sting's music as I do, you'll not rent this thing because you'll never listen to him the same way again.

This film is a rare treat, a peek into the professional and personal life of one of the greatest musicians this world has ever seen. This film is about the solo venture of Sting after separating from The Police, into what became his first(if I'm not mistaken) solo album -'The Dream of the Blue Turtles'. I've been an avid fan of Sting's music especially since I heard his album 'The Soul Cages'. What I like about his music is the timeless and universal quality of his lyrics, the uniqueness of each and every song and at the same time a certain underlying uniformity of thought and tone. Listening to his music is like meditation...it's cathartic. I don't think there is any one aspect of human nature and human life he hasn't touched upon in his music. For this reason watching this film was really quite incredible. Paris, where Sting performed and rehearsed lends its own charm and personality to the film. There are funny moments as when these bunch of tourists are led by a tourist guide into the room of the chateau in which Sting and his band are rehearsing and the guide is telling them about the portraits hung on the walls! The sequence of the birth of Sting's son in the hospital to the tune of 'Russians' is the emotional high point of the film. The interview with Sting gives an insight into the mind of this complex man and musician. Altogether, an Experience!!

This may be one of if not THE best rock documentary ever! While most "rock-umentaries" just show a long, drawn-out concert, this one goes from Sting's leaving The Police, to forming an entirely brand new band, to Sting's first solo concert. Some people criticize this movie because some of the interviewees are blunt, pretentious, offensive, or whatever. Well, I'm sorry, do you want a truthful documentary or do you want fiction? If you want to see the making of a REAL rock band, this is a must see film. And if you don't like the music, then seriously, there must be something wrong with you!