I read something in EW this week that genuinely shocked me. Next to my review of Michael Jackson’s This Is It, there’s a box of the five top-grossing concert films — and according to that list, the second most successful concert film of all time is Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (2009). The reason for my shock is not that I dislike the Jonas brothers (I thought their movie was charming in a prefab, featherweight way), but because, at the time, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience was rightfully considered a mild commercial disappointment. It marked the beginning of their slow slide from top-of-the-world boy band to big-but-not-quite-as-big teenybop limbo. How could this movie have ranked so high?
To see how, take a look at the full list:
1. Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008) $65.3 million
2. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (2009) $19.2 million
3. Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) $15 million
4. U2 3D (2008) $10.2 million
5. U2: Rattle and Hum (1988) $8.6 million
Hmmm, let’s tally this up: Two movies with currently-in-vogue squeaky-clean teen idols, a Madonna documentary from 20 years ago, a U2 doc from 20 years ago — and U2 again, this time from last year. I don’t begrudge any of these artists their big-screen success, but doesn’t this list strike you as just a little thin in terms of how well it represents…the pop-music universe of the last two decades?
That’s because concert films more or less went away. A few weeks from now, This Is It could well end up the new box-office concert-movie champion. Of course, there’s no denying that a shot-on-videotape documentary of Michael Jackson rehearsing for a series of shows that never came to pass is a complete and utter anomaly, released under one-of-a-kind circumstances. Nevertheless, it got me to thinking: Isn’t it about time that some newer artists from the worlds of pop, rock, and hip-hop began to crack and even dominate that list? I don’t care if this is the age of YouTube and music-television-as-wallpaper. I would love to see the high-profile, big-event concert film make a comeback in our era. I mean, as much as I respect the awesome purchasing power of 12-year-old girls, if Miley Cyrus can top that list, then why not…well, a great many other people.
I have no doubt that an artist like Lady Gaga, with her rapturously infectious pop-disco hooks and Wagner-gone-Rocky Horror showmanship, could make herself the glitz-siren centerpiece of a concert movie to die for. I say: Sign up Baz Luhrmann right now to direct a movie of her upcoming tour! And speaking of star directors, I realize that Jonathan Demme is busy at work on a series of 12 films devoted to the music and legend of Neil Young (okay, I joke — he’s only making three of them), but I do so wish that Demme would stop being a rock curator. No disrespect to Neil Young, but the one concert movie that Demme has directed that I wouldn’t hesitate to call a classic — his boppy and transcendent Talking Heads doc, Stop Making Sense — came about because, back in 1984, he was responding to the music of the moment. The equivalent film today wouldn’t be a Neil Young tribute. It would be a movie featuring Green Day, Beyoncé, Coldplay, or Kanye West.
Personally, I’d love to see a concert film starring any of those people. How about you? Do you think the concert film should make a comeback? And, if so, which artist would you love to see up there in glittering surround-sound 3-D glory?
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Madonna’s Truth Or Dare (1991) came out 20 years ago? Really? Did you flunk math?
he also said u2’s rattle and hum was 20 years ago, and that was actually *21* — so perhaps he’s doing something called exaggerating and/or approximating. k?
Sheeesh – it’s 2009, almost 2010, so 18-19 years ago. Ever hear of rounding? Nitpick much?
Nothing will ever be better than “The Last Waltz”. Period. End of story.
Big time! By a landslide!
I agree totally! By a landslide!
First thing that came to my mind also.
I would definately go see a concert film of Gaga.
that’s because you can’t spell “definitely”
Elvis’ 1968 “Comeback Special” was pretty darn good (even if I was only 5 years old at the time!).
Christine.
http://www.geckogully.com/artsEntertainment
Elvis in that black leather outfit… swooning at my desk! (and I’m 33)
How about Britney Spears? Apparently she knows how to put on a concert with her latest concert tour. Most go to her concerts to see the production. And plus, add in a bit about her life story and all her ups and down and go into the concert. Presto, it would be riviting.
Seconded, she’s a fascinating popular personality with a great stage show and a drama filled life, perfect!
Britney Spears should do a concert film immediately with footage from her Circus tour of this year. You have a complete movie with her concert and the massive production,the circus theme and all the lighting!
If we’re going to talk about concert films, I don’t care how good her performances are, I want someone who SINGS. Or else it’s just a show, not a concert.
Concert films don’t make much money because it pales in comparison to seeing the real thing. I would love to watch a documentary about the band with concert footage, but watching a concert on film is pretty boring. There is something about the energy that is in the room at a live show that you just can’t get in the theater. “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party” was the one ‘concert film’ that I enjoyed, but that was much more than just a show.
radiohead has the best live show around these days. and they’ve got a rabid following and all in all they’re sort of a mystery publicly outside of thom yorke’s political work. they’d be really interesting to see on the big screen.
That’s a fantastic idea. They are probably the best live band I have seen, not so much for the spectacle (Muse would win that accolade for me) but because, even when I was only watching live performances on TV, they have reinvented songs for me that I had really not been impressed by when I heard them on CD. The real live experience is something you cannot recreate, but even as a film they would be worth experiencing.
The White Stripes – Under Blackpool Lights…
Ween – Live In Chicago…
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense…
Here are some great concert films.
I thought of GaGa when I first saw the headlines. I think, however, for a concert film to be successful, the tour itself has to have some hype to it. Obviously Michael Jackson will do fantastically because of enourmous amounts of hype about the actual tour. Remember the hugeness that was the “Best of Both Worlds” Tour? Including the ticket controversey? Those kinds of events make concert films big. Otherwise, you might as well go see the real thing.
Helloooo, “Woodstock” !! THE best concert film.
U2 3D was one of the most amazing theater-going experiences of my life, and I’m 34 years old and not easily impressed. All 7 of us who saw that movie in the theaters know how amazing it was, truly incredible.
Radiohead. That is all.
1. Woodstock 2. The Last Waltz 3. Stop Making Sense
This is the holy trinity of concert films.
The last concert film I saw that rocked was Sign ‘O’ The Times by Prince. I would love it if he did another concert film. Other artists that I think could do the genre justice for following or visual excitement would be KISS, Lady Gaga (the Baz suggestion rocks), Dave Matthews Band and Radiohead.
This is definitely accurate – I always love when HBO breaks out full hours or two and devotes them to a blockbuster tour or another. I remember their covering Madonna’s Drowned World tour 8 years ago, and I wish they did that for every tour since then – after all, her concert tickets go for $150 a pop, and a movie ticket’s quite reasonable.
Justin Timberlake’s HBO special was pretty awesome, too.
AND who else wishes they were at those Giant’s Stadium final shows of Bruce Springsteen’s? I’d pay to see that in a movie theater.
i was there AND i would pay to see it again in the theater!
Green Day definitely!!!
I loved watching the Jonas Brothers 3D movie. The big screen was fun. I didn’t need the 3D or the price of 3D though. I’d love for them to put their current Word Tour out on DVD. Concert movies bring back memories of the concert. I didn’t care for the Hannah Montana one though. I have no desire to see Michael Jackson though. When I was young and he was young, I enjoyed his music. However, I did not enjoy what he became and I think had he have lived few would have been interested. Only in death due many celebrities finally achieve the comeback they desired.
Oasis would have been a good one.
Girls aloud!
I love conceret films in general. I LOVED the Jonas Brothers movie, though I wished it was a little more true to the form of real concert movies than the form of the Hannah Montana one…but they are a band I like and support.
I think any great concert film should do something their unfortunately didn’t fully manage…it should allow anyone, even someone who has never heard of the band – to find out all they need to know about who they are and where they are coming from and why they are awesome.
There are very few acts in pop today that I find all that fascinating or great. I’d just like to see newer films fulfill their promise a little better.
Oh & I find Radiohead a bit overrated but I bet a film on them would be pretty great. And please God no Taylor Swift movies. That is all.
Concert films won’t make a big mark unless a try before you buy model can be adopted. When I buy concert DVD’s, I alway think they’re great or total duds. There is too much stress in the purchase to avoid buyers remorse. Concert films in theaters? How about a moneyback guarantee?
I still don’t understand why the Jonas Brothers movie was “rightfully” considered a commercial failure, when it only “underperformed” compared to completely unrealistic and irrelevant benchmarks (ie. the Hannah movie and its conditions) and did pretty well. I think the movie could have been better done…but more than anything I think the result was just another example of their career of being baselessly maligned, which causes the slide in their reputation, which causes the stagnation of their fanbase. In other words, snarky critics and haters (who never usually listen to or see their products before making their decisions) are tearing them down unfairly for superficial reasons. When they’re actually a far more legit live act than Ms. Montana. So ridiculous.
The guy even sorta complimented the film, and it’s not like EW is against them – they even gave them good reviews.
Why is it that fans of this teeny pop acts always feel so eager to destroy and lash out on anyone that has an opinion that’s not even bad, just statistic or logic based? Get over it!
The Killers are putting out a concert DVD in november that will play for one day in certain theaters…i guess that counts lol
I wanna see Radiohead!!! The last “In Rainbows” tour was amazing, the concert of my life!
This is a band so closed in their own world, I would love if they released something to depict the tour experience. I think that directors such as Danny Boyle, Richard Linklater and Alfonso Cuaron would a great job.
And now I’m even more sad that Brazil only had one NIN concert that was too young to see at the time.
My favorite band by far, and they never got to have a concert film by Romanek or Fincher. Reznor should’ve called one of them for this last tour, it would’ve been awesome.
Oh well…
The Jonas Brothers movie didn’t perform as well to expectations because the fans who saw itwere mostly tweens and teens. They aren’t as popular with adults who listen to more mature pop sounds and not the group’s teen-driven pop. They don’t have as broad an audience as the more established stars that have been around for 10 or 20 years or more. Michael Jackson’s movie will do well because he has generations of fans. From those that saw him at a young age, to those who followed him in the Thriller era to those who are new to hearing him for the first time.
“Live in Barcelona” by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is the ultimate concert film – especially since it includes the incredible enthusiasm of the Spanish fans!
Cameron Crowe is making a Pearl Jam concert movie for their 20th anniversary next year. Now THAT is a concert that NEEDS to be made into a movie.
Britney fans would come out in DROVES! do not under estimate the power Ms Spears.