BRING ON THE NIGHT
(director/writer: Michael Apted; cinematographer: Ralf D. Bode; editors: Robert Lambert/Melvin Shapiro; cast: Sting, Miles A. Copeland III, Omar Hakim, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, Branford Marsalis, Dolette McDonald, Janice Pendarvis; Runtime: 97; MPAA Rating: R; producer: David Manson; Samual Goldwyn Company; 1985-UK/USA)
“It was fun watching all this talent get it on together.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
An intelligent behind-the-scene rockumentary featuring Brit rocker Sting at the height of his popularity, after he left The Policeand formed a new bandconsisting of acclaimed African-American jazz musicians to cut his first solo album, The Dream Of The Blue Turtles. The film is set in Paris over a nine-day period. It’s unique in that it’s about the formation of a band at its onset instead of at its height, as are most such pics about rock groups. It also offers a challenge to racism as it tries to bridge the chasm between black and white music. Director Michael Apted (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”) opens by filming a press conference their first night in Paris and then mixes in lively band repartee with interviews as he catches them during rehearsals leading up to their opening night concert. The music, a mixture of rock, jazz and pop, has a catchy pleasant sound and a social conscience. Apted keeps it mostly musical and it’s as clean as a whistle–no wild antics from these musicians. As an added note, Sting’s wife gave birth to a son on the second night of their opening concert.
The renowned jazz musicians included Branford Marsalis on sax, Kenny Kirkland on keyboards, Darryl Jones on bass, and Omar Hakim on drums. Janice Pendarvis and Dolette McDonald provided the backup vocals. Under Sting’s direction the group seemed to be having a blast and felt confident they were making good sounds.
It was fun watching all this talent get it on together.
It features such tracks as Bring On The Night /When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around, One World (Not Three) / Love Is The Seventh Wave.
REVIEWED ON 4/19/2006 GRADE: A