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Concert films are the holy confluence of music, movies and non-fiction. They offer the musical experience of a concert despite being made in the form of documentaries. However, the target audience for most of these concert documentaries are music enthusiasts.
While concert films do bridge the gap between music and film as different art forms, their primary purpose is to bring the fans and the artist closer. These films cover some of the most iconic performances in real time and are testaments to the artists' legacy.
Not only that, concert movies also give another chance to fans who have missed the show or simply want to revisit a great time.
Here's a list of some of the most loved concert films that have been released over half a century.
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6 of the best concert films for you to watch in 2024
1) Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is an American concert film from the house of AMC Theaters, the world's largest movie theater chain. Sam Wench directed the project with Taylor Swift as the producer and Brett Turnbull as the cinematographer.
The almost three hour long movie premiered at The Grove, Los Angeles in October 2023, days before getting a worldwide theatrical release. An extended cut titled, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version), was later released for streaming on Disney+ in March 2024. The movie covered three shows of the Eras Tour in August 2023 at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Despite not getting deals with big distributing studios, The Eras Tour became the most successful and highest grossing concert film of all time. The title earned over $267 million worldwide against a budget of $20 million. The SAG-AFTRA even permitted the production in the midst of their strike.
2) Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé is a documentary concert film from the house of Netflix. The writing credits for the film goes to Beyoncé, who also co-directed the movie with Ed Burke. Homecoming arrived on Netflix on April 17, 2019, alongside the release of the live album from the show.
The film was over two hours in duration and covered Queen Bey's headlining performances at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The performance was considered to be iconic in itself as Beyoncé became the first Black woman to headline the show, with some even calling it Beychella.
The film received widespread critical acclaim for its intimate dive into the "radical" performance, as put forth by The New York Times. It covered the inception, creative process and the ultimate culmination into the Coachella performances. Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé also won a Grammy and an IDA Documentary Award as the best music documentary of the year.
3) Katy Perry: Part of Me
Katy Perry: Part of Me is a biographical concert documentary from the house of Paramount Pictures. Directed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, the one and a half hour film released in theaters across the U.S. in July 2012.
The film was shot between 2011 and 2012, covering Katy Perry as she performed on her California Dreams Tour. The concert footage mostly covered her Los Angeles show at the Staples Centre, but also featured pieces from the Tokyo and São Paolo shows.
However, what made Katy Perry: Part of Me a highlight among concert films, was how it painted an intimate portrait of Perry's life beyond her music. The movie featured interviews with the star herself, alongside many of her close family and friends.
4) Madonna: Truth Or Dare
Madonna: Truth or Dare aka In Bed with Madonna is an autobiographical concert film documentary from the house of Miramax Films. The film was directed by Alek Keshishian, with Tim Clawson and Jay Roewe as producers, and Madonna starred, narrated and executive produced the title. It premiered at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival before getting released across theaters.
Initially set to be a regular concert film that chronicled Madonna's 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, Truth or Dare shifted its focus to the backstage. The film covered the stardom and fame of Madonna during the 90s, the work that went to making the tour a success and her interactions with her background dancers.
Madonna: Truth or Dare caught a lot of attention on its release and became the highest grossing concert film till 2002. While most people praised the movie for its themes and execution, some criticized Madonna's acting. However, it has unanimously been hailed to be one of the most entertaining concert documentaries to watch.
5) Stop Making Sense
Stop Making Sense is an American concert film, originally from the house of Cinecom Pictures. Directed by Jonathan Demme, with Jordan Cronenweth on the camera, the film premiered at the 1984 San Francisco International Film Festival before releasing in theaters months later. The film followed around Talking Heads, a popular American punk rock band from the era.
Stop Making Sense was shot between a four day period in December 1983, while the band was on tour promoting their album, Speaking in Tongues, which had released that year. Filmed at the Pantages Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, it had the band performing some of their most popular singles and songs from their new album in an electrifying environment.
It is widely considered to be the marker for concert films, and is also hailed as one of the greatest and most iconic concert films to be ever made. Stop Making Sense was upscaled to 4K and re-released by A24 Films in 2023.
6) Elvis: That's the Way It Is
Elvis: That's the Way It Is, is a concert documentary film from the house of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The film was directed by Denis Sanders with Lucien Ballard as the cinematographer. Elvis: That's the Way It Is released in November 1970, and marked Presley's return to live performances after a hiatus.
After returning from his service in the U.S. Army, Elvis focused on films and took a hiatus from live performances in the early 60s. That's the Way It Is was his first non-fiction film and also marked his return to the music concert scene.
The film revolved around his 1970 Summer Festival at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, with instances from his recent tour and rehearsals with his team. It continues to offer viewers a chance to experience Elvis's electrifying stage presence and understand him better as an artist.
These are some of the picks of concert films that one can considering watching. All of these titles are bound to give the audience, especially music fans, an amazing experience while helping them understand the artist and their art from a closer yet different perspective.
