337. Cliff Richard - The Great 80 Tour; movie review

 

 

CLIFF RICHARD - THE GREAT 80 TOUR

Cert U

109 mins

BBFC advice: Contains no material likely to harm or offend

Is there any other 81-year-old in the world who could sing with the same consistency and vibrancy as Cliff Richard?

Or is there any octogenarian who could jig around on stage for nearly two hours?

His music has never been my bag but I cannot deny that the energy he puts into his performances is remarkable given his years.

Cliff has been making hit records for nearly 65 years - longer than anyone else in history. His feats are unlikely to ever be beaten.

I had never previously seem him in concert before watching these recorded shows at the Royal Albert Hall in front of his adoring fans and a couple of pals from the Shadows.

He goes through his repertoire without missing a note and sounding so good that Mrs W and I even checked to see if he was lip-synching.

His patter between the tunes is a little more awkward as he seemed to lose his way a couple of times.

And then you have to think - this is a chap in his 80s - not even seeming out of breath as he carries off song after famous song.

In Brian Klein's concert film, Cliff sings big hits from Move It which he made in the late 1950s to songs from an album which he released in 2020.

Apparently, the latter made him the only artist in history to hit the top five in the album chart for eight consecutive decades.

I didn't recognise some of the recent songs but I certainly hummed along to the likes of Summer Holiday, We Don't Talk Anymore and Carrie.

Anyway, his songs are consistent, his backing band are talented and the audience lapped it up.

Who knows whether will we see another Cliff Richard concert in the future but, regardless, we will never see an artist with his longevity.

Reasons to watch: It's the Peter Pan of pop

Reasons to avoid: Not the most exciting stage act

Laughs: One

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? Originally, Harry Webb, he changed his surname to Richard, in tribute to Little Richard and his first name to Cliff as it sounded more rock 'n' roll, due to cliffs literally being made of rocks.

The final word. Cliff Richard: "To have the opportunity to reach an even wider audience in cinemas, and especially for those international fans still unable to travel to the tour venues, is a little nerve-wracking, but hugely exciting!" Retro Pop

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