42. The Greatest Night In Pop; movie review

 

THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP

Cert 12A

97 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language

Here's an old person's question - would there be enough singing superstars to hold a modern-day version of Live Aid?

I think not.

Back in 1984, the music charts were huge; we still went to record stores to buy singles, and consequently, those who sold the most were household names.

And I don't just mean among the young. 

Meanwhile, the release of Michael Jackson's Thriller video was a worldwide event, and the album was one of the biggest-selling ever.

Jackson was one of the key figures behind We Are The World, the American fund-raising response to the 1984 famine in Ethiopia and complementary single to the Brits' Do They Know Its Christmas?

The concept of celebrities raising large amounts of money for people in need was Midge Ure and Bob Geldof's.

But, despite their successes with Ultravox and The Boomtown Rats, respectively, they were relatively unknown in America.

So, the ante was well and truly upped when the Stateside artists came up with We Are The World.

Lionel Richie wrote the song with Michael Jackson after being asked by Harry Belafonte, a long-standing campaigner for human rights.

Richie tells how the superstars were persuaded to sing it for Bao Nguyen's excellent documentary, The Greatest Night In Pop.

He outlines the logistical nightmare of bringing together the likes of Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and many more.

Then, there is a detailed description and video of the secret through-the-night recording.

Some of the anecdotes are funny, some a little shocking, while the images are fascinating - Bob Dylan looks completely confused throughout the evening, and Waylon Jennings walks out.

But it shows what can be done when egos are parked at the door.

And it is a lovely reminder of a very different time on many levels.

Reasons to watch: A reminder of a halcyon moment

Reasons to avoid: The Brits have been airbrushed a bit

Laughs: Three

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Did you know? Madonna was so upset at being left out of the ensemble that, in the following July, she performed at Live Aid but opted not to join the “We Are the World” finale. 

The final word. Lionel Richie: "What made We Are the World so fantastic was we snuck up on the world. It came out fast. You could surprise somebody. And now people are jaded. They’re more interested in themselves being famous than in famous people." Hollywood Reporter

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