I just got back from the screening in Chicago. I went to the show with one of my colleagues, a film studies teacher who is also a filmmaker and a Floyd fan. It was wonderful to be able to discuss the various aspects of the film with someone who understands filmmaking. Here are some of my thoughts in no particular order.
The film looks fantastic projected in 4k. The concert footage was pretty amazing, but this was expected especially considering all the opportunities they had to capture the show. The sound, in Dolby Atmos, was also incredible, as expected as well (one of the reasons why I chose this relatively new state of the art theater).
I found Liam Neeson’s intro suspect and wonder if this will even be included in the official release. It was a very personal account of The Wall and it felt strange being introduced by a single person. Perhaps if more celebs were interviewed and intercut it may have worked better but I could have done without this completely.
I’ve been quite critical and wary of the intercut documentary footage, without ever having seen the film, and I really tried to keep an open mind tonight. I was surprised to find that the “road trip” sequences were moving at times but they didn’t always work. I would have much preferred seeing them as a prologue and epilogue (which I thought worked well and were my favorite parts of the doc) and as part of the intermission. Roger and his kids visiting his grandfather’s grave site was very moving but I could have done without the conversation in the car that followed. Much of the interruptions of Roger on the road with his brother, especially when they’re on the side of the road talking about the thunderbolt that Roger didn’t remember, seemed really self-indulgent and pointless.
The road trip sequences intercut with the film only worked sometimes. But I ultimately respect the decision of the filmmakers to include it even though I disagree with it… we’re pulled out of the concert too many times, and needlessly. The “one more for the road” sequence with the story of the dinner table being undisturbed when the family returned after the war was moving but I felt it was inappropriately placed in the film.
I didn’t mind the musical sections that were cut (like the solos) and I’m sure that the uninitiated will never know what was cut.
Not only did I not mind the crowd shots but I actually found them moving during Comfortable Numb. The ones during Brick 2 were silly, even fun at times. The rest of the crowd shots felt appropriate.
The lack of screen presence of the band members didn’t bother me while watching the film but in hindsight I felt that they were slighted.
This was nothing like seeing the concerts live, this was a total cinematic experience. I don’t understand when people say that this was just like being at the show because for me it was the furthest thing from it.
The cinematography was gorgeous, even the road trip was really well photographed.
I liked the editing, no quick MTV cuts which gave the camera time to linger on images. This was one of the biggest surprises to me.
Finally, one of my pet peeves is when films end with the title THE END. We know it’s the fucking end of the film, we don’t need to have it telegraphed. We’re not stupid.
So it was a hit and miss experience but that’s what I’d come to expect. If this is the film that Roger wants us all to see and if the home video release does not include the uncut performance then I will respect that because as a filmmaker I have to. And I do appreciate what he tried to do, especially since he figured this out this aspect of the film along the way. That much I like, even though it wasn’t always successful.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out over time and how much I return to this film in the years to come. At least this aspect of The Wall is finally behind him. Now he can concentrate on something different, like the Broadway version of The Wall. :yikes