Customer Reviews

The Police - Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"I blame the man holding his camera for all of my problems."

It's the final scene of "Everyone Stares" that kept running through my mind after seeing the film for the first time. This is not so much because of Sting's parting words as quoted above, but more the image itself, and how much more it seems to be telling us than what directly meets the eye. We see Andy and Sting, though Stewart's "eyes" via the camera lens, as they are all handcuffed to the railing of a precarious-looking staircase perched high above a city. The reasons for this unusual predicament are never quite explained, but it seems to make a telling statement about the band itself at that particular moment of time: cramped and trapped together at the top, and dangerously close to falling over the edge.

To those critics who have claimed that this film has no depth to it? I say that clearly, you simply weren't paying enough attention.

This film is not a strictly linear, fact-laden and/or impartial documentary. Neither is it the expose of "sex, drugs and rock and roll" (emphasis on sex and drugs) that some curiosity-seekers seemed determined it should have been and were disappointed that it wasn't. Instead, it is a fractured, personal collection of video "snapshots", capturing the small moments of life on the road as well as the absurdities and monotonies of becoming a rock star. For the well-versed Police fans, it is also a chance to experience the thrill of seeing events, concerts, and even photo-sessions from a perspective we've never seen before. It begins with a clever montage sequence of animated photographs as Stewart sets the scene with his narration, covering the early days of the band until he purchases his Super 8 camera, and suddenly the action really takes off, in more ways than one.

There is an interesting, dreamlike quality to the entire movie, which seems to come from the Super 8 footage itself: it is somewhat grainy, rendering every scene in a softer focus than we are used to on a big screen. As cars, boats, people, clouds and cities zoom by in time-lapse footage, and as stage lights blur past the camera when Stewart rushes on stage or struggles to get through crowds of fans, this sense of "unreality" slowly builds and at times it becomes almost dizzying. (It is also hard to believe that the Derangements were not written specifically for the soundtrack of this film, as they provide the perfect mixed-up/familiar-yet-different mood for everything we see, and the lyrics sometimes provide interesting and clever accents to the particular moments being shown.)

As for individual scenes themselves, I actually don't want to talk too much about my favorites, because a great deal of the enjoyment of them comes from being surprised by what you get to see, as well as the amusing little "subtitles" or comments Stewart adds to them. I think the first-time viewer is better off getting to experience that surprise for him or herself. Suffice to say the audience--particularly the avid Police fan--is likely to be incredibly amused and delighted at many moments, and wrapped up in the story overall as we get to experience it as if we were a member of the band ourselves.

While all seems to be fun and games at first, the cracks within the band slowly begin to start surfacing as the film progresses. It's presented with subtlety, not with in-your-face fights and screaming contests. It comes through more in small comments in Stewart's narration, as that "unreality" builds and we start to get the underlying sense that all is not as well as it might seem. The piles of money may be growing, but weariness and unease is settling in. The hotel rooms may be growing bigger, but they seem to have become more like prison cells than the familiar, cozy havens on the road they were years before. Indeed, it seems as though the band members have all become literally and figuratively handcuffed to that ivory tower, and as Stewart says near the end, it's time to break free from it all and really "learn what this life is all about."

In its own unique, quirky way, I'd say that "Everyone Stares" is just as revealing an autobiography as Sting's "Broken Music" was a few years ago. It's a piece of the Police story we've been missing, and as a fan, I have to say it makes me feel now that the story is complete in a way I didn't feet it was at all, three years ago after the Hall of Fame ceremony.

The DVD itself comes with some truly great extra features as well, most especially the audio commentary track by Copeland and Summers. Their comments and stories fill in the details of what we see on screen in the movie and make it all the more enjoyable on further viewing. Extra scenes include some humorous moments as well as a collection of "Live Shards", small sequences of live performances that didn't make the film but make for interesting viewing nevertheless.

A great film and a great DVD. All this fan could ask for!

I would assume anyone reading these reviews or looking at purchasing this DVD know who the Police were, and knows their music. Knowing who they were is where this DVD takes off from, and it brings a 'behind the curtain' view of the performers across the years. Stewart Copeland, the band's founder/drummer, glommed onto an 8mm sound camera and hung on as it commanded his soul. The obsession with this camera grafted to his hand was evident in some of the early photo shoots and videos. Now you can see all that footage edited down and put to a story of this famous rock band's rise to fame.

It starts with still photos from the earliest years and quickly transitions into the film as Stewart (and Andy Summers) procure their cameras. Instead of getting a pre-polished, over packaged, over thought, mush glorification of the band you get the band, as themselves, filmed by one of them, narrated by the band (one, or two of them depending on the audio track). Due to the film being a home effort, it wasn't taken with any specific purpose in mind other then Stewart having fun or documenting things of immediate interest in the day. He experiments with stop motion, titles(Kim dumps a take?), time lapse, makes a fiction with Andy and supporting act, but more importantly he is holding the camera as the band starts touring as a stripped down, low rent act and builds to a gigantic world consuming success. Looking back you can laugh sympathetically as Sting has to lug his suitcase and bass into the hotel room, or as he finds the limo at the airport isn't for him. Then you see a rock star's pov as a surprise crowd mobs his band at the airport for the first time. Clips of the band and crew all over the world, as well as silly, impromptu humor give the video a lively, warm feel. It's a home movie! But, it explains what the band did that you never saw.

There are two audio tracks. The first is Stewart's narrative, and I found it adequate but a little boring. Half way through the film I was wondering what I was doing watching, but it picked back up and got me through. The second track is commentary by Stewart and Summers, and their comments make the film fly by as they explain the context of shots and also joke about the images.

Additional footage edited, but deemed important or entertaining, is lumped in the extras section.

If you loved the band, and want to see them in their more private spaces, then $10 is a pittance. I thoroughly enjoyed this little trip to Uncle Stewart's basement movie night.

Some reviews are a little harsh here. If you are a POLICE fan, you knew Stewart had his SUPER 8 camera in hand throughout and it is GREAT to see some of what he shot, even if the film is not a perfect overview of the history of the band. For the footage from the DE DO DO DO video to STING recording CANARY IN A COALMINE, this is GREAT suplementary footage to have for any POLICE collection. One reviewer complains of spending $10? This is the kind of stuff you would pay $100 for a bootleg of at collector's shows. I am glad STEWART took the time to assemble this and offered it up to the fans! Bravo!

I was lucky enough to attend a screening of this film here in Los Angeles. Afterwards, Stewart had a Q&A session with the audience. Andy Summers, who basically stole the show in this film, was in attendance as well. It was quite fascinating to watch the inner workings of this band as they grew, not only in popularity, but in their own lives - emotionally and with each other. You can witness for yourself the excitement of a screaming crowd or being mobbed by fans after the show. The tedium of recording albums, doing interviews or photo shoots, or the dreadful aspect of constant travel. I have seen some of this super-8 footage before, but the majority I had not. The quality varies as the years go by, and the musical performances are too brief for my tastes, but I still enjoyed this film tremendously. I had taken a friend to the screening who hadn't had much exposure to the band previously, and they walked away amazed. Sting was not in attendance, but both Andy and Stewart freely chatted with fans and signed autographs, easily the most approachable musicians I have ever chatted with. Stewart was witty as always during the Q&A, and he promised to make the DVD release worthwhile. I hope he kept his promise.

I am a long time Police fan, and am delighted that they decided to reunite at least for a tour (a couple of new songs are rumored...you never know). This is certainly a most interesting take from the inside of their unique experience. Stewart is The Kinetic Kid by definition, and often the images reflect this very non-stop, hyper-ADD aspect of his personality. Thank goodness for his being hyper, because he has given the world some of the finest drumming ever heard by human ears. The movie is really like entering Stewart's mind. I was surprised by his very professional, patient tone of voice, while I remember him as a very fast *duh!* talker. In particular, I appreciated the parts that show the genesis of the famous riffs etched in every fan's mind, and the claustrophobic feeling brought in by the non-stop assault of the fans, a little reminding of Hard day's night. You understand why worldwide success can also last so much, as can a musician's patience, focus, and inspiration. After all, it becomes a blur, and Stewart is masterful at conveying the feelings of the Man in a Suitcase's line: "bird off a flying cage, you'll never get to know me well, the world's an oyster, a hotel room a prison cell".
I was expecting more bitching at Sting - there is some, but not so bad as I had anticipated - therefore, our Kinetic Kid was also rather well-behaved. Maybe the passing of his beloved brother Ian and of the "fourth member" Kim Turner have somewhat changed the feelings that led to the acrimonious split of a great band at the very top of their game.

These days, it's hard to be a Police fan.

The band broke up 20 years ago, and A&M records isn't exactly burning up the retail shelves with *new* Police releases in the US. So this DVD release is something NEW and very welcome for long suffering Police fans. Just when you think there isn't anything else to learn about The Police, this DVD sheds new light.

The DVD itself is from the perspective of Stewart Copeland, Police drummer and a man considered to be one of the great living drummers. Starting in the late 70's, Stewart routinely filmed tours, video shoots, and recording sessions with his "Super 8" camera. What results is the most "inside" documentary of a band you could imagine... one filmed by a core member of the band over many years. The resulting film is the story of the rise of one of the greatest bands in Rock And Roll history, culled from over 50 hours of Stewart's private footage.

What can be found here are Stewart's memories of the history of the band, wonderful "derangements" (remixes and rearrangements) of classic Police songs, 20 minutes of extra footage, and an excellent DVD commentary track by Stewart and Police guitarist Andy Summers.

The only negative "warning" I would have regarding this DVD is the quality of the Super 8 source footage. If you are expecting modern day HD level of quality, you will be disappointed. Having said that, the Super 8 footage has been digitally transferred and color corrected well for the DVD. It looks good given its age and source quality.

If you are a fan of music history in general, you will enjoy this DVD. If you are a Police fan, you should drop what you are doing and buy this DVD.

Dan

PS: If there is any justice in this world, Stewart's "derangements" will be released on an audio CD. They are an amazing listen for this longtime Police fan.

I was fortunate enough to see "Everyone Stares" on the big screen at the film's premiere during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival last year (Feb 06), and it's everything you hope an inside look at the band would be - once you get past the shaky footage and far-from-perfect sound. I think, as other reviewers will attest, this adds to the film's charm and re-enforces that it is "real" and not some recreation of actual events. I can't imagine anyone seeing this film who is not a fan of the Police, but if you are a fan, this film is a must-see for you. Oh - one great thing about seeing the film at the premiere: Stewart Copeland was there on stage at the relatively small theater for a Q&A following the film. It was very intimate - and the theater was so small, nobody needed microphones and so you felt like you were part of something really special. Stewart introduced Andy Summers who was sitting in the audience, and the two answered questions about everything - including, "Will the Police get together for a reunion tour?" Quite bluntly, Stewart said, "No." And moved on to other questions. Audience persistance lead him to say words to this effect (this is not a quote): "Sting is on another planet in terms of his music today. Even in the Police, his mind was racing in other directions. Andy (Summers) and I felt so fortunate to hold onto him in the Police for as long as we did, but we couldn't hold on forever. There are no ill feelings, and we talk - but only rarely. So, no - there will be no reunion tour." I'm writing this the morning after the Police performed at the Grammys last night - for the first time in more than 20 years.

It's like being at Uncle Stuart's house while he shows you REALLY boring home movies. No content, save for Stuart Copeland's boorish, un-funny commentary. In all fairness, there are some clever shots; the occasional funny pun (Can't Stand Losing Ewe) and it's clear Copeland really enjoyed the creative outlet the super 8 camera gave him on the road, but it doesn't excuse his blase attitude.

If you want a charming, fully realized memoir from a member of The Police, do yourself a favor and read Andy Summer's book, "One Train Later." It's BRILLIANT.

Since I was only 5 years old in 1977, I don't have any recollection of The Police in the early days. As a `tween' I was hooked on the popular MTV videos ("Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", etc.), and in college I bought a cd of their `Greatest Hits'.

The point is I was NOT a die-hard Police fan--that is, until I bought the `Certifiable' DVD/CD from the re-union tour. And then that was it. I had to hear more, know more, see more. I had a LOT of catching up to do.

I've always listened to Sting. But the music by The Police was entirely different.

And the primary reason is Stewart Armstrong Copeland.

Thanks, to `You Tube', I began watching snippets of old Police concerts and footage and it's clear that this band was extraordinary. Their music is NEVER the same twice. Stewart modifies the drum patterns, Sting changes up the vocals and bass, and Andy plays around with the guitar riffs. So I recently bought "Message in a Box", a few live concerts, Stewart's studio albums and a few of his film scores. And after finally appreciating and understanding the depths of this band's sheer and raw talent, I had to get this film, too.

And it was worth every penny. Any Police fan should have this in their collection. PERIOD. This footage is priceless.

Some memorable scenes include (SPOILER ALERT):
1) Sting lugging around his bags and gear to cheap motels
2) Andy `trashing' the candy store
3) Andy getting his makeup done
4) Stewart recording himself jamming during a live concert (MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SCENE--WATCHED REPEATEDLY)

Throughout the film, Stewart's narration and the scrolling captions are witty and humorous. And the live concert footage and music, of course, makes a wonderful background.

I really tried to find something wrong with this film, but I couldn't.
It was just the right length (although I wouldn't have complained if it was longer).
The technology was what it was, so you can't find fault with the grainy-ness of the film.
This film is part of music history and part of these talented musicians' lives and I am eternally grateful that Stewart recorded and shared these memories with us.

And if I should ever be lucky enough to run into Stewart, say at a book-signing for his memoir this fall, I'll try not to stare.

I am a huge Police fan... aside from that though, I thought this was a unique, behind-the-scenes document of watching a band go from obscurity (in america) or boy-band status (in the u.k) to become a respected and HUGE stadium band.

I loved it (though I also had the pleasure of going to a screening in L.A. where Stewart was there for a q&a, and had additional hilarious and interesting anecdotes.

Recommended!