Concert for George (2003)

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I can't really tell who is my favorite Beatle, or do I even have a favorite, but George is definitely in my top 4.Anyway, he was a great man and truly beloved among the people. Here we have a tribute concert for him and what a tribute it is! Paul, Ringo, his son Dhani, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar... They were all there. It's great to see these guys paying tribute to one of the greatest songwriters there ever was (or ever will be) by playing some of his most memorable songs. There are those classics from the Beatle-era, like "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", his solo songs like "Beware of Darkness" and also a nice Traveling Wilburys-number "Handle With Care".If you're a fan of George and The Beatles, I guarantee you will love this.

On the 29th November 2002, one year to the day that George Harrison died, his closest friends gathered to celebrate his life in the only way they knew how - by playing his music. The first half of the show provided an insight into George's spiritual self as Anoushka Shankar and a 16-piece orchestra of Indian musicians performed a special composition by her father and George's mentor, Ravi Shankar. The piece was entitled "Arpan", which means offering. Within the piece Ravi expresses aspects of George's moods and spiritual aspirations. "Arpan" includes Eric Clapton playing a haunting acoustic solo.The second half gave the audience a rare sighting of members of the Monty Python team performing some of George's favorite skits, including participation from a surprise guest. This was a tribute to George's well-known sense of humor.The night then moved to Eric and friends giving the performance of their lives singing George's songs. All the musicians that George worked with over the years, from The Beatles to the Traveling Wilburys, dedicating their time to learn the songs and perform them as a tribute to their dear friend.Eric Clapton led the band with Jeff Lynne singing "I Want To Tell You", "Inner Light" and "Give Me Love". Jools Holland and Sam Brown gave "Horse To The Water" it's first live outing. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers gave a particularly resounding performance of "Taxman" as well as "I Need You" and the Wilbury's number, "Handle With Care". Ringo Starr caught everyone with a tear in their eye with a rendition of "Photograph", a composition he wrote with George, which seemed to sum up how everyone felt. Paul McCartney, fresh from his world tour, treated everyone to a little bit of Ukulele - one of George's favorite instruments and joined Eric and band for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "For You Blue". Billy Preston had everyone out of their seats and singing along with "My Sweet Lord". The band then came together to give a rousing version of "Wah-Wah".Joe Brown closed the evening with the old standard; "I'll See You In My Dreams", a loving and appropriate sentiment. It was a great show for one of the most loved men of our generation. We will remember George and this evening forever and hopefully we will see him in our dreams.Exceptionally moving but not the least bit sentimental, Concert for George is a splendid tribute to the late George Harrison, whose contributions to the Beatles were so often hidden in the long shadows of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.The performances of these great songs are truly heartfelt and emotional.Although this is unlikely to join the ranks of the great concert tributes,it does provide both deep musical pleasures and a touching farewell to the former Beatle.

There has never been a finer concert film. As a director and producer of live concert events, I can say with honesty (and envy), this is exquisitely directed and produced. 14 cameras in the hall, and if you look very hard you can only see one, once, in the cut. The lighting is warm and the flow is superb. Its an incredibly emotional night, and that emotion is captured for you in perpetuity, supported by cutaways of the superstars humbly rehearsing Harrison's complex and divinely listenable music.There are sublime highlights wrapped inside the rest of the masterpiece: The shots across the line of world-class drummers (all in sync) are truly breathtaking; Any time Clapton plays, but especially when he is playing with Ravi Shankar's orchestra; McCartney's Uke on "Something in the Way;" Dhanni Harrison's glances, brilliantly caught in the line cut, showing his appreciation for Eric and company; Tom Hanks' low key lumberjack; Billy Preston; and the final shot. Wow.Oh, and then there's the MUSIC!

I wish I had been there. As a fan of the Beatles and all British music in the 60's, I was moved by the whole concert. The logistics that went into organising it would have been massive, but it came across as just a happening jamming session. The cameras were not at all intrusive, and captured the spirit of the night beautifully. No pompous wordy tributes to George, just an occasional few words here and thereI recognised the main musicians, but would have liked to know who all the others on the stage were.There were some brief interviews with Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar, and Olivia Harrison but they were a bit jarring. I would have like to see slightly lengthier interviews and with the other musicians too, about how they fitted into George's life.