‘George Michael: Freedom’ shows his genius to sing, perform, create
IT’s impossible to speculate on what the late pop artist George Michael was really intending, with his 90-minute documentary “George Michael: Freedom.” He was editing it when he died almost a year ago at the age of
53. Finished up by Davis Austin, Michael’s manager and co-producer, the result is a somewhat shallow “and-then-I-did-this” hagiography. And perhaps that would have been OK had Michael not died. He was famously private, despite aspects of his life being uncovered somewhat against his will. And this reticence seeps into all aspects of the film — even when he is discussing the AIDS-related death of a lover, or his mother’s passing from cancer the same year. Michael talks a lot about fame — how much he wanted it — but without apparent passion or true conviction. Still keeping that wall up? Most likely. Some famous friends contribute, but their memories are mostly as flimsy and careful. The movie didn’t need to be a wallow into his troubles, but an almost total avoidance of his well-publicized battles did no favors. (His professional struggle to free himself artistically from Sony Records is well done.)
“Freedom” is at its most alluring when it is simply showing us what George Michael did best — sing, perform, create, mesmerize. His tribute performance of Freddy Mercury’s “Somebody to Love” is the movie’s high point and emotional centerpiece, as every review has mentioned, but the old “Wham!” clips are deliciously invigorating, as well.
It will perhaps take some time to really document the life of George Michael, or maybe not. Perhaps all that needs to stand is his work, and how he chose to present himself — carefully. “Freedom” is available via Showtime.
SPEAKING of music, and a certain era, it was interesting to read (in Billboard) that music videos have had a big comeback over the last two years. Oh, nobody’s ever stopped making them, but long gone is the time millions sat hypnotized as MTV ran hours and hours of videos in heavy rotation. It should have gotten boring — and for sure I was already much too old to be so mesmerized — but it was like a visual drug. MTV no longer controls video. Now streaming services like Spotify and YouTube are the places to go. Artists such as Adele can reach 1 billion viewers, presto. Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” had 564 million views. I suppose it’ll never be quite the same as it was — whatever is? (And for those who don’t know “how it was” what does it matter? Culture moves on.)
But I still recall with great fondness hearing from Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s press rep for so many vital years back in the day. We’d receive a package containing The Big M’s new video, with a simple message. “Brace yourself; this will change your life!”
And in so many cases — “Material Girl,” “Like a Prayer,” “Oh, Father,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Human Nature,” “Bad Girl,” “Express Yourself,” “La Isla Bonita,” “The Power of Goodbye,” “Take a Bow,” “Erotica,” “Justify My Love,” “Ray of Light,” “Frozen,” even up to “Hung Up” and “Sorry” — Rosenberg did not exaggerate. Madonna and her collaborators were brilliant.
Well, that’s past, although 2015’s “Ghosttown” had strong echoes of Madonna’s prime.
And “(Expletive), I’m Madonna” was rampant fun. (Her critics say she is too mature to have such fun. She says, well — she disagrees.)
And bless, her Taylor Swift’s elaborate, selfreferential “Look What You Made Me Do” did indeed bring me back to the golden days of video divas and divos — Janet, Paula, Prince, Michael, Cyndi, Whitney, Sade, Tina, Annie Lennox, Patty Smyth and the abovementioned Madonna.
Long live the music video, wherever it plays!