I’ve written a few times this year about the abundance of concert films in 2023. There was the re-release of “Stop Making Sense” (1984); the Talking Heads art film which many believe to be the best concert film ever made. The prolific Japanese composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto created a final piece of art: “Opus”, a film documenting his last piano performance. There was even a BTS concert film, “BTS: Yet to Come” even though the group is currently disbanded.
And then there was the “Eras” concert film. Easily overshadowing all the others, the extraordinary success of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” makes it the most profitable concert film of all time. The film is still playing in some theaters as well as streaming. There was a second concert film that debuted at number one at the box office: “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”. Unlike Swift’s career-spanning concert experience, this documentary concert film is a combination of concert footage and a behind-the-scenes look at the artist creating the concert.
Dedicated to her “uncle” John Edward Rittenhouse Jr., who introduced her to Black dance music and queer ball culture. He died during the AIDS epidemic. Beyoncé wrote, directed and produced the film and adopted Swift’s release strategy to retain more control of the film and its profits. The concert footage was shot during her worldwide Renaissance tour to support her 2022 studio album of the same name.
Unlike the “Eras” film, there is a more urban and sex-positive vibe to “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”. This is a booty-shaking, bump and grind with fabulous costumes and lots of strutting down runways. There are countless shots of Beyoncé’s blond locks flowing radiantly in the lights. There’s a diverse group of talented dancers and Beyoncé is often flanked by the Les Twins (Laurent and Larry Bourgeois) who’ve become known for their incredible dancing. She also features many musical superstars: Diana Ross sings her happy birthday, and Megan the Stallion joins her on a number as does Kendrick Lemar.
The concert footage is an amalgam of many shows and many different costumes changes. The spotlight is firmly on our star and her outfits change at a dizzying pace. What’s remarkable is that if her outfit is red, her dancers’ outfits match and her band as well. Often, one song will show multiple outfits for the entire crew as the film is edited to show the various wardrobes throughout the tour. The extensive wardrobe must’ve taken phenomenal coordination with so many costume changes for such a large body-diverse crew.
“Renaissance” is more akin to Madonna’s “Truth or Dare” than Taylor Swift’s “Eras” film. We spend time with a make-up free Beyoncé clad in hoodies and sweats as she struggles to orchestrate this huge production. She makes it clear that not only does she sweat the smallest details to get the show to her exacting standards, but that she does it with her audience’s experience first-and-foremost in her mind. She’s a perfectionist. Beyoncé also samples Madonna’s “Vogue” song, sports costumes with bodice enhancements like Madonna’s famous cone bra, and this tour’s theme is supporting and uplifting queer dance culture.
There are sweet moments of her interactions with her children and an extended sequence with her daughter Blue Ivy Carter. Beyoncé struggles with the question of whether to allow her to perform on the tour. She finally relents and Blue Ivy is shown during her debut and later, she’s allowed to join the show. Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, is shown supporting her and is mostly off-camera, except for a short interaction with his daughter. The film doesn’t shy away from showing the exhaustion and the physical and emotional toll this concert takes on her. Beyoncé talks about how important her family is to her and shows the lengths she goes to keep her family close.
The film moves at a quick pace with short clips of Beyoncé talking with her mother in a glamourous spotlight or quiet interludes with her children backstage. Then it’s back to the big production numbers including her famous mirrored horse that she soars on above her enraptured fans. The shots of the audience make the film more exciting. You can see that they really enjoyed their experience, many dressed in equally fabulous outfits mouthing every word.
One improvement to the film would’ve been to hire someone skilled at shooting concert films. Dax Blinn and Irie Calkins are listed as cinematographers, but it’s clear that this is all Beyoncé’s vision. There are extensive close-ups of Queen Bey, but the overall grandeur of her stage show is often lost. There aren’t enough shots of the entire stage with the central arch and circular runway. She’s a phenomenal artist. Maybe next time, Beyonce will allow other artists to help her achieve her vision. Stay till the end of the film for a new song, “My House” which was a surprise release.
Drinks with Films rating: 2 energy drinks gulped down with her tour sandwich (out of 5)
Drinks with films 