'Rattle And Hum' is a 1988 film of U2, when they were just about coming to the top of the rock and roll tree in 1987, on The Joshua Tree Tour. There's a very short trailer included, but little frills here, despite the blurb on the back of the DVD, "A concert movie on an unprecedented scale". It's straightforward, mostly b/w onstage and offstage footage, but it's an excellent insight into U2, even if there's not much of the band speaking at any great length. More a case of letting the music do the talking, which it does eloquently.

The beginning of the film goes directly from the opening seconds of the gathering stars of the Paramount logo, and we're straight into a blistering version (natch) of 'Helter Skelter', with Bono saying: "This song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles. We're stealing it back." Then, we go from there to views of Dublin, and The Edge showing he's got a strong, underused voice, singing unaccompanied, except for his electric guitar, his own composition, 'Van Diemen's Land'. It looks like he's in a rehearsal room cum warehouse, which is Point Depot! Then we see the band together and fooling around in an attempted interview, then back to the whole of U2 this time - playing 'Desire'. Then more silliness in another interview snippet.

After that, U2 are shown live in Denver, really rocking with 'Exit'. One of the most interesting parts of the film is seeing the band in a Harlem church, beginning to accompany a gospel choir on 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', and then just taking it easy, enjoying the choir, and leaving them to it! We also see Bono and The Edge in Harlem, admiring a talented old blues guy, who's really a one-man band, apart from his harmonica-playing partner, and the bluesman sings 'Freedom For My People'.

U2 are shown in action on stage again, with 'Silver And Gold'. A lively performance, but not one of their best tunes. It has a great message lyrically, though, as it slams apartheid.

The band's trip to the legendary old Sun Studio in Memphis, home to so many recordings by rock and roll legends, is another fascinating segment. Here we see U2 recording 'Angel Of Harlem' with a brass section. The Edge then reveals that "music can get so boring", and that the band like to try different things to keep 'em on the ball. The Edge recovers his enthusiasm for Bob Dylan's 'All Along The Watchtower', working the chords out on an acoustic guitar on the tour bus in San Francisco, before U2 play it live in the same city, with Bono doing his famous bit of spray painting. You'll have noticed there's an American bias to this film, which is disappointing. U2's fanbase was truly worldwide even then.

It's back to material from 'The Joshua Tree', with a short version of 'In God's Country', then U2 nip offstage to towel down, and in Fort Worth, Texas, we see B.B. King and his band introduced to the crowd, as they and U2 are about to play 'When Love Comes To Town', but then it switches to King talking and working backstage with the group. The disappointing editing here switches from rehearsing, chatting, to the live performance, which we don't see much of. We do get to see Larry Mullen giving the drums a damn good thrashing, though.

Back in Memphis, in a sort of Beatley moment, it's U2 on a grassy knoll, which The Edge skilfully slides down from somehow, then he's on a boat going up the Mississippi, and the band then visit Graceland, with Larry in his element. 'Heartland' plays in the background.

It seems a bit inappropriate to go from Mullen looking at Elvis's grave to 'Bad'! But it's at this point that 'Rattle And Hum' moves into another gear. U2's Live Aid performance of 'Bad', and Bono's dancing with that attractive girl, really saw them come to the fore as a band who knew when, and how, to seize the moment. 'Bad' has always worked better live than it did on 'The Unforgettable Fire' album. Here it's a shorter version than the Live Aid one, but it's still powerfully hypnotic, and Bono hugs Adam Clayton near the end of the song. Yes, one thing you gather from 'Rattle And Hum', is that this band are like brothers.

Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona sees the film move from black and white into colour for the first time, with the wonderful, opening strains of 'Where The Streets Have No Name' introducing Larry Mullen to kick-start the song, in front of a vivid red backdrop. Then it's haunting Martin Luther King tribute 1, and 'MLK'. 'With Or Without You' follows, with Bono looking sinister under a strange and eerie blue light.

Adam Clayton has a go at those who say you shouldn't mix politics with music or sport, before Jimi Hendrix's version of 'Star Spangled Banner' - amidst fireworks and an American flag made up of lights - opens up 'Bullet The Blue Sky' - one of U2's most powerful and hard-hitting songs. A great performance, with The Edge playing superbly, and Bono puts a big searchlight on him, and then the crowd, as Adam looks macho. From there, it's straight into The Edge on keyboard, playing the opening notes of 'Running To Stand Still', and a moving rendition.

Then back to b/w, and the BIG one. The legendary version of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' performed the day of the Enniskillen bombing - another Sunday Bloody Sunday. Never was there a more pertinent playing of this song, and if anyone's going to have something meaningful to say about Enniskillen it's Bono, and he does. The song begins with Bono prowling the stage about to vent his spleen, Adam Clayton standing motionless with his arms wrapped around his bass, The Edge's lilting, mournful guitar, an appropriate accompaniment, before the song explodes into all its power, and a Bono rant about Irish Americans talking about the Irish revolution, and his saying, "F**k the revolution." Bono sinks down, like in prayer, at the end.

The best song from 'The Unforgettable Fire', and Martin Luther King tribute 2, 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)' is the last of the live performances, and the crowd joins in with such power it seems like the whole crowd are singing. Bono falls on his back when it's all over, and leaves the stage in the spotlight. The credits roll, with the beautiful 'All I Want Is You' playing. A song slightly marred by jarring strings.

'Rattle And Hum' is a very good documentary, and captures U2's live performances excellently, but it would have been nice to have heard more of the band talking, particularly Bono. U2, like Green Day, R.E.M., and Coldplay, are not only great bands, but they stick their necks out. Yes, U2 are often mocked for it, particularly Bono, as there's still a lot of people who believe in nothing. The trouble people often have with U2 is that they prick consciences. In an increasingly shallow world we certainly need them more than we did in 1987.

Copyright © Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.