The Cure: The Show Of a Lost World
Film Review
Watched on an 18 x 8 meter screen
Setlist available HERE !!
(trailer)
The Show Of a Lost World is a concert film captured by Nick Wickham featuring 31 songs, recut, remastered, and remixed in 4K, all performed live by The Cure at London's Troy (November 1st, 2024). Alongside playing their new record, 'Songs Of a Lost World', they brought back to life a setlist that has remained in record stores and home stereos for generations.
Seeing a concert so beautifully captured on film is an unknown experience for me, as someone who has never-gone-out-of-his-way to see a concert film (prior to this one). After three hours of watching Robert Smith dancing, smiling and singing on stage, as well as his very cartoonishly goth bandmates and extremely ostentatious rhythm guitarist, I can enthusiastically say: I loved this film. My attention was never failing to be fully consumed by the performance and cinematography happening on the screen, with beautiful colours and dynamics constantly painted across the stage, happily accompanied by gorgeous vocals and instrumentation provided by the band.
The camerawork was indescribably engaging, with flawless framing and enthusiastic compatibility with the lightshow that was taking place on stage. Wickham definitely knows his way around a camera, with each change-in-direction playing into exactly what the audience wants to see next. The cinematography of The Show Of a Lost World brings the band's performance to life, highlighting their emotional and expressive nature, whilst further providing a beautiful visual element to their music.
Further on the musical side of things, of course, The Cure does an excellent job of giving their music the respect and performance value it deserves. Robert Smith sounds, seemingly, exactly the same as he did in the '80s! Such an enchantingly recognisable voice. My highlight is definitely "Pictures Of You", which they performed earlier on into their set. I have a certain personal attachment to this song -- there were definitely a few tears shed thanks to the band's timeless regard and reverence they give to their own works of art.
Overall, concert films are certainly underrated and underreviewed. I recommend The Show Of a Lost World to anyone wanting to explore this genre of film :)
Thank you for reading!
