Unforgettable Fire Documentary

[TheQuiet1]

I was watching it on the Slane DVD today and does anyone else think that it shows Adam in a bad light? Bono's "Lost in Space" comment and then the filming of Adam breezily going to have his photograph taken sort of conveyed the impression that Adam was unreliable. Also, they never really showed Adam discussing the album like the others did, implying that he never really got involved in the process, just played his parts then left.

At the start even Bono came across as a bit pretentious and moody. Though his discussion of Pride with Brian and Daniel did sort of redeem him even if they didn't seem to get what he was meaning straight away... then again I guess the cameras must make everyone pretty ill at ease and not relaxed.

Larry seemed the most relaxed and friendly out of all of them which is pretty ironic when you consider that he usually gets quite tense in interviews.

The Edge was the one who I thought came across best. Constantly trying out new ideas on his guitar, he never seemed to stop!

So thoughts anyone? I'm not trying to say that Adam is as I thought he was portrayed in the documentary, just that that was how it came across. It could just be me or maybe it was edited that way, I dunno. It's just the way they seem up on stage at Slane seems so happy, relaxed and professional. And then you watch the documentary and it just doesn't seem to reflect that. Is it just that they were younger then or what?

 

[Lemonfix]

Oh, the UF doc, something only a true U2 fan could find entertaining. Actually, I'm in the mind that Bono comes off worse than any of them. So pretentious...whether that's what he was really like, who knows, he's not like that now and is all the better for it....

Adam, actually, I found myself laughing when the rest of them started wondering "where's Adam". The rest of the band didn't seem to be angry with him, or anything. Maybe it's me, but I like that he was kind of the fun, wild one (or at least had that reputation) and sowed some wild oats in his early 20's (and beyond, surely). Generally, his lifestyle didn't get TOO out of hand, and when it began to cross the line he was responsible enough to reshape his priorities.

Now, if he had overdosed in a ditch somewhere in Brooklyn circa 1992 I would maybe look back at this documentary and think "oh that Adam, we should have seen it coming..."

And actually, I'm sure that being filmed like they were, for the first time in their careers, made them uneasy and awkward for the cameras, and of course what gets edited in/out may have not been in their hands. Hey, maybe Paul McG wanted to insinuate Adam's rock lifestyle to spice up U2's otherwise serious image (?)

 

[TheQuiet1]

Now, if he had overdosed in a ditch somewhere in Brooklyn circa 1992 I would maybe look back at this documentary and think "oh that Adam, we should have seen it coming..."

...actually, I probably shouldn't be laughing at that!

Ps. I'm guessing from your avatar that you're a HSR fan.

 

[Lemonfix]

...actually, I probably shouldn't be laughing at that!

Ps. I'm guessing from your avatar that you're a HSR fan.

Guilty as charged

 

[LMP]

when Larry, Brian Eno, and a few other people go out to see the eclipse that's easily the best part of the doc

"Look what you've done w/ ur bloody rock music, u've put out the sun"

and Eno pretending 2 b Quincy Jones

 

[imogen]

I LOVE that documentary. As a teenager, I and my two best friends used to alternately watch that and Rattle And Hum over and over and over.... you get the picture!

I don't think Bono is pretentious, I think he is extremely uncomfortable.

I haven't watched it for a while, so I better take another look - oh the hardship!

 

[stonecircle]

Yes...Bono seemed uncomfortable and very self-conscious. And what about those bleached stained blue jeans.

Also when he was doing the scat singing and came back into the control room, it has always seemed to me like Eno and Lanois were making fun of him. "A little more passion, Bono?" one of them says.

 

[stonecircle]

...and it all seemed very Irish....when U2 seemed ultimately Irish, instead of international like they do now.

 

[Lemonfix]

...and it all seemed very Irish....when U2 seemed ultimately Irish, instead of international like they do now.

Yeah, listen to Bono's speaking voice then and now, definatley had a lot more Nort soid a' Dublin Oirish in it than it does now

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I particularly like it for Bono's singing bits. Look at his eyes, he's off with the fairies.

 

[Meghan]

Yes...Bono seemed uncomfortable and very self-conscious. And what about those bleached stained blue jeans.

Also when he was doing the scat singing and came back into the control room, it has always seemed to me like Eno and Lanois were making fun of him. "A little more passion, Bono?" one of them says.

It's just their sort of humour. Bono knows as well as they do that they're just taking the piss. I'm sure Bono does the same sort of thing to them.

 

[Meghan]

Larry seemed the most relaxed and friendly out of all of them which is pretty ironic when you consider that he usually gets quite tense in interviews.

I always thought Larry looked drunk through pretty much the whole documentry.
Especially in his interview:

I don't know what it is, just the way he's talking, I guess.
I know you're all saying, "But it's only one bottle?" But I remember larry saying he felt a little tipsy after 1 glass of champagne earlier this year.



And does anyone know why Edge has to spell "Lardence" out to Bono?

 

[VertigoGal]

I thought Adam came across as funny and generally nice, same with Larry. Bono and Edge came across as pretty pretentious at parts, but theyve outgrown it (sort of ). Plus they still had their humorous moments when they weren't being generally pretentious. Bono's Irish accent was gorgeous though. It's not like that anymore...

 

[X-it 7]

The Edge: "I don't feel like we peaked necessarily."

Brian Eno: "Then would you like to go out there and peak then?"


Best line of the doc!

 

[TheQuiet1]

"Look what you've done w/ ur bloody rock music, u've put out the sun"

Then Adam wanders in: It's gone all dark!
Everybody else then feels the need to introduce him like it's an American sitcom: It's Adam!

Probably the funniest part for me too.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I liked that part, too.

The thing that amuses me about Adam isn't his personality in the documentary, but the outfit he's wearing. Wow...

I like watching them crack up during the recording of..."Three Sunrises", I believe it is.

Angela

 

[U2girl]

the Macarena bit Daniel Lanois and Bono do while Edge is trying to play guitar.

 

[MsMofoGone]

While sitting at the control panel with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno ... Bono is talking about the song Pride and how the tempo is wrong because the song ends before it begins ...

Bono then says ...

"If I tell you a story 'bout Johnny Mc Gorry ... shall I begin it ...
well that's all that's in it ..."

"My father used to tell me that when I was a kid ... it put me to sleep ..."

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

the Macarena bit Daniel Lanois and Bono do while Edge is trying to play guitar.

Oh, yeah, that part's good, too .

Also, at the part that MsMofoGone is alluding to, the only thing I can think about during it is how much of a genius someone would have to be to know how to move those buttons around and all that sort of thing to get the right sound. I'd just look at it and be like .

I dunno. Maybe it's easier than it looks. But seeing as I know next to nothing about the technical aspect of record-making, it impresses me when I see people who do know about it, and are able to do good things with it.

Angela

 

[Meghan]

Did anyone else notice while Bono is making suggestions about how to run Good Morning America, Edge is doing some sort of Nazi-type marching in the background?

 

[stonecircle]

...no ....Edge is doing his best Ministry of Silly Walks impression!
(AKA Monty Python if you don't know.)

 

[thrillme]

Then Adam wanders in: It's gone all dark!
Everybody else then feels the need to introduce him like it's an American sitcom: It's Adam!

Probably the funniest part for me too.

Yeah, then he says how handy it is to have a film crew around.

Then the eclipse footage is used in one of the videos.

 

[martha]

The UF doc is on the Slane dvd?

Does it show that I haven't watched my Slane dvd?


PS Bono has no shirt on under his jacket when he's singing the Three Sunrises parts and cracking up.

 

[joerags]

I like when Larry looks at the camera and says

"Hi fans" and waves.

And then starts singing to the camera.

I also like when Adam "flashes" when he has his picture taken.

Camera guy: "Why don't you straighten your shirt."

Adam: "How bout that?" and flashes his nipple.

 

[FungusAmongus]

LOL!! Pretentious? No, I never thought of it as that at all. Just what someone else mentioned here... they were probably feeling kind of awkward and at the same time, their Irish sense of humor...which kicks fucking ass.
Its one of the most funniest documentaries.

And yup, I aaaaabsolutely love the little Macarena bit Bono does and the whole "Lardence" bit. Holy jesus.. purely C-L-A-S-S-I-C. lol.

I watch it all the fucking time. I'm nuts. lol.

-Chrissy

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

How could you guys say that Bono and the Edge came off looking pretentious in that documentary?!

If anything they came off looking the exact opposite. They both agknowledged that the music they were making was not coming from them but from a greater force. They both agknowledged Gods work and presenence in their music

'I believe the music is already written.'

 

[Popmartijn]

The UF doc is on the Slane dvd?

Does it show that I haven't watched my Slane dvd?


PS Bono has no shirt on under his jacket when he's singing the Three Sunrises parts and cracking up.

That's (almost) as bad as me still not owning Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

 

[the soul waits]

I don't have the Slane DVD.



But guess who's online-shopping for it as we speak?

 

[irishdove]

I like near the end when Bono "eats fire" by putting a match out in his mouth

 

[martha]

That's (almost) as bad as me still not owning Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

I know.

I had to have it given to me as a Christmas present yet.