Midnight Oil: 1984 (2018) User Reviews

Lots of passion onstage w the Oils - An exhilarating snapshot of the 80s

[Coburgkiwi · 7/10 · 10 June 2018]

Just saw this. An exhilarating snapshot of the Oils performing onstage. Candid shots of young adults attending concerts with at times dubious 80s hairdos (oh the eighties!), where the energy on stage and in the rapturous crowd oozes off the screen, like frontman Peter Garrett's perspiration. An at times mesmerising look at a band that connected hugely with its live audience - during a time when the nuclear arms race made the future feel at times very uncertain, and during the time of Garrett's first foray into Australian politics. From the interviews w young people you can see how engaged they were with the band and how they felt the band spoke for them. The movie gives viewers a chance to feel the dynamic energy of their live 80 s performances. There are few interviews, but the lack of narration is almost immersive. You get taken along on tour with them, in the early days when the band set up their gear themselves, and the support crew was small but dedicated. Lots of gaffer tape! A candid after concert glimpse shows band members sitting down with cups of tea, not quite the 'rock and roll' aftermath of a live show that you might imagine (!) Fans will love the music and the concert footage. But worth viewing for anyone interested in this point in history and the impact the Oils had on the political landscape of the time.

Midnight Oil 1984 like it was yesterday

[robhanks-01977 · 9/10 · 23 June 2018]

This is more than a documentary about the Oils. it captures the political and social climate of Australia at the time. The palpable sense of possible nuclear doom, the values and culture of young people and a band just before the world discovered them. This coincides with exactly when I was discovering the Oils and so I was instantly transported back to that era and time in my own life. The clever splicing of different recordings of the songs into seamless single live renditions is masterful. Michael Lippold as chief stage roadie and stirrer 'steals the show' with his insights on the rig and band. This is a clever film and a snapshot of Australia at the time. The finish is inspired as it alludes to what followed and invited the viewer into a celebration of what's happened since.

Amazing footage: you don't need to be an Oils fan to love this film

[Martianette · 9/10 · 14 March 2021]

That's it really - you don't need to know Midnight Oil or be a fan - the footage is so vital and engaging and so brilliantly edited (especially during the live songs) that you'll love it, even more so if you love music, or if you love documentaries. An admirable do-it-yourself band, making it work outside the corporate music industry conventions, selling out venues, writing killer riffs and brilliantly insightful lyrics of substance and catchiness.