If you were not a fan of George Michael back in the 1980s, then honestly, I am not sure what you were listening to!
There was something very special about George Michael and the era he helped define, and sitting down to watch George Michael: The Faith Tour brought back a flood of memories for me. The fashion, the blue jeans and jacket, those unforgettable mirrored glasses, and of course that unmistakable guitar riff that immediately takes you back to the time when Faith was everywhere.
My excitement at seeing this concert footage restored and brought back to the big screen goes without saying. But what makes this experience so special is that this is far more than simply watching an old concert. It feels like being transported back to 1988 and standing among the fans as George Michael took the stage at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy during his record-breaking Faith Tour.
And then comes that music.The hits just keep coming — the songs we grew up with, the ballads, the big anthems and those beautifully written moments that showed why George Michael was not only a remarkable performer but one of the great songwriters of his generation.
George had a voice that could move effortlessly through the music, hitting the notes with that distinctive richness and emotion that made his songs so memorable. Watching him perform these songs again is a reminder of just how much musical talent he possessed and why his music has continued to live on.
“Faith” is, of course, one of those songs that needs only a few seconds to have you smiling — and before you know it, you are back in that time, feeling the beat and remembering exactly where you were when these songs first became part of your life.
For those lucky enough to have experienced the Faith Tour in person, this film must feel like opening a very special time capsule. For those who didn’t, it is the next best thing — and perhaps even better in some ways, because this remarkable footage has now been expertly restored and remastered for the cinema.
The concert footage comes from rediscovered, previously unseen and unheard 35mm material from George’s 1988 performance in Paris, capturing him at the height of his creative power.
Opening the feature is “Finding Faith,” an original short film directed by Mary McCartney, using newly discovered audio and imagery from 1986–1988. It adds another intimate layer to the experience, taking us beyond the concert and into the Faith era itself.
Directed by David Austin and Andy Morahan, with the original 1988 live concert shoot directed by Andy Morahan, this is clearly a labour of love and a wonderful opportunity to see George Michael in a way that many fans may never have experienced before.
And for future generations who discover George Michael through this film, welcome to cinema heaven.
George Michael: The Faith Tour is the kind of concert film that makes you want to get up, turn the music up and rock along with the beat. It is nostalgia, performance and pure musical joy wrapped into one spectacular cinema experience.
I can already imagine fans returning to see it more than once — because this is one film you will want to have on repeat when it eventually makes its way to streaming.
For me, watching it was a beautiful reminder of just how much music can take us back in time.
Thank you, George Michael, for the music.
Your songs have already made your name live on forever — and The Faith Tour is another wonderful reason why.
George Michael: The Faith Tour is in Australian cinemas from November 12.
(Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
Review Caroline Russo
