From the Sky Down (2011)

Original title

U2: From the Sky Down

Directed by

Davis Guggenheim

Genre

documentary film, rockumentary

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 30m

Rated

NR

Rating

7.5 of 10 from 22 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary follows the Irish rock band U2 as they work on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. It shows the difficult recording process and the band members' relationships using old footage and new interviews.

intimatereflectivehistoricalarchivalcreative strugglenostalgicbehind-the-scenes

What happens

From the Sky Down is a 2011 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about rock band U2 and the production of their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The film documents the album's difficult recording period, the band members' relationships, and the group's creative process. Guggenheim, who was commissioned by U2 to create the film to commemorate the record's 20th anniversary, spent several months in 2011 developing the documentary. The band were filmed during a return visit to Hansa Studios in Berlin where parts of the album were recorded, and during rehearsals in Winnipeg for the Glastonbury Festival 2011. The film contains unreleased scenes from the group's 1988 motion picture Rattle and Hum, along with archival footage and stills from the Achtung Baby recording sessions. Development of the album's emblematic song "One" is recounted through the replaying of old recording tapes. The film premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2011, the first time in the festival's history that a documentary was screened as the opening film. Beginning in October, a series of television broadcasts commenced, including showings on BBC Television, Showtime, and Super Channel. The film was bundled with the deluxe editions of Achtung Baby's 20th anniversary reissue and was later released as standalone copies on Blu-ray and DVD on December 12, 2011. Reviews from critics were mixed; many found the insight into the band's creative process informative, while others judged that the film did not provide adequate in-depth coverage of the album. From the Sky Down was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• V-U2
• Foo Fighters: Back and Forth (2011)
• Classic Albums: U2 - The Joshua Tree (2000)
• U2: Rattle and Hum (1988)
• Queen: Days of Our Lives (2011)
• U218 Videos (2006)
• Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) (2017)
• History of the Eagles (2013)