When you want to be a rockstar, you need a blueprint and the WHAM trailer gives viewers a little tease into what it was like to start at the bottom and reach number 1. Directed by Chris Smith, the documentary stars George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in archival footage. While John Battsek, Alex Black and Simon Halfon join the crew as producers. Iain Cooke joins the crew as a music supervisor, while Estera Dabrowska joins as the music coordinator. This film is edited by Gregor Lyon, who had the herculean task of putting together the shots so their whole story makes sense.
The trailer shows us these two kids who grew up together in the same town. Meeting at ages 11-12 means doing things with each other for so long that there is a secret language between them. And all they wanted to do was create a band with each other, being each other’s anchor to pop stardom. However, the beginning was rocky. The press ‘slagged’ their album, and things were going peachy keen. Knowing this, George decided to make the music charts his north star for validation.
Forming his identity through success meant moving full throttle into music. Now comes Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. Moving along a little further, we see these two kids make albums that charted on top, write hit singles and play sold-out arenas that would make any artist jealous. This song changed their progression, making them an overnight sensation. The next few shots show them both having fun, smiling for the camera. In case anyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop, it doesn’t.
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All they share are good times and happy times. Friendship at the maximum level and success with the kind of popularity that made all of the effort worth it. For those two, however, it never felt like work. In documentaries like this, there is always a time period when everything goes to hell, but their story just seems like a wholesome look at their career and the largely unproblematic fame that came with it. Additionally, the archival footage of them just joking around, playing arenas and documenting life makes all of it an expansive emotional experience.
Watch the WHAM Trailer
WHAM! will be streaming on Netflix from July 5, 2023. Are you excited to see the evolution of these pop icons from the 80s? Let us know in the comments below.