Wham!'s China Gamble and Legacy Revealed in Retrospective Documentary

Wham!'s China gamble and legacy revealed in retrospective documentary

LONDON - Four decades ago, Wham! became the first Western pop act to perform in Communist China. It was a visit that shaped the band's trajectory but also left a legacy that members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were largely unaware of.In the documentary film "Wham! 10 Days in China", out in cinemas worldwide on July 28, newly restored video...

Wham!’s China gamble and legacy revealed in retrospective documentary

By Hanna Rantala LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - Four decades ago, Wham! became the first Western pop act to perform in Communist China. It was a visit that shaped the band's trajectory but also left a legacy that members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley...

Wham! 10 Days in China review: Big hair, cheekbones, and the soft diplomacy of a cynical pop exercise

In cinemas July 28; Cert 12A

‘Wham! 10 Days in China’ Review: George Michael is Unlikely Cold War Diplomat in Fascinating Time Capsule of a Pop Politics Doc

Among the most refreshing aspects of “WHAM! 10 Days in China” is the film’s openness about the mercenary nature of the groundbreaking event it depicts. In 1985, Wham! had become massive stars in the UK, their effervescent catchiness creating an infectious bridge between New Romantic synth and bubblegum pop. But they had not achieved the end goal of every British act, namely, breaking into the U.S. market. Seeking an attention-grabbing stunt, Wha…

Queergruru's Peter Herbert reviews. WHAM! 10 DAYS IN CHINA.

A refreshing new documentary manages to reframe the origins of one of the music world’s superstars through extensive restored visual and audio material. The result is closer to a visual essay along the lines of the Maysles Bros’ 1970 Rolling Stone film Gimme Shelter and is a credit to director Mike Christie, who intercuts original material with reflective contemporary footage revealing far more than we have heard or seen before. The subject of W…