If you think you have heard every last word on the Police you are wrong. I caught Can’t Stand Losing You, the latest documentary about the band during its encore showing at New York City’s First Time Fest (March 1- 4, 2013), and am as much confused by the trials, tribulations and relationship of Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers and Sting as ever.
The 90-minute film bounces between the Police’s 2007-08 reunion tour and a biography of the band’s guitarist Andy Summers (the narration and historical pieces are based on his memoir, One Train Later). The film was ‘presented’ (I’m not sure ‘directing’ is the proper word to use here) by Andy Grieve, who is known as an editor (his main function here) taking over material shot by Lauren Lazin during the band’s comeback tour.
Grieve then added narration taken from Summer’s book, then spliced in some film shot of the guitarist at his home, as well as archival footage of him from way back in the day when he was in Eric Burdon’s band in the early 70s and even before.
As Grieve himself told the small screening audience this film, which began production back in 2006, has a lot of never-seen-before footage from MTV’s vault (the Police were darlings of the channel back in the day), plus photos taken by Summers himself. The guitarist says his love of playing music and taking pictures were in equal measure by the time the Police were at their highest point of fame and disgust with one another.
Unlike Everyone Stares: The Police Inside And Out, Stewart Copeland’s drum-riser POV flick, Can’t Stand Losing You is much more cohesive. I found myself taken with those moments (rare though they were), like when you see the three members of the Police huddled close during the reunion to talk over a musical detail — one of them would reach out to pat the another on the back. As Grieve indicated, this film will probably not see a wide release, but if you can catch it on download or DVD, do so. Even if you’re not a Police fan, Can’t Stand Losing You is an entertaining and insightful film.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
