Iconic Rewind: ‘Kylie’, ‘Wham!’, and ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’
The 1980s may be remembered for outlandish fashion, big hair and ceaseless optimism but it’s also home to some of the greatest pop music of our times. In this spirit of staying forever young, here are three blasts of nostalgia to take your back in time.
Kylie
Kylie is a comprehensive three-part docuseries and retrospective of Kylie Minogue’s music career, serving as a rewind of her life from the star herself. Generally a private person who has shied away from tabloid culture, Minogue’s participation makes this long-overdue exploration of her stardom a welcome one, capturing a decades-spanning journey marked by high highs and difficult lows.
Told from Minogue’s perspective as she sifts through pivotal memorabilia, Michael Harte mirrors her nostalgic deep-dive with archival footage and never-before-seen clips. From her seemingly miraculous big break on the Australian soap Neighbours to her rise as the ultimate ‘girl next door’, the compelling docuseries paints a clear picture of her early acting years and her drive to become what she always envisioned: a true pop icon.
Because Minogue guards her privacy, the documentary isn’t quite an all-access pass, yet it remains surprisingly revealing in what goes unsaid. Staying somewhat general in places, it’s nevertheless an impressive, colourful chronicle of her career. The film doesn’t shy away from her most painful moments – including high-profile breakups, health battles and a rocky relationship with the press – while celebrating her ability to reinvent herself across eras. Ultimately, Minogue’s willing participation and honest approach make this an entertaining and deeply relevant portrait.
The Greatest Night in Pop
The Greatest Night in Pop offers an insider look at the landmark moment when dozens of music icons gathered to record the legendary charity anthem ‘We Are the World’. It’s framed through the eyes of Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson and served as an executive producer and key interviewee on the film. A central force behind the event, the documentary captures the high-stakes lead-up to that fateful night and reveals how organisers managed to herd the biggest stars of the decade into a single recording studio.
The film serves as both a nostalgic snapshot and an eye-opening time capsule, exploring the pop music dynamics of the 1980s. The music documentary explains the extraordinary lengths producers went to pull off the impossible immediately after the American Music Awards. It offers a fascinating tribute to an era before auto-tune and mobile phones, showcasing raw talent and rarely seen footage of legends who are no longer with us such as: Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Al Jarreau, Tina Turner and Kenny Rogers.
Through fresh interviews with key contributors and behind-the-scenes personnel, the documentary delivers a revitalised perspective on the session. Watching famous egos get checked at the door – and the hilarious, high-wire act of managing that much star power – is half the fun. It’s an entertaining, touching account of an event that left a lasting ripple effect around the world.
Wham!
Wham! is an upbeat, fun and nostalgic retrospective of the hit sensation, Wham!. George Michael remains an undisputed ’80s icon who left us far too soon, but Wham! dives into the high-energy duo that first launched his talent alongside his best friend, Andrew Ridgeley.
Framed around personal scrapbooks lovingly maintained by Ridgeley’s mother, the documentary captures the playful, upbeat energy that catapulted the pair into the stratosphere. Far from just a stepping stone, the film highlights their genuine, equal partnership – filling in the details behind their meteoric rise, enduring popularity, and emotional final bow. It offers rich context for how Michael honed his songwriting and star power before going solo, all buoyed by a soundtrack of timeless hits and delightful behind-the-scenes trivia.
Check out Spling’s WKNDwatchlist episode, Eighties Euphoria, covering this triple play.
