Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out

Director: Stewart Copeland
Screenwriters: Stewart Copeland

Institute History

  • 2006 Sundance Film Festival

Description

Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out is not another documentary about a band. Rather, it is a first-person account of what it feels like to rise from obscurity to international superstardom, a priceless glimpse at the making of legends from the inside. Comprised completely of Super-8 footage from Stewart Copeland, the drummer of the band turned filmmaker, the film shows the Police from a perspective never thought possible.

The film begins with an overview of the band's early, less glamorous days in London; it then follows them on a small tour to the U.S., where Copeland begins shooting and their music starts to catch on. By the time they return home, "Can't Stand Losing You" has become a hit, and their lives change forever. From joking around backstage and in hotels, to playing concerts and doing recording sessions—including when Sting first plays the baseline for "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"—the film captures divine moments of creation that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

Copeland should be commended not only for having the foresight to film everything but also for his terrific job at assembling it into a one-of-a-kind documentary. His candid narration guides the audience as it takes the ultimate ride from the bottom all the way to the top.

— Trevor Groth

Screening Details

Credits

As you use our Online Archives, please understand that the information presented from Festivals, Labs, and other activities is taken directly from official publications from each year. While this information is limited and doesn't necessarily represent the full list of participants (e.g. actors and crew), it is the list given to us by the main film/play/project contact at the time, based on the space restrictions of our publications. Each entry in the Online Archives is meant as a historical record of a particular film, play, or project at the time of its involvement with Sundance Institute. For this reason, we can only amend an entry if a name is misspelled, or if the entry does not correctly reflect the original publication. If you have questions or comments, please email [email protected]