| abstract | - Todd: Hey, come watch a movie with me. [Todd jumps onto the couch, still hidden in shadows] You know, I never really understood why Bono gets on some people's nerves so much. Video for "Walk On" Bono: Walk on... Todd (VO): 'Cause they're out there. There's a significant chunk of U2 haters in the world who think Bono is the most intolerable, self-righteous, overblown, pumped-up dilettante who ever lived. You know, it's not like I don't think Bono can be all those things—I have eyes—it's just never bothered me. So he wants to get up on his soapbox and act like he can change the world. Let him. It's a better brand of egotism than the kind we usually get from famous people, at least he's trying to do something positive. Besides, I tend to like my rock stars on the bombastic side. So what's the big deal? Todd: Then I watched Rattle and Hum...and I got it. Boy, did I get it. Footage from Rattle and Hum Todd (VO): For at least one year after their mega-platinum masterwork The Joshua Tree, 1988's Rattle and Hum was to be an ambitious followup—both a filmed documentary of their live Joshua Tree tour, and a soundtrack album consisting of new material, cover songs and live cuts following U2 as they cross the country exploring their fascination with American music. And to be fair, as a U2 fan, I think most of the music in this is actually pretty good. But even still, Rattle and Hum is a painful chore to watch. Every one of U2's most negative traits is magnified to a thousand, and every scene seems to be designed to make them look as ridiculous as possible. Most people who've watched it can think of a good thing to say about it, but I've never seen anyone call it a complete success, least of all the director or the band, neither of whom like how pretentious the final product turned out. Todd: So what could be so bad about Rattle and Hum that even the famously un-self-conscious Bono was forced to admit that he was embarrassed by it? Well, put on your South African t-shirts and start knocking back the Guinness while we take a look at... Clip from movie's performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which serves as the interlude through the countdown Bono: No more! Sing... Audience: No more! Todd (VO): ...the Top Five Awful Moments in U2's Rattle and Hum. Audience: No more! Bono: No more! Audience: No more!
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