The Concert in Central Park (1982 TV Special) User Reviews

Real Pros, And Not A Bad Song In The Bunch

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 10 June 2006]

This is outstanding concert featuring most of the famous singing duo's best songs, of which there were many. There is a good mix of fast and slow songs and so-so stereo. Too bad they couldn't have re-mixed this in 5.1surround for the DVD.

Simon and Garfunkel are such pros. The two harmonize so well it's amazing and even though they were live, playing in front of a mammoth crowd, most of their songs sound like perfect studio takes. Yes, a couple might not sound as good as those original studio recordings but some - thanks to the great backup band here - sound even better than the originals! Most are equal....and ALL of them are winners. There are no "clunkers" in this group.

The boys looked a bit smug, but when you can draw literally hundreds of thousands of fans to a concert, I guess it's hard to be humble. They were real superstars of their music era.

An enjoyable evening.

[Hermit C-2 · 8/10 · 11 April 2002]

This pleasant documentation of the 1981 reunion of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel is a must-see for die-hard fans, of course, but it's likely to please the more casual listener also. The duo's much-ballyhooed get-together shows that even though the partners may have been unequal in songwriting talent, there was still something special about them when they reunited to harmonize on their classics. Simon's post-Garfunkel compositions work well too, and a highlight is his "Slip-Slidin' Away," in which his soaring voice on the chorus wraps beautifully around Artie's. "Late in the Evening" is a standout also, showcasing the band of top-notch New York musicians assembled for the occasion, including Steve Gadd and Richard Tee.

A good (and historically important) concert

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 14 November 2022]

One of the whitest concert movies of all time. Not a criticism or a positive - just an observation. The main thing is the music is very good. Setlist isn't all bangers, but all the usual suspects are here, song-wise (plus a few quirkier choices here and there).

The bit with the guy who rushed on stage surprised me. Always like it when those things are included in otherwise standard concert movies, for authenticity (reminded me of how the 30th-anniversary celebration concert for Bob Dylan included Sinead O'Connor getting booed by the crowd, all because she publicly criticized the Catholic Church before it was cool on TV sometime earlier).

Great concert film of a fantastic evening

[bradm-2 · 18 August 2003]

As one who attended this show, let me say that the video is a terrific testement to one of the best concerts I ever attended. Where else can 300,000 people gather for a musical event and there not be one incident, not one arrest and at the end, the fans clean it all up themselves. That's what happened on the late summer night in 1981. From Ed Koch's introduction to the soul stirring finale, this reunion concert is packed with hits from Simon & Garfunkle, as well as from Paul Simon's solo career.

Two Old Friends Reunite in Their Musical Primes

[erik-484 · 10/10 · 12 August 2007]

There isn't much to say about the vocal duo of Simon & Garfunkel that hasn't already been said. Their music (mostly written by Paul Simon) has provided the soundtrack for some of the most profound moments of the 1960s and 1970s. This concert, in particular, finds these two musical geniuses together again for the first time in 10+ years (September 1981). Though some of their exchanges in between songs are a bit chilly, their musical execution is pure precision. It's clear that their decade of separation has, in many ways, helped Simon & Garfunkel mature as musicians. The simple harmonies and musical settings of the original LPs resonate in this performance - and they are enhanced as these middle-aged performers try new things with their old favorites.

What's more awe-inspiring is the decision to include many of Paul Simon's material from his solo career - and to exclude Art Garfunkel's (with the exception of his pandering, ineffectual quasi-love song, "Heart in New York", that is clearly the weak point in the concert). Though Simon enjoyed more critical acclaim, one of the things that made S&G so special in the 1960s is that they were a team of two equal musicians with distinct gifts. Art, for his part, appears pleased to join in Paul's songs throughout the concert. In fact, on "Slip Sliding Away", Art moves stage left while Paul sings the solo verse. The camera catches Art merrily singing along like any normal concert-goer, before returning to the mic to harmonize on the refrain.

There is nothing overly exceptional about the cinematography of this video (not that you need it for a 1981 concert of folk musicians), but it does an adequate job of capturing all the musicians on stage. The opening aerial view of Central Park gives the viewer an idea of the enormity of the concert (500,000+ in attendance). When it's all said and done, this video lets the performance of two great musicians stand alone.

This is, arguably, S&G's finest concert EVER, when you consider the scope of music and the fact that these men are in the musical prime of their life. Regardless of age or musical taste, you can't help but enjoy this epic concert.

*Shrugs...it's okay

[InjunNose · 6/10 · 25 December 2004]

This concert film had some fun moments, but it never felt like a full-fledged Simon and Garfunkel reunion. Simon's solo numbers (which make up slightly more than half the set) all get big, lush arrangements, while the S&G songs sound spare and sloppy and tossed-off. What a shame. The duo does shine on 'Mrs. Robinson' (a great opener) and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', as well as on Simon's then-fairly recent 'Late in the Evening'. Unfortunately, Garfunkel gets to perform only one of his solo songs, 'A Heart in New York'. It doesn't help matters that, up until the last several numbers of the concert, these old friends seem pretty tense around one another. If you're a fan of Simon and Garfunkel or of Paul's solo career (or both), you'll enjoy "Concert in Central Park" to some degree. Still, you'd be much better served by getting the "Old Friends Live On Stage" DVD that was just released. The duo was spectacular throughout their 2003-04 tour, and the concert on the new DVD (well, the set is actually culled from *two* concerts) is much longer.

One of the best concert films ever

[El Guapo-2 · 18 August 2003]

You don't have to be a S&G fan to enjoy this concert film, showcasing the singer/songwriter and his harmonizing companion after almost ten years of professional separation.

Some of the highlights are: Bridge Over Troubled Water, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Out in the Evening, Kodachrome, and "The Graduate" standards, of course.

I can't think of a better way to unwind or relax or if you just want to listen/watch some good music.

A Review by a Fan who was there

[zensixties · 2 December 2003]

I remember this concert well...but as they say of the '60s, if your can remember it you weren't there. I was a teen back then (September 1981) and like most of the hundreds of thousands of others there I was smoking myself a "J". Me and a friend got a good place as everyone packed in hours before the show. Then I had to take a leak. Unfortunately it took an hour of stepping over a mass of stoned people to find somewhere to go, and as the concert started I gradually found my way back.

Mrs. Robinson starts it off. Then Homeward Bound, America, Me and Julio, Scarborough Fair, April Come She Will, Still Crazy, Late in the Evening, and it ends with Old Friends, Bookends, Sounds of Silence, and everything in between. This was a great concert and a respite for me from the New Jersey suburbs. Nothing much to do there except count the cars on the NJ Turnpike.

I went to Paul Simon's 1991 concert there too.

What's missing?

[popzit · 10 October 2003]

I have the VHS version, which I enjoy on regular occasions. I just purchased the DVD version, and (at the time) there was a new song played called The Late Great Johnny Ace. In fact, Paul Simon said so just before performing it. Now this seems to be missing from the DVD. And it doesn't seem to be hidden anywhere. Does anyone out in music land have any idea what happened to this? Anyway, this will go down in history as one of the best outdoor concerts ever performed, especially coming "10 years after" (does that name ring a bell?) the duo split up to pursue solo careers. S&G sound just as good here as they did when they first joined up. This is an absolute must-have for any serious baby-boomer music fan like me.