Rating: Summary: Disappointing, as the producers and press missed the point Review: Unfortunately, thanks to propaganda galore, this concert went down as an infamous event depicting what can go wrong at free concerts and eventually symbolized the end of the flower power movement. In reality, all this concert shows is what happens when a bunch of ignorant tuff-guys park their most prize possessions in the middle of 200,000 people and are in charge of security. What did they expect, a magical halo around their motorcycles at a rock concert? Of course people bumped their bikes, then fighting broke out and so on. As for the DVD, don't expect a documentary of a Stones concert because it's more a documentary of a riot. Satisfaction and Jumping Jack Flash are an awesome beginning but it's all downhill from there. The first few songs are from the 'Get Yer Ya Ya's Out' album in Madison Square Garden. This is the best the Stones have ever sounded and if this concert were entirely remastered it would be the best DVD ever. However, in this DVD most of the songs are interrupted with interviews or preparation of the concert. And sadly three of the best songs, Wild Horses, Brown Sugar, and Gimme Shelter, aren't even live footage. They have to start Sympathy of the Devil over once and none of the later songs go smoothly, which is a real shame because the live footage sounds really good. Even Tina Turner's incredible song is also cut short. This disturbing film shows a man getting stabbed, a fight scene with Jefferson Airplane, and mob violence throughout. This is a movie more for people who enjoy those Fox specials (i.e. When Animals Attack, Crazy Police Chases...), violent sports injuries or things of that nature. I can't see watching this repeatedly as some reviewers indicate. Don't get me wrong, the Stones sound good but it's tough to enjoy Under My Thumb when people are crying and getting beaten up. Plus Mick has to stop and start singing throughout. Maybe if you're board or unhappy with your own life, this will help you temporarily forget it. However, if you're a Stones fan who just wants a good concert to enjoy or fall asleep to at the end of a night of partying, go with another Stones concert, the Pearl Jam DVD, Rattle and Hum, or the Cunning Stunts DVD by Metallica which sets a new standard for concert DVDs. Being desensitized to movie violence, movies like Reservoir Dogs and Braveheart are excellent, but real violence doesn't entertain. This DVD is impressively remastered in DTS and has a great picture but poor replay value and incomplete songs make it not worth the money. I only wish this effort had been used to remaster the entire Madison Square Garden concert and not wasted on a bunch of bikers who can't understand why the Stone's took song long to start even though the act before them, The Grateful Dead, cancelled their set at the last second.
Rating: Summary: The World's Greatest Rock n' Roll Band........ Review: ....in the World's greatest Rock n' Roll Movie!!... Anyone who grew up in the vicinity of 1969 will view "Gimme Shelter" as a masterpiece in rock n' roll cinema. This film pretty much sums up the Flower-Power drugged out hippie world of the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco of the 60's. It's beautiful and frightning at the same time. Mick & the boys are in top flamboyant form, belting out song after song, with help from Tina Turner, The Plane, and more. This is what "Sex, Drugs, & Rock n' Roll" is all about! The illision that you can control a crowd of thousands with 'Peace n' Love" is so obvious here. "Tune in, Turn on, & Drop out" was never more evident than here. I love this movie. Too young to remember the 60's? See this movie to find out first hand. Peace Brother...
Rating: Summary: Not just the best Rock and Roll documentary ever made... Review: This movie has been almost universally acclaimed as the best Rock and Roll documentary ever, but that is damning with faint praise. This is a great movie, period. It documents the Rolling Stones during their landmark '69 tour, and in particular, the documentary maker's dream (and everyone else's nightmare) Altamont concert. At the time, the Stones truly were "the greatest Rock and Roll band in the world", perhaps the greatest of all time. Jagger's performance and charisma are at their peak, no trace of the almost self-parody he would later embrace. Keith Richards' playing is rough, raunchy and powerful, while the unheralded Mick Taylor's exquisite blues guitar leads contrast by their beauty. The performances alone (including Tina Turner doing "I've Been Loving You Too Long") would be enough to make this a must have film, but Altamont is what makes it a truly great film. When we get to the Altamont concert, it gradually becomes more and more terrifying, reminiscent of the slow build of "The Shining". At first, Jagger thinks he can control the situation with peace and love rhetoric, "Brothers and sisters. If we are all one then let's show it!" At the end, the once confident rock star is reduced to a scared little boy pleading, "I pray that it's alright. I pray that it's alright," right before a man is stabbed to death a few feet away from him. Highlights (besides the Stones and Tina Turner performances): Jagger watching a tape of himself (obviously stoned) giving glib and charming answers to reporters, then turning away from the tape, and almost blushing, saying, "Rubbish." Mick and Keith grooving to a different version of Brown Sugar that has a country lead guitar part, 2 years before the song was released. During the Altamont concert, a Hell's Angel on the stage staring at Jagger for a long time with a look of intense disgust like, "Look at this little faggot!" The disillusioned masses leaving the next morning while the rawest, nastiest version of "Gimme Shelter" you've ever heard plays on the soundtrack. When you watch the Altamont part of this movie, your shoulders and body will scrunch up as though you were at a truly scary horror movie. It is that visceral. It is emotionally draining, yet compelling, and the music is fantastic. I have it on VHS and I will get the DVD as soon as it comes out. You should own this movie.
Rating: Summary: No Shelter in the Storm Review: Not trying to sound too ponderous, but "Gimme Shelter" is an important document from a pivotal period in American (and international) social history. A pair of bookends, this video and the one from Woodstock (both festivals held the same year). The music is absolutely up to snuff (as you'd expect from the Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Ike and Tina Turner, the Flying Burrito Brothers). Yet of equal power, impact, and importance are the crowd shots. You go to Altamont with this one and see just how screwed up things got. And perhaps even come away with some sense of the "why" of it. Five big stars as a rating for this one.
Rating: Summary: Play it again sam..... Review: Gimme Shelter is the Casablanca of rock n' Roll cinema in that everyone who loves it swears up and down that films lynchpin horrifying incident occurs during Sympathy for the Devil.If this were true it would certainly be more aesthetically pleasing and strengthen my faith because if someone was killed during Sympathy for the Devil then there must be a devil and therefore must also be a god but it is a myth since the films celebrated incident occurs during "under my Thumb" just as surely as Humphrey Bogart never said "play it again sam" he said "you dirty rat you killed my brother" or i don't know exactly what he said but i do know in this movie the sh1t goes down during "under my thumb". Watch it and you'll see.Gimme Shelter is a musical heist gone wrong movie on par with Resevoir Dogs or the Killing with roughly the same sort of vibe as those films.The music in the film is excellent in particular Rolling Stone's version of Robert Johnsons "love in vain" the most beautiful piece of music ever made and people will know that 1000 years from now.
Rating: Summary: The Pinnacle Glory of the Stones Review: The famous Chicago Blues Band of the Sixties smashed their best work into this movie! The sound and songs are powerful and the culmination of the audience at Altamont was gripping. The movie also includes performances from Jefferson Airplane and Ike & Tina Turner. Pivital.
Rating: Summary: R&R Review: Just want to say, I saw this show when it first came to our town Anchorage,Ak in 1970 with Woodstock '69. Totally blew all of us away with its almost live sound of the time in a theater setting. farout
Rating: Summary: 30 years ago to the day Altamont is still an awesome sight. Review: This is one of the greatest films of all time. The movie captures the Rolling Stones at their best. Their live rendition of "Satisfaction," from the Madison Square Garden is worth buying the video alone. With a big screen TV and surround sound, you feel as if you are transported back to 1969. Today is the 30 year anniversary of the tragic Altamont concert. This movie captures the "altered reality" feeling that night outside San Francisco. I can best describe this movie as a real life horror film. It is truely powerful and moving. Everyone should see this movie!
Rating: Summary: 5 Stars for Tina Turner Review: Out of all of this video, the best part, if even only a few moments, is of Tina Turner, from the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, doing her classic hit, I've Been Loving You Too Long. Should have been the whole clip, but the fraction shown is enough to blow your mind!
Rating: Summary: End of the sixties Review: This is an important film, which the Stones allowed to be released to their credit. The filmmakers have competently captured the bad vibes and bad scene of Altamont, as well as the aimless Stones tour that led up to it. Facinating and depressing.
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