Rating: 
Summary: A must see for anyone interested in Altamont.
Review: This video should be seen with Rolling Stone issue #50 and Sonny Barger's book 'Hell's Angel' close at hand for a full perspective
of that day. I was there and that's all I wanna say 'bout that.
Rating:
Summary: Something strange always happens when we do that number....
Review: A lot of people seem to be reviewing the event rather than the film and how well the film documents it. Of course the event was stupid, poorly planned, and evil, and I'm sure the Stones aren't proud of it...and the film captures all those things perfectly.This film is more interesting to me than Woodstock (still excellent), mainly because it has an aura of evil around it (evil is more interesting than peace and love on screen obviously). The impending doom makes the whole thing incredibly creepy. Though I love the music, it appropriately isn't placed as the centerpiece of the film; the cultural significance is focused on instead. The stabbing and other fights aren't overly graphic, so like a classic horror movie the horror is created in the viewer's mind. This ends up being brilliant, although probably due to lack of footage rather than necessarily a directorial decision. Another interesting aspect is the way in which the rich and famous performers are thrust into being "equals" with the crowd (as when the Jefferson Airplane guitarist gets punched-out by security, or the dog walks carelessly across the stage ignoring Jagger). Often it's even humorous in an "adding insult-to-injury" way, and gives the viewer the sense of helplessness everyone there must have had. I'd say this should be on a viewing list for documentary film classes, but it already is....
Rating:
Summary: Gimme Shelter Rules!
Review: I have to be honest, I can't BELIEVE some of the negative reviews of this film and DVD! First of all, this has been and continues to be one of the greatest rock documentaries of all times. As many of the more enlightened reviewers point out, this film is a true snapshot of the end of the sixties -- philosophically, emotionally and idealistically speaking. If you're a Stones fan, like I am, then this is a must-have. That's a given. If you're a film student, a film lover, an aspiring director, or you just want to see what it was like to be young and living in that era, it is, once again, a must-have. Regarding the "production" of this DVD, I think they did an admirable job of cleaning up the 16mm source footage. And it sounds great for a concert film recorded over thirty years ago. This film is a piece of history. It should be required viewing in high schools across the country when the "sixties" are covered in history classes. Yeah, the sound quality of the Stones' "Bridges to Babylon" DVD sounds and looks better, but it's a concert film that utilized the latest recording technology. In terms of historical significance and plain-old good documentary film-making, this film cannot be beat. Case closed. Oh, and by the way, Mick Taylor is the most underrated lead guitarist that ever picked up an axe. He still does club dates -- if he hits your town, don't miss him...
Rating:
Summary: Gimme this
Review: Concert films are, inevitably, pretty unrewarding spectacles. Iffy sound, endless crowd shots, migraine-inducing overuse of the zoom lens, and a sense of "well, you had to be there, of course" permeating every grainy long-shot of a "legendary" ten-minute Credence jam, all add up to an experience akin to someone telling you about a dream they had last night. That this Maysles brothers' Altamont doc was rescued from such Woodstock-the-Moviedom by the tragic events caught therein is certainly nothing to cheer about, but the results leave an indelible mark where your average festival film just washes over. Perhaps working with hindsight, but still believably, the atmosphere of impending disaster is magnificently built up over scenes of preparation for the speedway gig - from Andrew Loog Oldham's Partridgean attempts at crowd control ("You're rendering that scaffolding unsafe!") to the massive communication gap between the Hell's Angels security detachment and the strung-out organisers. Meanwhile The Stones hang about in local civic offices as the finer points of car park regulation are ironed out. By the time the famous on-screen audience stabbing is being played repeatedly, in slow motion to the shell-shocked band by the directors in a squalid edit suite, you're as sucked into the nightmare as they are. Chilling, compelling stuff. Oh, and the music's pretty good, too.
Rating: 
Summary: the video production is really bad!
Review: The video production is really bad. Too much bloody pics and overwhelming interviews. Some songs are ok but are poorly recorded. About the riot? hmmh Mick Jagger & co have to learn their experiences from the past yes? in fact, the Stones shows in the 80's and 90's are much better organized than this one. PS: I remember when I watched Deep Purple at the BANG YOUR HEAD FESTIVAL in BALINGEN SOUTHERN GERMANY. Like Stones, Purple is also one of the best Rock contemporary in the 70's hey day. Fortunately I did n't see any quarrels & fights between the audience. Everyone was happy & glad to watch the band kick back and play. Though PURPLE's hard rock classic sound is much more thunderous and louder than Stones ever did on stage.
Rating:
Summary: racism in rock n roll? the guy wanted to shoot Jagger?
Review: After I watched the show on TV, I don't even care what the other two reviewers said that the black guy wanted to shoot Jagger on stage and he was killed by the people who saw his act directly. My honest opinion is: I`D NEVER BEEN A STONES FAN. It is the fault of the band & their security themselves, because they gave the concert in Altamont for free. As a result was: everybody from all villages came to see the band, they carried anything they wanted to bring; knives, bottles, haschisch, beers, dogs, children, guns what ever...without being checked seriously by the security. I'd rather to see Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Purple or Black Sabbath shows.
Rating: 
Summary: LET'S CLEAR THIS UP
Review: before you believe any idiot that tells you the black guy was killed because 'racism', make sure you watch the film. this guy goes straight up to the stage with a GUN pointed at mick jagger, probably less than 10 feet from him. the Hell's Angels rightfully grab him and one wrongfully stabs him. this has nothing to do with his race. this was stopping an attempted murder of the leader of the Rollings Stones.
Rating:
Summary: the most chaotic show in the Rock history
Review: One never saw the chaotic rock n roll show like this documentary concert film, which had been made during the StonesÂ's USA Tour 1969. The uncontrolled riot in Altamont had happened, it became hell and desaster. The audience fighted & kicked with each other during the concert. What does that mean? ...nothing! it is no reason to hurt other people during the music show. The band did not want to play continuerly, if the people still fighted with each other. But nobody seemd to care about it!
The result of Gimme Shelter is terrible: one black youngster was killed by the knife. One american white female slut danced naked and did adultery in the general public. These experiences all became huge symbols of racism America in 1969.
What did JAGGER & Co said ? they gave only a show for free and felt a shame after that.
PS: you can check out other legendary Rock n roll shows on Video or DVD re-released from the 70Â's Hard Rock heyday such as LED ZEPPELIN - The Songs Remains The Same 1976 or DEEP PURPLE - California Jamming 1974. Their concert result are much much better than Gimme Shelter! And The music or Songset are more nice, dynamic, powerful than The STONES ever did.
Rating:
Summary: Gimme more, rock on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: A great rockumentary. Great music, great fun.
Rating:
Summary: Lawyers, Guns and Money
Review: The era of Peace Love & Dope crashes with a resounding thud in the summer of '69 and the brothers Maysles are there with thier cameras. An amazing document of the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour, conducted in the wake of Woodstock and with the glaring absence of one recently "fired" Brian Jones. Traditionally, reviews have played up the film's most sensationalist element-the murder of an Altamont concertgoer by Hell's Angels members, shockingly captured on film. In reality, this is about 15 seconds of somewhat blurry, vaguely confusing footage toward the end, and really shouldn't be seen as the main reason to view this fine documentary. With some rousing concert footage aside, the best moments pop up in the studio scenes, where one gets a rare and very real glimpse of Jagger and Richards as creative artists at thier peak. There is something almost poignant about one particular moment where Jagger and Richards listen to a playback of an early take of "Wild Horses". Richards lays on his back, eyes closed, cradling a half empty bottle of booze and blissfully mouthing the lyrics, while Jagger, who initially registers a somewhat nervous appraisal of his vocal take, literally claps his hands with an endearing, almost childlike delight and register of (quite justifiable) pride by the song's end. The Criterion DVD Edition does an outstanding job with the audio (especially on the studio playback numbers, which completists/collectors will appreciate as a way to hear crystal-clear alternate mixes of a couple of well-worn Stones classics). A five-star disc by all definitions.
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