The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter - Criterion Collection

Starring:Marty Balin, Sonny Barger, Melvin Belli, Dick Carter (II), Jack Casady, Mick Jagger, Jorma Kaukonen, Bernie Leadon, Phil Lesh, Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Alan Passaro, Keith Richards (II), Michael Shrieve, Mick Taylor, Ike Turner, Tina Turner, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman
Director: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Studio: Criterion
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
To cite Gimme Shelter as the greatest rock documentary ever filmed is to damn it with faint praise. This 1970 release benefits from a horrifying serendipity in the timing of the shoot, which brought filmmakers Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin aboard as the Rolling Stones' tumultuous 1969 American tour neared its end. By following the band to the Altamont Speedway near San Francisco for a fatally mismanaged free concert, the Maysles and Zwerin wound up shooting what's been accurately dubbed rock's equivalent to the Zapruder film. The cameras caught the ominous undercurrents of violence palpable even before the first chords were strummed, and were still rolling when a concertgoer was stabbed to death by the Hell's Angels that served as the festival's pool cue-wielding security force.

By the time Gimme Shelter reached theater screens, Altamont was a fixed symbol for the death of the 1960s' spirit of optimism. The Maysles and Zwerin used that knowledge to shape their film: their chronicle begins in the editing room as they cut footage of the Stones' Madison Square Garden performance of "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and from there moves toward Altamont with a kind of dreadful grace. The songs become prophecies and laments for broken faith ("Wild Horses"), misplaced devotion ("Love in Vain"), and social collapse ("Street Fighting Man" and, of course, "Sympathy for the Devil"). Along the way, we glimpse the folly of the machinations behind the festival, the insularity of life on the concert trail, and the superstars' own shell-shocked loss of innocence.

Amazon.com essential video

To cite Gimme Shelter as the greatest rock documentary ever filmed is to damn it with faint praise. This 1970 release benefits from a horrifying serendipity in the timing of the shoot, which brought filmmakers Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin aboard as the Rolling Stones' tumultuous 1969 American tour neared its end. By following the band to the Altamont Speedway near San Francisco for a fatally mismanaged free concert, the Maysles and Zwerin wound up shooting what's been accurately dubbed rock's equivalent to the Zapruder film. The cameras caught the ominous undercurrents of violence palpable even before the first chords were strummed, and were still rolling when a concertgoer was stabbed to death by the Hell's Angels that served as the festival's pool cue-wielding security force.

By the time Gimme Shelter reached theater screens, Altamont was a fixed symbol for the death of the 1960s' spirit of optimism. The Maysles and Zwerin used that knowledge to shape their film: their chronicle begins in the editing room as they cut footage of the Stones' Madison Square Garden performance of "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and from there moves toward Altamont with a kind of dreadful grace. The songs become prophecies and laments for broken faith ("Wild Horses"), misplaced devotion ("Love in Vain"), and social collapse ("Street Fighting Man" and, of course, "Sympathy for the Devil"). Along the way, we glimpse the folly of the machinations behind the festival, the insularity of life on the concert trail, and the superstars' own shell-shocked loss of innocence.

Gimme Shelter looks into an abyss, partly self-created, from which the Rolling Stones would retreat--but unlike its subject, the filmmakers don't blink. --Sam Sutherland

Description

Called "the greatest rock film ever made," this landmark documentary follows the Rolling Stones on their notorious 1969 U.S. tour. When 300,000 members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hell's Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, direct cinema pioneers David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin immortalized on film the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams into disillusionment.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT RESTORATION! GREAT DOCUMENTARY OF THE GREATEST BAND EVER!.......2007-06-29

This documentary movie is legendary, but now that Criterion has performed a complete restoration of visuals and audio, it is really amazing! I still prefer some live versions of songs on this DVD then any other live versions released! Watching this restored film on my 10 foot screen is like going back in a time machine to this insane concert. The Stones are in great form for the most part and there are some interesting extras. If you are a fan and do not own this.....BUY IT NOW!

Chilling, Thrilling, and Impossible to Forget.......2007-05-29

This is not merely one great rock documentary -- it is one of the finest pieces of documentary filmmaking I have ever seen. The directors and cinematographer have truly captured the wildness, the drugs, the sense of abandon, hope, mystery, fear, violence, and joy -- all of it wrapped in a remarkable rock music event marred by the Hells Angels' tragic violence.

The sense of foreboding as the filmmakers capture the haphazard planning for this free Altamont concert is palpable -- I love the way the Stones' lawyer, Melvin Belli (wearing a very wide tie), attempts to negotiate a last minute concert site. There are so many impossible to forget images -- the Stones' listening to a play back of "Wild Horses" at Muscle Shoals studio; the stoned-out kids moving from amazement to horror as the violence unfolds; the boys listening to Sonny Barger call in to a radio station and justify the violence because the fans were "messing with our bikes."

There is great onstage concert footage too -- the Flying Burrito Brothers kick it off in fine fashion, then Tina Turner turns in a sexy performance, practically deep-throating the microphone, but by the time Jefferson Airplane gets on stage you just know something is about to go very, very wrong.

As the violence unfolds, to the onstage antics of "Sympathy for the Devil," things get very weird. Mick, onstage, calling for cool. Fans crying, mouthing to Mick "why?" silently, Keith and the boys still riffing as the beatings mount -- all captured brilliantly by the filmmakers.

The final piece -- Mick and the boys watching the concert footage in the studio -- is equally priceless and equally revealing.

Bravuro filmmaking!

ONE OF THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL MOVIES EVER MADE. .......2007-05-29

I will be writing a review on the legendary historic Rock n' Roll concert movie entitled "GIMME SHELTER" by the band that millions of fans and critics the world over call THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD. I give you England's second most favorite sons and one of Britain's pride and joy's, T-H-E R-O-L-L-I-N-G S-T-O-N-E-S! "GIMME SHELTER" is a Maysles Films Inc. Production which was originally released in 1970 and directed by David Maysles, Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary historic film or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

THE ROLLING STONES will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for composing and recording some of Rock's most sacred classic anthems of all-time. THE STONES have also delivered some of Rock's all-time greatest live performances ever. THE STONES 1969 World Tour is considered by many Rock critics to be one of the all-time greatest tours ever. THE STONES 1969 World Tour was a complete triumph for the band. However, in the end, THE STONES 1969 World Tour would also prove to be one of the most disastrous, tragic and most fatal tours in the history of Rock n' Roll.

Altamont 1969 was the last choice to hold a free concert just outside the Bay area. The first choice was Golden Gate Park, than Sears Point Raceway before finally settling on Altamont Speedway. Seeing the movie, in my opinion, this free concert was doomed from the beginning. When you have lawyers and legal B.S. to deal with, you will have nothing but chaos in the end as the movie will attest.

Mr. Ralph "Sonny" Barger is and always will be the President of the Oakland Chapter of the Hells Angels. He may not remember me but I met him years ago through a mutual friend while living in California in the 1980's. Our mutual friend is a member of either the Sacramento Chapter or the San Jose Chapter of the Hells Angels. Mr. Ralph "Sonny Barger now resides in the Phoenix, Arizona area and is now currently a member of the Cave Creek Chapter of the Hells Angels. Sonny describes the hell that went on at Altamont not only in the film but in his book. His descriptions make you feel like you were actually there and at the same time, make you wish that you were never there. To actually capture someone on film being stabbed to death in front of the stage during THE STONES concert before our very eyes is beyond disbelief.

THE ROLLING STONES, on the other hand, were cocky and arrogant, and for a very good reason. The band was on cloud nine, victorious from the success of the 1969 World Tour. Who wouldn't be cocky and arrogant knowing that their band was the greatest show on earth at that very moment. However, by the time December 1969 rolled around the corner, the band was unorganized and many of THE STONES entourage and personnel were making decisions without THE STONES consent or approval. When you see the film closely, you will notice right off the bat that many decisions were being made without THE STONES knowledge. Again, when you have many people involved such as law enforcement, lawyers and numerous personnel within THE STONES organization, there's bound to be a mess up somewhere along the way. As the saying goes, "IN 1969, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. ONE NIGHT AT ALTAMONT, IT DID!

When THE STONES took the stage at Altamont on that dark and dangerous December night in 1969, little did they know that it would be one of the most horrific nights in the band's lives. I'm sure that THE STONES must have wondered if they would ever get out of there alive. I know that I would have.

When bands such as THE GRATEFUL DEAD, THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, SANTANA and THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS took the stage, the atmosphere was extremely violent resulting in fights and beatings taking place everywhere on site. JEFFERSON AIRPLANE'S own Marty Balin was beaten up as he jumped in the audience to break up a fight in front of the stage.

It was clearly obvious that the violent atmosphere was going to get worse as time rolled on. Rather than talk further concerning this legendary film, I would definitely hope that all of you readers out there will purchase this DVD movie and watch it for yourself in case you do not believe it. Believe me when I tell you that everything I am saying to you in this review REALLY happened. This film is by far, one of the greatest Rock n' Roll films ever made. When you watch it, you will see what I mean.

Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. LONG LIVE THE ROLLING STONES! R.I.P. BRIAN JONES. Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.

Documents one crazy concert.......2007-05-16

This all happened years before I was born so it's not surprising it took me so long to check out the documentary. After all this time, I'm glad that I finally did. And I'm glad that someone filmed it all so that I could.

Gimme Shelter is an amazing documentary. It starts out a bit slow, with the Stones watching footage of their concerts and listening to tapes of people calling into radio stations to talk about the event. Seeing their reactions is pretty moving, and just to watch Mick Jagger do anything is pretty interesting in itself.

As the footage of the concert itself unfolds, it starts out looking like one of the best events ever. A free concert with huge stars and all the drugs you can handle... but then things take a turn for the worse. And the amazing thing is that it is all on camera. The Hell's Angels attacking the crowd, and the crowd attacking the Hell's Angels... and Mick Jagger pleading with everyone to just "be cool".

What a stunning documentary. Check it out if you're interested in rock, history, or just plain good documentaries.

Dramatic Documentary.......2007-05-07

The concert is hard to focus on as the spotlight turns to the murder of one of the concert goers, after that it's hard to appreciate the Rolling Stones performance.

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