Movie of the Day "Gimme Shelter"
From imdb
In December of 1969, four months after Woodstock, the Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane gave a free concert in Northern California, east of Oakland at Altamont Speedway. About 300,000 people came, and the organizers put Hell's Angels in charge of security around the stage. Armed with pool cues and knifes, Angels spent the concert beating up spectators, killing at least one. The film intercuts performances, violence, Grace Slick and Mick Jagger's attempts to cool things down, close-ups of young listeners (dancing, drugged, or suffering Angel shock), and a look at the Stones later as they watch concert footage and reflect on what happened.
There's a few Documentaries that amaze to no end, Gimme Shelter is one of them. Sure it's about the Rolling Stones and how great it to be in a Rock band (not to mention "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World" as the Stones themselves proclaimed themselves) but it's also about america and it's also about the arrogance of youth the end of the peace and love era that was the sixties and into a scarier more violent 70's.
I used to sit and watch Gimme Shelter just for the amazing camera work. The sheer audacity of it, the fearlessness is inspiring. The scene in the recording studio where the band is playing back an early recording of Wild Horses always stands out to me as one of the greatest moments in Documentary film (bold statement, I know). In the scene Albert Maysles is zooming into the faces of the members of the band and stops on the face of Drummer Bill Wyman. Wyman stares into the camera coldly, a look that very clearly states "You do not belong here" and what does the Maysles do? He zooms in. He doesn't pan away he moves closer. It's a confrontation through cinema, it's the filmmakers stating "I belong here because I have this camera" It's fearless. I think that that scene confronts a lot the inherent problems in Docs. Does the subject behave differently around the camera? What does the presence of the camera do to the subjects? and What is ethical to record?
Gimme Shelter does something that I don't remember ever seeing before or since. A rough cut of the film is shown to the band and their reaction is filmed.Mick Jagger is questioned about what he meant at certain times. When something is confusing the film literally backs up and clarifies itself. It's a spectacular to watch
it's perfect in every way, It's lyrical, and gorgeously photographed. Shot on film, the movie has a soft depth of field that docs rarely have anymore.
Gimme Shelter is truly a masterpiece of Documentary film making and a perfect concert film.
If you have seen this film or plan on seeing it, please let me know.
Wanna know what I"m watching? Add me to your Netflix Friends or just take a glance at my queue!
Add Gimme Shelter to your Netflix queue
Buy Gimme Shelter
Gimme Shelter on imdb
Gimme Shelter on Rotten Tomatoes
