Not only is this far from the best music documentary ever made, it isn't even the best documentary about THE ROLLING STONES ever made. If you're looking for that, check out Gimme Shelter (1970)... a documentary about the difficulty and logistics of setting up a large
scale concert. Gimme Shelter also shows a guy getting stabbed at the concert (something, ironically, you'd expect from Scorsese's movie). To be fair, Shine A Light is also a "concert" film, but it isn't even the best Rolling Stones concert film ever made. For that, check out the concert DVD Four Flix or the IMAX version of the Steel Wheels tour in '89.

Why is it so terrible? First... camera perspective. The whole point of a concert film is to show the grandeur of the event with wide and medium shots. Scorsese chose lots of shots that were tight shots from below, giving you claustrophobia in New York's grand and historic Beacon Theater (a beautiful and spacious place). Additionally, for the first half of the film, you are inundated with bright flashing lights and quick camera POV changes. Combined with the tight screen shots of Mick Jagger's face, I wasn't sure if I was watching a concert film or a trailer for Hellboy 3. The jerky camera shots slow down halfway through, but I had reached the point of irritation long before then. Second is audio. Normally, a live show would have the audio from the "whole mix" of what everyone is playing for maximum sound enjoyment. Scorsese didn't do this. Maybe it was intentional along with the frequent up close shots to capture an on-stage perspective, but I don't want to hear Keith Richards playing rhythm when Ron Wood is playing lead (and these days I'm not sure I want to SEE either of them doing anything). Add in some guest appearances by county-fair caliber musicians, and you've got your masterpiece. If that weren't enough, I was forced to deal with the blatant distraction of Marty's crazy eyebrows and horn-rimmed glasses; I thought I was looking at a Groucho Marx novelty disguise.

Never has a greater discrepancy between a movie and the real thing been so prevalent. I've seen The Rolling Stones live.... and "Senator Scorsese, you're no Rolling Stones documenter."


Related Reviews:
Martin Scorsese movies
The Aviator (2004)
The Departed (2006)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Rolling Stone
Combustible Celluloid

Labels: documentary, film, guest review, Keith Richards, Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger, movie review, music