Shine a Light
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Movie Reviews of Shine a Light
Movie Review: Mick and Martin
Summary: 5 Stars
Going to see a concert nowadays takes all one's resources. Ticket prices often go up to three digits, and most likely the best view is watching the band perform on a video screen. Sometimes people (myself included) are willing to travel long distances to see one's favorite acts perform onstage. Getting to see the biggest bands, like Paul McCartney, U2, and The Dave Matthews Band is difficult at best. Ironically, the cost of a ticket to see The Rolling Stones play in Martin Scorsese's documentary/concert film 'Shine a Light' is about the same as it would cost to see a live concert when many of their featured songs were popular. It ain't like it used to be.
However, the sheer power and able musicianship haven't gone stale nor retro, so the film is a real treat for those of us who have all but given up on seeing them in person.
It is a testament to Scorsese's directing abilities that the prologue, the intermittent vintage vignettes, and the conclusion are uncluttered. We get our introduction to the band and the various methods of setting up the stage, the play lists, and the operating procedures of the filming. Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese go at the logistics in a way that has tension, but never garners animosity or loses affection for the project. In many ways, it is a labor of love for both sides, but it is Scorsese who seems the most piqued by the end.
On stage it becomes a celebration. There's no arguing these guys are dedicated. After an exuberant rendition of "All Down the Line," an early song, Charlie Watts looks directly into the camera and with a few facial gestures lets us know without pretense how demanding it is to be one of the nimblest drummers of one of the most celebrated rock bands ever. Equally flexible is a slender Mick Jagger who still struts his stuff as well as ever. Rising to the occasion is the guitar interplay of Ron Wood and Keith Richards, whose camaraderie outmatches Keith and Mick.
There's good will and good vibes all around that never seem forced. The concerts draw from San Bernadetto and New York City, and the former concert is a benefit for The Bill Clinton Foundation. Near the end of the introduction, we get the former President, his senator wife, Hillary, and several relatives who get a chance to meet and have pictures taken with the band. On stage, they've never seemed happier. The energy has always been there, but the warmth between the band members seldom has seemed more cohesive. This concert shows them having fun, almost like they've taken themselves too seriously in the past. Never has Mick Jagger seemed so willing to share the stage. There are moments that Keith is front and center with Mick off of the venue. Then, Mick gets almost deferential with guest guitarist, Buddy Guy, and singers Jeff White III and Christine Aguilar. Even the back up members in the brass section, the dancer-singers, and the other musicians get the spotlight. As Keith says in a fairly recent interview, "I don't THINK when I'm up there. All I can do is feel," and more simply, "We love what we do." (Yet, I couldn't help but notice Mick stop in the middle of the stage while he was singing "Jumping Jack Flash" as he was in the sites of a pretty fan's picture cell phone. Some things never change.)
After a huge catalog that forty-five active years can garner, they bring a lot during their vintage performances. The play list? Well, there will always be a bone to pick, but what makes the "light shine through" is their ability to play any song and make it really rock. I was surprised, for instance, by the number of songs they drew from `Some Girls,' which happened to be my first Stones' album, but while I don't think it's their best selection, I loved what they did with it in concert. Besides several tracks from `Some Girls,' they take highlights across the board, but showcase variety in their repertoire. "Jumpin' Jack Flash, as an opener, "Tumbling Dice," "Brown Sugar," and "Start Me Up" are The Stones playing big, but, then, "Far Away Eyes" is a sample country serving that is contrasted with blues numbers like "I'm Free". Acoustically, they play just fine with "You Got the Silver" and "As Tears Go By".
For a concert movie, they still know how to show everybody a good time. They are vintage rockers: smooth, seasoned, but still with a kick after all these years.
Movie Review: I admit it; I'm still a fan of the Rolling Stones!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fascinating "live concert" movie. Martin Scorsese, who also directed The Band's "The Last Waltz," does a nice job of simply capturing the spirit of this concert. There is a gritty reality to this concert and ancillary material; it is clear to all viewers that the Rolling Stones have lived a long time, as their age shows on their faces. The fact that they can still rock and roll is truly amazing.
There are some welcome guests on this DVD--Jack White, Christine Aguilera, and, most welcome of all, the legendary Buddy Guy. There are also the keyboard players and horn section, featuring golden oldie Stones' partners, such as Bobby Keys. And, of course, Darryl Jones, who is the bass player. But it's the four Stones, three of whom have been around since the very beginning, that make this concert work. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Charlie Watts are still rocking in their mid-60s; Ronnie Wood, relative newcomer, keeps up with them nicely.
The DVD opens with grainy black and white footage of Scorsese and the Stones discussing the movie. Scorsese wants to begin nailing down details, and the Stones don't even give him the playlist until just before the concert and its recording take place at "The Beacon," a fairly intimate setting. The Stones, in short, only appear grudgingly to cooperate with Scorsese.
The concert is recorded in color, with guests such as Bill and Hillary Clinton. Interspersed throughout the movie are old interviews with the Rolling Stones over time, providing some sense of who they are as individuals.
Maybe the best way to proceed is simply to note a sampling of songs and provide my impression of what I observed and heard. The concert begins, in classic fashion, with one of the glorious rockers of all time--"Jumping Jack Flash." Mick looks old, his voice does not have the range of his youth, but he can still sing a compelling version of this song. Keith Richards' guitar licks, Ronnie Wood's playing, Charlie Watts' drumming (sounds like a series of controlled explosions), Darryl Jones solid bass work all blend well together. It is stunning to see the energy and even pleasure that the old timers have playing this iconic song. The cameras do a nice job of capturing this and other songs.
"Shattered." One of my favorites (I like to juxtapose this with another song about New York City--"Hot Stuff"; the tone and atmospherics are so different!). Jagger can still prance around with high energy.
"Some Girls." Toned down for the concert! Mick Jagger joins Ronnie and Keith on guitar and it looks like they're enjoying the moment.
"Champagne and Reefer," an old Chicago blues song. Buddy Guy, the great blues player, joins the Stones. His guitar work is spare but powerful. It's fun to watch him exchange licks with Keith and Ronnie; it's also fun to listen to his singing, joining Jagger on vocals. Mick's harmonica work adds a nice element, too.
Other cool performances abound (other reviewers list the actual songs played, so I won't duplicate). Some random thoughts. The audience spontaneously singing "woo woo" during "Sympathy for the Devil"; interactions of the backup singers with Jagger on several songs; the group's version of one of the Temptations' greatest works, "Just My Imagination."
And, one final brace of songs--"Brown Sugar." The guitars start this off with the great guitar sound and riff. Jagger joins in with the lyrics speaking of slavery in the old South, with lines like "Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields" and people being "sold in a market down in New Orleans." Then, finally, "Satisfaction." As soon as the listener hears the fuzz tone, you know that Keith is going to kick this song off. Over forty years after its release, this rocker sounds as great as when it first came out, although the singers' voices are not as youthful as then and although their faces are deeply lined with evidence of the years that have passed.
The extras are nice, but I never pay much attention to those on DVDs. Scorsese has nicely captured a Stones' concert and the group's spirit. They can still be cantankerous, but they can also still rock. All in all, a fine DVD.
Movie Review: Live On Stage With The Stones
Summary: 5 Stars
This film is a brilliant documentary/concert depicting the Rolling Stones as still one of the most enduring popular music acts. The great thing about this film, besides being another fantastic effort from Martin Scorsese, probably the best music-documentary filmmaker of all time (he should have done the Chuck Berry 60th birthday gig), is that the viewer actually feels that they are part of the film and on stage with the Stones! This well constructed film follows the Stones, who are on tour, to a charity concert in New York. It's in an intimate theater setting which was specially designed for this movie. Not at all like some of the previous Stones concerts at Stadium venues!
The photography and sound are first rate. Guitarists will love the close-ups of Keith and Ronnie, as well as the selection of guitars (Telecasters, Gibsons, a Guild and others) that Richards uses. The song selection is superb and well recorded and while the film is a documentary it is full of personal touches regarding the making of the film, old interview footage, conversations and even a few problems.
My only criticism of this film is that they didn't get Bill Wyman to return for it as a retrospective and that they didn't include at least some historical footage of Brian Jones - who really founded this band and got the Blues going in England. Ok, you can't have everything.
The band is truly amazing. The Stones modernized their sound by augmenting their live shows with horns, background vocals and even strings. However, a highlight are the vocals of the lovely Lisa Fischer, whose brilliant LP "So Intense" (check it out) won a well-deserved Grammy in about 1991 and then mysteriously disappeared from the scene, because of many problems - some business- only to reappear with the Stones. She also sang with Tina Turner.
There of course have been a lot of reviews of this film as you would expect, so I won't go through the entire set list. I feel the three best tunes in this film are (1) "Just My Imagination" - I have always respected Mick Jagger as vocalist who would do covers of the great soul artists. He did early versions of Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and Otis Redding tunes (that takes GUTS). In the late 1960s the Stones did a cover of the Temptations "My Girl", after it had already been a number one tune. Wow! It was not that good. This tune, a later hit by the Temps, is just brilliant. A great arrangement, tasteful solo by Keith, and a great overall rock-soul feel. This is the best tune in the set.
(2) "Champagne and Reefer," with Buddy Guy is also fantastic. Buddy plays in tune (great) and the song is really dedicated to Muddy Waters who originally recorded it. Buddy was a longtime session man at Chess Records in Chicago and played for years with Muddy. I also liked Mick's blues harp in this tune, it recalls the first two Stones' LPs when he did some of the first Blues harmonica heard by white kids in America on tunes like "Little By Little" and "I'm A King Bee".
(3) The third best tune, I feel, is the Brian Jones influence in this concert. It is "Paint It Black". This is the best of the bonus tunes and shows the Stones great writing ability. They pegged this tune in the late 1960s with the "Flower Power" days and of course, Brian, the multi-instrumentalist, learned to play sitar better than George Harrison did. Anyway this tune still sounds fantastic today!
This is a must have DVD for all Scorsese, Stones, Rock or Blues or Film fans. Great price, great production, good history and a personal feel that we always get from Martin's films. This will be a classic in years to come.
Movie Review: OH... MY... GOD!
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, I saw it on opening night (in IMAX - I wasn't aware that it IS being shown in "regular" theaters, as well), and am still stunned and euphoric. It was better than my wildest dreams, one of the few movies that actually lives up to the trailer, and is now one of my five fave movies of ANY kind, all-time.
Musically:
The band may be sounding better than ever: Charlie, God bless `im, is nearly flawless, and his kit sounds incredible. Ronnie plays better lead than I've EVER heard him play, from Faces through all of the tours & albums he's done as a Stone. Keith's soulful feel always amazes, and he sings stronger than in some time. Darryl J. is SO locked in with Charlie. Lisa & Bernard sound gorgeous (and she LOOKS that way, too). In a rehearsal scene, I learned that Chuck is the de facto musical director (Damn him; he's had my dream gig for WAY too long!) - he kills, too. The horns are spot-on, as well, from the bluesy arrangements to the precision parts they play on "All Down the Line." Mick may have done the best live singing of his life - his tone is true to what he's sounded like on recordings, which has not always been the case in concert... ditto with pitch, phrasing and interpretation. Needless to say, he's still the most riveting front man in rock n' roll. Perhaps the most pervasive thing: Everyone on stage seems to be having the greatest, most fulfilling time of their lives, and they are performing as if those lives depended on it.
Technically:
God bless Marty Scorsese, too - he loves the music & presence of the Stones enough to LEAVE THEM THE F*** ALONE! This is a jaw-droppingly good film, from shooting to mixing & editing. Speaking of the mix (concert segments done by the great Bob Clearmountain), from a surround standpoint, it is astounding, at least in IMAX. I was happily blown away by this technique: Whomever is on camera, their instrument/voice is up front in the mix for the duration of that shot - PERFECTION! Between Scorcese's visual choices and Clearmountain's audio ones, I truly felt as if I had the best seat ever at a Stones concert. ONE GRIPE: I could have used more of Darryl's bass, and at times, Chuck's keyboards.
Guest spots:
Jack White: Okay. He's got the right idea.
Christina A: She, on the other hand, doesn't. She wails too much, especially for a GUEST. Great pipes - seems to me like she doesn't know when NOT to use them. Note Keith's reaction as she leaves the stage.
Buddy Guy: Try to take your eyes off of his - I dare you! Scorcese couldn't. A brilliant moment in time.
Viscerally:
My legs never stopped moving to the beat, at times, I shut my eyes and let my body sway, out of sheer tranquility. Ever since we left the theater (after midnight last Friday), I have felt more inspired as a musician; I've been writing more than I have in months. These are the effects the Stones' concerts have always had on me - as I wrote to 40 of my closest friends, "Go. Go to the soonest showtime that you can possibly make."
Movie Review: It's only the Rolling Stones but I like it, like it, yes I do
Summary: 5 Stars
"Shine a Light" captures the Stones at the end of a long tour and even longer career. I saw them in Vegas about a week before this concert, and they were at their best. Mick Jagger's father had just passed. It's a great concert. I also saw this film the day it opened. I've seen the Stones four times, since the 69 tour, and all of their DVD's and/or movies.
Don't believe all these film school losers reviewing the film or wannabe rockers putting down the Stones because they're old. Imagine film school students without credits putting down Martin Scorsese! The guest stars, Christina, Buddy Guy, Jack White, rock. One might wonder why they should buy "Shine a Light" as they already own Stone's DVD's, a fair question. This film features songs from "Some Girls", the best Stone's album for 30 years: "Some Girls" (but without the lyrics about black girls who just want to get..."; "Just My Imagination"; "Faraway Eyes" (country song with hillbilly humor); and "Shattered". Christina and Mick make the best Stone's duet since Tina Turner and Mick mixed it up for "Live Aid" on the "Let it Bleed" album classic, "Live with Me". Buddy Guy gives the movie a party rousing "Champagne & Reefer", an old Muddy Water's song. How appropriate, as the Stones took their name from a Muddy Water's song. Never before on DVD have we seen the Stones perform Keith's song, "Connection", a very old song from the sixtie's "Between the Buttons" album. Classics from "Exile on Main Street" also spice up the film: "All Down the Line"' "Loving Cup" (Jack White); "Tumbling Dice"; and "Shine a Light". Two of my favorite old Stone's songs from the 60's are here: "I'm Free" and "As Tears Go By" from the "december's children" album. Never before have we seen the Stone's play the 80's classic, "She Was Hot". Beyond that their big hits, the standards, are all included: "Start Me Up"; "Brown Sugar"; "Paint it Black"; "Satisfaction"; "Little T&A"; and "Jumpin Jack Flash".
No, Mick doesn't jump as high or shout as loud as he did back in 1981, at his peak. But he still projects more energy onstage than most singers half of his age. Time may no longer be on the side of the Stones, but I am. I've been a Stones' fan since the 60's, and I see no reason to stop. The Stones roll with style, power, and flair. It's only the Rolling Stones, but I like it, like it, yes I do. Reading some one these reviews, you'd think the Stones came out onstage on walkers and couldn't play their instruments. Nothing is further from the truth.