When Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light hit theaters in April, it gave movie critics, myself included, a chance to play at being rock critics, without the cut in pay. Everybody had to weigh in on just what they thought of the group. (I was amused to learn that The New Yorker’s Anthony Lane not only had a “lifelong indifference” to the band, but he had never thought much of Talking Heads until seeing Stop Making Sense. I’d bet real money that Lane was gaga for Orange Juice back in the day, though.) It sure was fun, kinda, but rather missed a point, which is that having an opinion on The Stones these days is like having an opinion about Mount Rushmore. No one really gives a shit.
With that in mind, I conducted a little thought experiment in approaching the just-released DVD of Shine A Light. I would try to forget that I knew who or what The Rolling Stones were, and take the picture in only as visual and aural information. Let the cultural baggage loose.
It’s an impossible stance or attitude to maintain, I know, but it’s worth trying on. I think Light works very well as a concert film, but the yield of imagery that’s simply striking in and of itself is pretty staggering, especially for a putative documentary. Those waving hands that seem to threaten to pull Richards into an unnamed inferno. This strangely noble profile:
There’s quite a bit more throughout. That The Stones pull off the performances captured here is a testament to the band’s preternatural stamina; the imaginativeness within the film’s frames is a testament to Scorsese’s continued creative vitality.
I suppose you know when you are getting old when discussion moves from Beatles and Stones films to reassessing the impact the Spice Girls and S Club 7 films had on 90s culture, and what we can learn about society from their teenybopping.
Have seen Der Stones in concert five times this century, and Scorsese’s film is a much better experience: better seats, better sound. Especially admire how he refrains from banal reaction shots of the audience. Only criticism is that I could have done with the guests–except for Buddy Guy, of course.
I always took Lane for more of a Josef K fan. Oh well, what do I know?
I can picture Lane “getting down” to the Fire Engines. I think David Denby would have been more into New York’s No Wave scene.
Denby’s cassette archive of DNA gigs is legendary.
I was disappointed to discover Shine a Light was a concert film. I thought it would be a survey of their career, hopefully with the emphasis on the Brian Jones years, kind of like No Direction Home. Too bad.
I’m not sure I understand your point Colinr. Almost from the beginning, Rock & roll has always tried find ways to cash-in on what the “kids” are listening to. The Spice Gorls movie was not that different from any of the unwatchable Elvis movies. Sure, Elvis was coooler, but he sure couldn’t carry a movie. For every Spice Girls movie, there’s a movie like Ted Demme’s hip-hop comedy Who’s The Man?, a wonderful homage to both comedy-team movies and Cotton Comes to Harlem.
The Stones concert movie was way undervalued by critics, even the ones who gave it “positive” notices. The way Scorsese shoots each song gives the numbers ther own visual tempo. The audience’s response to certain lyrics are terrific, especially during “Shattered” and “Just My Imagination.”
My favorite bit is when, during “All down the Line,” Jagger uses his arms to orchestrate the horn section. Then, the camera slowly pulls back to show Jagger from head to toe as his moves his body from side to side. It’s an old move if his, but it still charms. And Scorsese frames it beautifully.
And is it me, or doesn’t it seem reasonable for good concert movies to have a lock on at least a Best Sound Oscar nomination? The sound mix on Shine A Light (especially in IMAX) ha yet to be topped this year. But you know it won’t get any love come Oscar time.
That’s true Aaron – I had forgotten all those Elvis and Monkees movies for a minute there!
The only thing good about the movie is the behind-the-scenes prologue. The concert itself is horribly banal. The Stones seemed to be playing their songs rougher, more aggressively than they should sound, probably to keep up with modern rock. In fact, once the concert started, I found myself skipping from song to song on the DVD hoping I’d find a rendition I liked, but to no avail. Didn’t even finish watching it.
Then, the next time I used my iPod, I put on my Stones playlist top hear them properly.
Oh, I don’t know, Edward—I’ve heard worse live Stones (“No Security,” anyone?). The only live record of the band that outstrips the recordings is “Get Your Ya-Yas Out,” with Mick Taylor bringing it for the likes of “Oh, Carol” and “Midnight Rambler.” I don’t think the musical perfs in “Shine A Light” are bad—but if I wanna just LISTEN to the Stones I’ll always go to the studio stuff.