Gimme Shelter (BD)

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gimmeshelter

“The Rolling Stones” are one of the most influential rock bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll. They have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, and their concerts have amassed record receipts, with “Steel Wheels” tour as one of the highest-grossing tours of all time. Ever since they formed back in the early 1960s, “The Rolling Stones” have been an undisputed force in the world of rock n’ roll. They came right at the point when “The Beatles,” “Pink Floyd,” and “Led Zeppelin” were leading the British music invasion around the world. Not only did their songs talk about sex, drugs, and relationships, they also succinctly represented the tumultuous cultural times of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

So, what exactly is “Gimme Shelter” (1970)? Is it a concert film or a documentary or a mix of both? Amy Taubin in her essay (included with the disc) rightly points out that “Gimme Shelter,” in fact, is a film within a film and rightly so. “Gimme Shelter” is a film on “The Rolling Stones” that is divided into two segments. The first part highlights a couple of performances at Madison Square Garden. The second half is dedicated to the performance and planning of the free concert at Altamont Speedway (December 6, 1969) in California. However, between these two segments there is a lot going on. The directors deliberately switch between the live performances and backstage events. As a result, “Gimme Shelter” is a nonlinear concert film. Indeed, it is the offstage footage that means “Gimme Shelter” is a unique and disturbing film in its genre.

As expected, Mick Jagger along with his other band members exhibit high energy on the stage during their performances. To capture the emotional content of these performances, the directors stayed very close to the stage, and at times a bit farther away to provide a wider perspective and grander scale of these performances.

“The Rolling Stones” performing “Love in Vain” is one performance that stood out from the rest. Here, the directors use a slow-motion technique by focusing the camera solely on Mick Jagger as he performed this song. It is a slow-motion effect that takes this act to a new level. Mick Jagger performs as if he knew he is being filmed for a slow-motion sequence. His actions and behavior on the stage synched beautifully on the camera to create a lasting impression. Sandwiched between the “The Rolling Stones” performances is a passionate performance from Tina Turner doing “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”.

The offstage footage shows the band analyzing their performances, planning the free event, and reflecting on a sad offstage event that marred the free concert. Having said this, “Gimme Shelter,” through the eyes of the band members of “The Rolling Stones,” provides a glimpse into how a young black man, Meredith Hunter, was stabbed to death by a member of the Hell’s Angels group. The incident occurred very close to the stage where “The Rolling Stones” were performing “Under My Thumb.” As things started getting chaotic, a particular section of fans got violent and disruptive. Mick Jagger at that point implored the fans saying, “Why are we fighting?” At that very moment, “The Rolling Stones” stopped their performance midway through the song, and Mick Jagger promised that they would resume only after fans had calmed down. In this scenario, Mick Jagger’s direct interaction with the fans demonstrated that he was sensitive to what was going around the stage.

Just like “Woodstock” (August, 1969), “Gimme Shelter” captured the changing cultural landscape of the late ‘60s. In the film, we see a patron asking for support and donation for wiping out the Black Panthers organization because they were Negroes. Of course, right at that moment a black man gives a donation. The hippie and drug culture was deeply prevalent and embedded in the culture with America still coming in terms with the race issue. This aspect is further exemplified by the murder of Meredith Hunter. Nevertheless, these events represent the sorry state of the culture at that time. In terms of attendance, the Altamont concert attracted about three-hundred thousand fans, whereas half a million fans flocked to the” Woodstock” concert over the course of three days. The end of “Gimme Shelter” shows a long trail of people flocking to the concert as if they were going on a pilgrimage.

In an opening segment, we see a press member asking Mick Jagger a couple of questions. This is how it goes:
Press:  “So are you satisfied?”
Jagger:  “You mean sexually? Yeah, sexually I am fully satisfied.”
Press:  “Financially?”
Jagger:  “No.”
Press:  “Philosophically?”
Jagger:  “Getting there.”

It is easy to stereotype any rock band with sex, alcohol, and drugs. However, the last response from Mick Jagger pretty much sums up the professional core of “The Rolling Stones.” “Gimme Shelter” also provides an inside view on how serious “The Rolling Stones” are in composing their new songs and analyzing their performances in the editing room. They are always thinking about new ideas and unique ways to entertain their fans. Sex, drugs, and alcohol took a backseat while they were recording performances for this film.


Video:
Criterion appears to have created a new high-definition digital transfer for this BD release. The print has been cleaned up considerably. However, right from the onset, the video has a fair amount of grain, which is representative of how concert films looked in the 1960s. The grain is present more during the night performances and less during the day shots. The close-ups also reveal a fair amount of grain. The color accuracy is better in HD, and in some shots the colors seem to pop out, especially the reds. The texture of the dresses is better defined with details improved remarkably. Since a majority of the concert was shot during the night, the blacks are deeper and more accurate.  On a couple of occasions, I did find traces of dust, dirt, and specs that stayed only for a couple of seconds. This documentary concert was shot on a 16 mm film in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The video is encoded in an MPEG-4 format that averages 35 Mpbs.


Audio:
For this release, Criterion provide two audio streams:  Remastered DTS-HD MA 5.1 and remastered DTS-HD MA 2.0.  I played the concert in the newly remastered 5.1 DTS HD MA. Immediately, I noticed the difference by switching from the 2.0 option to the 5.1 option. The new remastered DTS-HD MA has a more concert-like feel to it. The dynamic range is expanded, and we hear a full surround sound in almost all the performances. Also included is the option to view the movie with English subtitles.


Extras:
As for extras, first we have an audio commentary by Albert Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin, and collaborator Stanley Goldstein. This track is full of tidbits about “The Rolling Stones” and the production process of the film. The commentary track reveals how the roles and responsibilities of the directors were divided up. The Maysles brothers were the co-producers of the project, while Zwerin was responsible for supervising the editing and structure of the film.

Next, we have a set of deleted performances by the Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden in 1969 that includes “Oh Carol” and “Prodigal Son.” The deleted performances are not remastered, and we only get a mono audio option.

Up next is a set of audio excerpts from KSAN Radio’s Altamont wrap-up, recorded December 7, 1969. These excerpts provide insight on how the broadcast was done for the “Rolling Stones” performance at Altamont. Further, through various callers including a member of the Hell’s Angels, these radio excerpts provide vivid, tantalizing details on offstage events that ultimately led to the failure of the concert.

Also included is an Altamont still gallery, along with original and release theatrical trailers.

The set also provides a booklet that includes essays from film critic Amy Taubin, music writer Stanley Booth, Mick Jagger’s former assistant Georgia Bergman, music writer Michael Lydon, and film critic Godfrey Cheshire.


Parting Thoughts:
“Gimme Shelter” is more than just a concert film. It is a valuable document that provides insight on how “The Rolling Stones” worked behind the scenes to plan and perform their stage appearances. More so, “Gimme Shelter” let viewers decide on who should be blamed for the ill-famed free concert at Altamont. In fact, the film does not blame “The Rolling Stones” for the deaths at the concert. No matter what the cultural underpinnings of ‘60s were, “Gimme Shelter” will always be remembered as a film depicting an abject failure of the free concert rather than a film about a band that was in its top gear.

Falling in the same league as its previous concert release of “Monterey Pop,” Criterion has delivered another fantastic product of a concert film with “Gimme Shelter.” The audio and video are definitely improved from the earlier release. Fans of “The Rolling Stones” and rock music might want to check out this important film.


Ratings:Video = 8/10
Audio = 8/10
Extras = 8/10
Film Value = 8/10

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