Description

Called "the greatest rock film ever made," this landmark documentary follows the Rolling Stones on their notorious 1969 U.S. tour. When 300,000 members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hell's Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, direct cinema pioneers David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin immortalized on film the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams into disillusionment. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Brilliant companion piece (and antidote) to "Woodstock" doc
I don't have much new to add here, but I will say this documentary is a very important historical document of its time and scene. I would suggest watching the "Woodstock" documentary first. After that makes you feel high, lovable, and loved, put this one in; it will bring you back down to earth. "Gimme Shelter" left me thinking that the hippie bliss realization of Woodstock was confined to just that one single weekend. Although the music and performances at Woodstock were some of the absolute best ever captured on film, the hippie ideals that filled that festival were nothing but ideals. And what we saw in Altamont, however, left me thinking that the disaster of Woodstock '99 didn't seem so bad compared to Altamont '69.

"Gimme Shelter" is not at all a concert film, which is okay because that's not even its purpose. The Stones sounded pretty bad live throughout the film. They were experimenting with drugs and new equipment (not a good combination). I wouldn't have minded, however, if the filmmakers had included more footage of a knockout Tina Turner. And couldn't they have put the camera on Gram Parsons (with The Flying Burrito Brothers) for at least a few seconds!!. Little did they know how valuable that footage would have been! But those are just questions, not quibbles.

So as a concert film don't expect much. But as a document of the end of an era (and its ideals), I can't imagine a better one. This is a must-see documentary. Easily one of the best ever.

Angels Not to Blame/The Truth is Shown !!
Everyone shold not be on the Angels ass. They did what they were hired to do - protect the stage from idiots " who shoudn't have been there, zapped out on the drugs some of them could not handle".There were a few great musical moments at Woodstock, but it was the "peace and love crowd" and the promoters were just money hungry freaks.

The Rolling Stones have always had a dark side, and just because a few hippie types couldn't handle the scene, it has gone down as the "end of the Sixties". Well, my dear friends, the sixties were a time of change, but the rot had set in way before Altamont. I know, as I was there. Where are all the "share the world, wealth, and love" folks now? Sitting in places they protested, greedy and nothing like they were in the Sixties, towing the line like their parents and others they wanted to overthrow then. Greed, greed, greed. That's where the "peace and love" generation is now, not caring about their "bros and sisters". Power to the people my ass.

a strong film with many bonus features
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Gimme Shelter is regarded by many as the most important rock film of all time. It follows the Rolling Stones on their infamous 1969 US tour. It covers the Madison Square Garden concert and the near-disastrous Altamont Speedway concert, along with actuality footage of the band in meetings with their lawyer, Melvin Belli (also known for defending Jack Ruby and for a guest appearance in a Star Trek episode) It remains one of the most popular rock films ever made and is as thought-provoking today as it was 35 years ago. An actual now-famous homicide was caught on tape and is featured in this film (as well as nudity), making it inappropriate for children.

The Criterion DVD includes many special features also.

There is a theatrical trailer and a re-release trailer for the film as well as the films, "Salesmen" and "Grey Gardens" also directed by the Maysles brothers.

There is film restoration deomonstration, several deleted scenes and outtakes, audio commentary by the directors and collaborator, Stanley Goldstein. There are also 80 minutes of excerpts from the 4 hour call-in radio show done after the Altamont concert and a photo gallery of the Altamont concert.

As an added bonus the accompanying booklet is many times larger than normal (this one is 44 pages) and contains several essays by many different people.

This DVD is a MUST for Rolling Stones fans as well as Criterion Collection DVD fans alike.

Superb look at The Rolling Stones' ill-fated 1969 tour
Gimmie Shelter is The Rolling Stones' documentary on the band's ill-fated 1969 North American tour in support of the album Let it Bleed. We see the band performing at Madison Square Garden playing songs like Jumping Jack Flash and Love in Vain among others, which was also released on the classic 1970 live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out. We also get to see the band record Brown Sugar and Wild Horses from their 1971 album Sticky Fingers at the legendary Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama. However, the most famous bit from this classic movie was the ill-fated performance in Altamont in December of 1969 which was toted as a West Coast Woodstock but turned out to be anything but when a fan was killed by The Hell's Angels and rioting by the crowd caused the band to stop performing a few times. Musically, this film has great versions of Sympathy For the Devil, Under My Thumb, Jumping Jack Flash, Love in Vain and many other great Stones classics. I first saw this movie when I was 9 in 1985 and enjoy this film seeing as my mom is a huge Stones fan. Highly recommended!

the late 1960s, without the rosy spectacles
Despite the bad sound and grainy film quality, this is a riveting, brutal documentary that focuses on the 1969 free concert at Altamont Speedway that was envisioned by the Rolling Stones as a fun time for everyone to "get it on", and ended with chaos and someone being killed, which is shown in the film. With the Hell's Angels in charge of security, and a vast crowd in a senseless and often aggressive drug induced stupor, watching this evolve is like looking into the abyss of the damned. The mid and late '60s were not the flower-power love generation years some remember through rose-tinted lenses, they were very often violent and hateful, as anyone who saw the rabble "express themselves" at the 1968 Democratic Convention can attest. There are people who blame the outcome of this concert on the Hell's Angels, but this film proves that they were only a part of the problem.

There is also much pretension: Guys in suits trying to be hip and cool, and Melvin Belli, the celebrity attorney of his day, making sure he gets his 15 minutes of camera time. The Rolling Stones (at this point Mick Taylor had replaced Brian Jones, who had died in July of that year) seem to be out of place in dealing with their fame, and trying to "act the part", as well as being in a fog of substance abuse. Mick Jagger is the one that appears to be the most "in control", and he tries his best to bring calm and order to the concert crowd, to no avail.
There are short sequences of other groups, like the Jefferson Airplane, and musically, perhaps the best part in the entire film is Tina Turner, as she sings "I've Been Loving You Too Long" all the while using the microphone as a substitute love interest.
Total running time is 91 minutes.

All or in part, the songs performed by the Stones are:
"Honky Tonk Man"
"Brown Sugar"
"Gimme Shelter"
"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"Love in Vain"
"Satisfaction"
"Street Fighting Man"
"Sympathy for the Devil"
"Under My Thumb"
"Wild Horses"
"You Gotta Move" ... Read more

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Jimi Hendrix's appearance at Woodstock may have been one of his most celebrated performances, as the producers of this DVD put it. But it would be a stretch to call it one of his greatest. By the time the guitarist finally took the stage, weather and endless logistical delays had pushed the show to Monday morning, a day after the festival was supposed to have ended. By then, the audience was too tired, hungry, wet, and stoned for Hendrix's set to be the expected apocalyptic finale. Hendrix himself was reportedly so wasted that he collapsed from exhaustion as soon as he left the stage.

Woodstock was the first gig by the Gypsy Sun and Rainbows band, a cross between the song-oriented focus of the original Experience (with drummer Mitch Mitchell) and the jam-happy Band of Gypsys (with bass player Billy Cox). Three other musicians, a rhythm guitarist and two percussionists, were on hand as well, but they are virtually inaudible in the audio mix and all but invisible in the film. That's not all bad; what we get instead are many close-ups of the guitarist at work, including shots of his enormous hands effortlessly navigating the frets and strings of his Stratocaster. And this is Jimi Hendrix we're talking about here, still the greatest rock guitar player ever. So while some of the set--a combination of familiar hits ("Fire," "Purple Haze," "Red House"), newer material "(Izabella"), and several jams--is perfunctory, there are moments of brilliance, like the blazing white noise he musters up on "Voodoo Child." In the end, any footage of Jimi Hendrix is worth having, as there isn't all that much of it around. But from a strictly musical standpoint, there's plenty of better live Hendrix out there, including on the four-CD box set The Jimi Hendrix Experience. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Nice dvd to own if you like concert dvd's
This is an excellent dvd, judged on it's own terms.

The only problem is, it is only around an hour and only contains about half of the songs that are included on the cd set of the same name... This dvd leaves off some of the best songs from the cd...

Having said that, it is worth it to actually see Hendrix play at Woodstock, and the sound is pretty damned good. There is just enough footage of the hippies and the festival itself to give a flavor of the event, but nothing to intrude on the music. If you want more of the flavor of the festival, rent the director's cut of "Woodstock". This dvd is nice because it doesn't have any documentary crap to interfere, it's just pure Jimi. Worth having.

For once the ENTIRE Hendrix Woodstock Performance on video
July 11, 1999: At last, we can see the mezzmerising performance of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969, without interruption, in its entirety, and in full glory since it is uncut. His "Woodstock Improv", Villanova Junction" which until now was only available on audio, can be seen and we get the full impact of how much Hendrix dominated the entire rock and roll world in his time. The video is long overdue. Too many of his documentaries are spoiled with interruptions by people being interviewed and saying how great he was.. we all know how great he was, now we can watch his entire spectacular performance with no interruptions. The sound quality and image quality are superb thanks to the efforts and generosity of the Hendrix family who have made this and all of their other releases a labor of love. Anyone who loves Hendrix or the electric guitar should have this video.

Sept 3,2002: Just to set the record straight, this DVD apparently doesn't contain the entire Hendrix performance. It does, however contain all of the songs (in their entirety, unabridged), that over the years we got in bits and pieces through albums, movies and so forth. I guess I would have to say it is the most complete version of his performance at Woodstock yet produced - I have never seen or heard all of these songs together in any other album or movie. So, I was in error in proclaiming it was his entire performance. Sorry for any confusion, in my enthusiasm for this treasure.

Gypsy Sun In The Garden
This is certainly Jimi's most famous performance with the exception on Monterey in 1967. Again re-inventing himself he becomes the Gypsy Sun, psychedelic leader and captain of the rag-tag outfit of musicians known as the Rainbows. I've been to the concert site in Bethel several times and you can still feel the electricity Jimi and the other artists and 500,000 members of the Woodstock Nation created that famous weekend on Max Yasgur's farm 35 years ago. Although a lot of this concert is experimental jamming, Jimi absolutely goes into the stratosphere on the best version of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" I ever heard (or in this case heard AND saw!). Watching him take flight on the long solo is purely the sickest thing I ever heard. Nobody should be so gifted to make it look THAT EFFORTLESS! The blistering solo alone makes this trip to Yasgur's farm well worth the price of admission. Of course THE most famous moment of all is the bombastic rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner," in which the Gypsy Sun made his very own. "Purple Haze," "Red House," "Izabella" and "Fire" are among the more well known numbers Gypsy Sun And Rainbows delivers to the remainder of the Woodstock Nation early that Monday morning. The only bad thing about the DVD is that it's not the complete set. However, it sure does deliver and never fails to take me "back to the Garden" and feel the real spirit of what it was like to wake up to the Gypsy Sun And Rainbows and take a soaring ride to rock n' roll's most famous event.

Experience the Experience if you never had the chance
Ok, I doubt it accurately portrays the energy of the show, but it is still amazing. There is nothing exceptional about the camera work or production quality. It is all about average. The reason the DVD is so good is simply because it's Jimi playing. Anyone that has a respect for the guitar will love it. It is simply amazing what he is able to do with the electric guitar. Just watching this DVD provides a feeling of how amazing of a player he was and how revolutionary he was. If you love bluesy rock type music, you'll love watching Jimi Hendrix play his guitar.

No cliche about it... Hendrix is the best guitar player EVER
Being a guitarist as well as someone who is appreciative of music written and played by Hendrix, I purchased this DVD with the intention of learning more about the man. I had seen other footage of Hendrix, usually in some documentary form and even then he was shown only in fast clips. This DVD contains footage that is quite the opposite.

Within the first few seconds of watching Hendrix play, my heart rate increased noticeably. At home, by myself, watching this DVD, I heard myself audibly mentioning my disbelief of his skill countless times. The man played the guitar like some mutated extension of his own body, and at one point I wondered if he had systematically gone up every fret on every string and memorized every note and its exact location, so that when he played he could run through his library of tones in random but orderly fashion.

The camera swoops across the crowd on occasion. It is the end of Woodstock, and there are only a few people left... blankets and debris litter the field behind them (it is then that I realize that my experience at various Lolapaloozas was not truly unique). At the beginning of the Hendrix set, most of them look bored. I can't help but wonder if half of them are still there because they don't have a ride home, or if they are so exhausted from the past few days that they don't know what else to do. They couldn't possibly know that they had just taken part in a truly historic event, so the significance of the Hendrix closing set (with his hastily named "Band of Gypsies") was probably lost on them.

But the crowd changes quite a bit as the show goes on. At first, Hendrix seems as if he is some crazy showboating guitarist with a knack for rockin' out the blues. But then it intensifies with unceasing persistence. Mitch Mitchell, the drummer, is banging out incredible rythms while looking like he has just run a marathon, but he keeps going, feeding off Hendrix. Hendrix falls in and out of solo-induced trances - or possibly trance-induced solos - while occasionally looking to his band mates for signals to fall back into verse. At one point he drifts so far away he is lost in minutes of feedback-ridden wailing and crunching when he suddenly pops out of it and decides to introduce the rest of the band, as if he regretted his apparent selfishness of sound and wanted to give his colleagues a chance. By then, there are people in the crowd that are bouncing about with limp arms in that way that is so utterly hippie. There are a few young men with thick-rimmed glasses watching Hendrix with mouth open, moving ever so slightly to his every string-bending note.

And then he falls into Voodoo Child, a fast paced version full of 4-5 mintue jams that put Phish to shame. By now the show is at full intensity, and at one point Hendrix says "You can leave if you want to... we're just jammin'." He falls in and out of the song, collapsing into The Star Spangled Banner. I've heard the audio of this before, but the film changed my entire perspective on it. On the verse 'And the rockets red glare', Hendrix starts ripping random tones out of the Fender that I suddenly recognized to be launching rockets, followed by sounds of 'the bombs bursting in air'. Amazing. And *then* he goes into Purple Haze. I was so absorbed I forgot where I was and I felt light-headed. And then he is lost again, playing with the guitar as if he was at home in his basement, experimenting with tones and chords, and they fall into a jam from it, where somehow everyone in the band knew when and where it would start and end.

Phenomenal. I've had the "Who is the best guitarist ever" debate before. I've gone back and forth from Santanna to Clapton to Page to Hendrix. No more. I have decided. It is Hendrix, and I don't care if anyone thinks it is cliche. The man was an anomaly... someone who knew the guitar like his own hands, and never thought twice about it. So the reader of this review is asking: "Should I buy it or not?". I say: "Buy it. View it. Be glad that even though you weren't at Woodstock, you at least have this to give you some idea of what it was like." ... Read more

Reviews (45)

The greatest show on Earth
This 1998 Rolling Stones dvd is probably the best " live " dvd ever issued. The tape joins my other concert dvds on the shelf.
The sounds are crystal clear. The dvd opens up with shots of the
band's limo pulling up to the concert location. The show kicks off with Keith Richards leading the band out on stage with the powerful opening chords of " Satisfaction ". The show continues at a pace that never slows down. The dvd features enthusiastic
versions of " Let's Spend The Night Together " and " Honky Tonk
Women ", a great cover of Bob Dylan's " Like A Rolling Stone ",
and a song sung by Keith ( " I Wanna Hold You " ). Also, " Start
Me Up ", " Jumping Jack Flash ", " Miss You ", " It's Only Rock
'N' Roll ", " You Can't Always Get What You Want ", and " Tumbl-
ing Dice " are all thrown in. The dvd also features Dave Matthews
sharing the stage ( and microphone ) with Mick on a heartbreaking
" Wild Horses ", and saxophonist Joshua Redman plays a solo on
" Waiting On A Friend ". The highlight to me, however, is a
" haunting " performance of " Gimmie Shelter ". The only thing bad about the show is the three new songs " Flip The Switch ",
" Saint Of Me ", and " Out Of Control ". Also, when the Stones visit their website to see which song their fans want to see them
perform ( the winner was " Waiting On A Friend " ), we realized that there were many great songs they could have done ( " She's A
Rainbow ", " Under My Thumb ", " When The Whip Comes Down ",
" Love In Vain ", " Respectable ", " Fool To Cry " ). The dvd's final number is a great " Brown Sugar ". This show is perfect.

Still the best live band in the world
This 1998 dvd of the Stones' 1997 tour to promote the " Bridges To Babylon " album is the best thing to happen since " sliced
bread ". The dvd opens up with the Stones walking out on the
stage as Keith Richards blasts out the opening chords of
" Satisfaction ". Just make yourself a big bowl of popcorn, and
it's almost like you're there. The evening commences with delightful versions of " Let's Spend The Night Together " and
" Honky Tonk Women ", a showstopping " Sympathy For The Devil ",
and a chilling " Gimmie Shelter ", with Keith still playing the
tremelo rhythm on guitar. The album is features a lead vocal by
Keith ( I Wanna Hold You ) and a cover of a Bob Dylan song
( " Like A Rolling Stone " ). It also features guest appearances by Dave Matthews, who shares the mic with Mick on a beautiful
" Wild Horses ", and saxophnist Joshua Redman, who solos on
" Waiting On A Friend ". We also get songs like " It's Only
Rock 'N' Roll ", " Miss You ", " You Can't Always Get What You
Want ", " Jumpin' Jack Flash ", " Start Me Up ", and " Tumbling
Dice " thrown in the mix. After we see the Stones bow out at the
end, it almost makes you wish that Bill Wyman, Brian Jones and
Mick Taylor were there. But even if it's only Keith, Mick and
Charlie there, it's still a great show. The show has great sound.
The screams are loud and clear. This a perfect album for any
Stones lover

Stones live 1998
Excellent Stones concert. IMO Gimmie Shelter, It's Only Rock and Roll, Waiting on a Friend and Flip The Switch are the highlights. Keith is very strong thoughout. I don't have the other Stones DVDs- so I can't compare. Having said that, I've seen the Stones in concert many times (starting in 78). This is an excellent show.

Very enjoyable
Great sound, great picture, excellent performance. Jagger is in fine form, and his vocals are very good.
Sometimes a singer will sound less than enthusiastic when doing a song for the 1000th time, but that is never the case here (well, almost never).

This two-hour concert recording includes Keith Richards doing a wonderful "I Wanna Hold You" (a non-album track) in a surprisingly strong voice, and a fine set list with "Satisfaction" as an energetic opener, as well as several well-executed classics.
The band is excellent; Richards' guitar work is tight, and bass guitarist Darryl Jones and the other backing musicians help drummer Charlie Watts keep things in place.

A very enjoyable performance. 4 1/2 stars.

A MUST HAVE
This is a MUST HAVE if you like the Rolling Stones. This DVD has excellent sound quality and visual quality. This is the best Rolling Stones DVD on the market. This covers 40 years of hits with today's dvd technology. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

A Strange Sort of Peace
In today's world of multi-million-dollar-budget films it's easy to develop high expectations. We're accustomed now to realities whose sights and sounds have been tweaked by talent and technology to perfection--we now see exactly what the director hoped we would, rather than settling for less-impressive, but more-thoughtful, innuendos and visual metaphors.

So in some ways it's refreshing to partake of a lower-budget production like Bent. The world of staged theatre is a simpler, more intellectual one than that of cinema, and too often an exquisitely crafted stage play is "technologized" beyond recognition when it is shot for the screen. But, no doubt because playwright Martin Sherman himself adapted the screenplay, Bent still feels as nakedly thoughtful as the best small-cast stage dramas.

The story centers on the relationship between Max, a gay jew in Hitler's Germany, and Horst, whose character is introduced in such a way that we're half-surprised to realize later in the film that he's the same person we met on the train. But that is the beauty of the playwright's craft: in art, as in life, people we meet as "passing strangers" can come to touch us profoundly.

The sets Mathias chooses as backdrops for the story are far from accurate historically, but they are perfectly chosen to support the mood of the film--Max and Horst, like the star-crossed lovers in a Shakespeare tragedy, are lonely pawns to forces much larger than they. Indeed, Bent offers the most tragically romantic scenes of any film I've seen. Two lovers, brought together by the same forces that keep them forever apart, survive on fantasy and suggestion in a world where life, in so many ways, has no meaning.

Bent is not a "feel-good" movie. But again, the art of Bent allows us to find peace in the lives and love of two strangers who met on a train.

Evocative of a stage play, important material
The movie has been set to feel a bit more like a stage play than a film, but it works nonetheless. It covers the story of two gay men who meet in a Nazi death camp and a very inspiring if ultimately tragic love story. Gays and lesbians are the often-forgotten victims of the Holocaust, and this movie and the play it is based on are important, also, because of its contribution to Holocaust studies in general. Mick Jager's unusual appearance as a drag queen is also interesting. As a source of education, there is some sexual content that makes the film inappropriate for use in high school classrooms without a bit of editing, but I think unedited material is very well suited to a college classroom--and is essential viewing for anyone interested in the Holocaust. An important piece of GLBT heritage.

For dedicated homophiles with strong stomachs only
This is the story of the concentration camp inmates forced to wear the pink triangle, symbol of their homosexuality.

This film was formerly a successful play and perhaps it succeeded because of its shocking topic, but this director is no Steven Spielberg. Never did I feel one bit of realism or sympathy for the characters although the brutality was unceasing and the story intense. For example, a boxcar scene which might have worked in a play was just too stagy, and the camera lingered much too lovingly over attractive semi-nude male bodies. We've found out by then, of course, that the title, Bent, refers to the shape of the lead character's male organ although there were no camera shots of this. The dialog seemed contrived, the prisoners all looked too healthy and fit, and, while this film might be applauded for handling, at last, a forbidden topic, it just didn't work as a film. Even Mick Jagger, miscast in the role of a drag queen who runs a nightclub in Berlin, just couldn't save it.

I love this movie
I was really happy with the positive reviews that Bent has been getting here, I love the film and am always disapointed when a reviewer blows it off. This movie literally made me sob (my emotions are easily manipulated)both times I watched it. I've heard a lot of pissing and moaning about the "sex" scene but I thought it was really beautiful, wonderfully acted and very moving. I completely love this movie and can honestly say I wouldn't change one thing about it. Oh, and the reviewer who reviewed right before me is a very scary neo nazi. Someone should let him know that homophobia is never attractive and I would not be shocked to learn that he was a slightly impared and amply pimpled teenager. With no friends.

The most impacting GLBT film I have ever seen...
I have seldom seen a film which stuck me on such an emotional level. It is rare for a film to have a lasting impact on me, but I left the theatre changed after watching "Bent". It is right up there with "Requiem for a Dream" as movies that can be labled psychological brutality, albiet very worthwhile psychological brutality. A truely superb film. ... Read more

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Unavailable at all for nearly three decades, then issued in a VHS edition in 1996, the Rolling Stones' legendary Rock and Roll Circus finally gets the full treatment with this DVD release documenting the 1968 event. The Stones were reportedly unhappy with their performance (hence the long delay), and it isn't their finest moment; performing "Jumping Jack Flash" and a variety of songs from their then-new Beggars Banquet album, Keith Richards is game, but Jagger's preening (especially on "Sympathy for the Devil") is over the top, and guitarist Brian Jones looks dissolute and well on his way to his death the following year. A certain weirdness permeates some of the other musical acts as well: Jethro Tull lip-syncs unconvincingly, Taj Mahal and band were obliged to perform before the circus set was completed and the audience had arrived, and John Lennon's outing with impromptu supergroup the Dirty Mac (with Richards, Eric Clapton, and drummer Mitch Mitchell) is hampered by Yoko Ono's caterwauling, although their version of the Beatles' "Yer Blues" is cool. Still, the Who are brilliant, Marianne Faithfull is beautiful, the various circus acts are fun, and the crowd clearly loves it.

The DVD comes with some fascinating bonus features, including three extra songs by Mahal, some lovely classical piano by Julius Katchen, and a "quad split-screen" version of "Yer Blues." Best of all are a new interview with the Who's Pete Townshend and the various commentary tracks added for the DVD--especially those by Tull's Ian Anderson, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Stones Jagger, Richards, and Bill Wyman (who dryly attributes Jagger's reluctance to issue the show to his dissatisfaction with his own performance, not the band's). Flaws notwithstanding, this is a treat. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Worth seeing just for The Who
This tape is worth buying just for The Who's performance of "A Quick One While He's Away", which has got to be one of the greatest live performances of a single rock song ever. Unfortunately, it's followed by Yoko Ono's impersonation of a rusty fence as well as a poor performance by the Stones. "Jumpin' Jack Flash" sounds like it's being played in slow motion, and on "Sympathy for the Devil", an obviously full-of-himself Mick Jagger seems to be more interested in mugging for the cameras then he does in actually performing the song. I've always thought the Stones were one of the most overrated live acts in rock; and after watching them follow the Who here, it's easy to see why Jagger did not want to release the tapes.

Anyway, besides The Who, there also some good performances by Jethro Tull(although I've read that their performance of "A Song for Jeffrey" is not entirely live?) and The Dirty Mac(John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards & Mitch Mitchell deliver a fine performance of "Yer Blues" before being joined by Yoko Ono and violin player Ivry Gitlis; it's amusing to watch Gitlis smirk as Yoko screeches over the top of their jamming). Marianne Faithful and Taj Mahal also perform, but frankly I found them both to be forgettable.

Aside from the performances, I think this tape is interesting as a snapshot of the time(December, 1968). You get to see a number of rock legends in their prime, and even though not all of them deliver great performances, it's still fascinating to watch.

Not Much Of A Circus For The Stones
What suprises the most is the lackluster performance of the Stones in "Rock and Roll Circus." Far more interesting is Jethro Tull's performance with Ian Anderson prefiguring the grunge look by 25 years in his long overcoat, wild hair and beard. Tull's unique jazz/blue/celtic/rock fusion has held up quite well over the years. Taj Mahal's earthy performance with his electric blues band is riveting, but future heroin causality Jesse "Ed" Davis looks pallid despite his sizzling slide and lead guitar. The Who rule the "Rock and Roll Circus" with an inspired rendition of "A Quick One" complete with a turbo charged performance by Keith Moon where he mugs it up and breaks (by my count) five or six sets of drumsticks. The Stones hit the stage to close the show and it's jarring to see a lackluster perfomance from the world's greatest rock and roll band. They all look fatigued and Brian Jones looks like he's just waiting for someone to write his obituary. This was a very bad time in Rolling Stones land. It turned out to be Brian's last performance in public with the Stones.

For over twenty years the Stones kept "Rock and Roll Circus" from being seen, apparently Mick Jagger was incensed that the Who's inspired anarchy eclipsed the Stones performance....the Who and nearly everyone else managed to outshine the phoned in performance by the Stones, except for Keith, who's rowdy guitar antics can't breathe life into the band. The following year I saw the revitalized Stones touring with Mick Taylor replacing the deceased Brian Jones on guitar. The Stones made it through the dark days of "Rock and Roll Circus" and managed to outlast the Who as the most enduring sixties band, but this performance was a pretty somber affair for the boys. My final reaction to the film was how many of the talented musicians in "Rock and Roll Circus" would be claimed tragically over the next few years. It is still hard for me to watch John Lennon's dazzling energy and often absurd brillance in the film and not shed a tear for his senseless death.

Rock and Roll Circus
As somone who wasn't born when this was filmed it was interesting seeing them and the other 60s artists as they were at that time.

Enjoyed Dirty Mac the most (would have preferred it if they left Yoko's wailing out of the second track). The Who were good. The Stones were ok.

One for the collector.

Good music, but you'll wear out the FF skipping the "circus"
Like so many legendary rock rumors, this show has a hard time living up to the expectations that have built up in its absence. You can now view it to see our Sixties heroes, young and smooth and clear-eyed, in this souvenir of Swinging London in 1968. For that alone this show is worth the purchase price.

The best bits of this are also the funniest. Tony Iommi, the future Black Sabbath guitar god, appears in the Jethro Tull lineup, in a floppy white hippie hat, miming on his Strat to Mick Abraham's dobro part in "Song for Jeffrey". He looks like he's gonna die of mortification. Ian Anderson looks spotty, woolly and ramshackle, and sings in a slurry delta blues accent. His vocal and flute are allegedly the only "live" part on this performance of that song.

The next best thing is The Who, powering through the long story-song A Quick One. I was disappointed that the video had no extra tracks from them, as I have seen photos of them in different costume from the Circus, playing what must have been a different song. Maybe for the DVD...

The Stones are okay, not thrilling, but not so poor that it warranted shelving the projected for nearly thirty years. Brian Jones looks dead on his feet, but everyone else seems fine. Keef, ironically enough, is the liveliest one of the lot, by the time the marathon show ended taping.

The circus bits are piffle, and the other performers are filler, though The Dirty Mac is worth watching at least once. Yoko Ono is...oh, I should just leave the fish in the barrel alone, I guess. Avant garde didn't get much more avant than it was in the Sixties. Short verdict: buy it, and enjoy the way they were, if not always they way they did it.

Truly amazing film for fans of Who, John Lennon, Jethro Tull
This film is more for fans of the Who, Lennon, Tull or for lovers of the swinging sixties than it is for the Stones. The Stones performance was somewhat lackluster, they seem tired and stoned!

BUT this film really caught me by surprise and is one of my favorite in my entire collection... I bought it to see the Stones only to find out that it contained a performance of "Yer Blues" by John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)!!! The interview of John Lennon by Mick Jagger is very interesting -- John is sarcastic as ever.

Also, the song by the Who (A Quick One) is fantastic and captures the truly live feel and charisma of the Who complete with a typically clumsy and aggressive Townsend slamming his arm into a boom mike while doing a windmill on the guitar!!!

Jethro Tull hams it up as a psycho hillbilly freak... fans of his will love "Song for Jeffery".

Taj Mahal turns in a great, soulful performance of "Ain't That a lot of Love".

One thing that was kind of sad is that so many of the talented people on this film are now dead. Just about every band represented here had one or two members who died from heroin or some other drug. But that does make the tape that much more poignant.

The tape does have a few dull moments, the most painful being Yoko Onos "performance" with the supergroup I mentioned above in a separate jam called "Whole Lotta Yoko". You can't fast forward because the underlying jam is so compelling, so you just sit there and suffer.

If you like any of the bands mentioned herein, this film is a must see!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most people associate the director Werner Herzog with the actor KlausKinski--but few know how twisted and enmeshed their relationship was. Though Kinski has made dozens of movies, he probably remains best known for the five he made with Herzog: Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Woyzeck, Nosferatu the Vampyre, Cobra Verde, and Fitzcarraldo. In this documentary/cinematic memoir, Herzog uses clips from these remarkable films, on-the-set footage, and personal recollections to create a portrait of Kinski as both a deeply passionate actor and a raving lunatic; it's hard to say whether he's defaming Kinski or being generous to this mercurial, erratic actor. There's no question that their relationship is fascinating; after their first movie (Aguirre, probably the best of their collaborations) they both described moments of wanting to kill each other--in fact, both agree that Herzog threatened to shoot Kinski at one point, though they differ on the details. Yet they went on to make four more movies, almost all of them under circumstances that would be difficult for the most serene personalities. My Best Fiend was inspired by Kinski's death, and probably the movie's weakest aspect is that we don't get Kinski's side of their friendship. But even though it's one-sided,it's still a remarkable portrait of two artists who were willing to go toextremes to capture their visions. Any fan of either will find this uniquedocumentary indispensable. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Comic, Fascinating, Filled With Brilliance.
There probably could never be anybody capable of making a documentary about Klaus Kinski other than Werner Herzog. After all, as the title emplies, Kinski was Herzog's best fiend. This is an endlessly fascinating portrait of an actor who was a genius, a madman and a tender soul. Herzog creates a rich film here that never bores. He doesn't turn it into a mournful memory where he might just sit in a chair and talk to a camera, no, he takes us to the locations where he and Kinski filmed, travels to visit crew members and friends and shows us unique behind the scenes footage. The beginning is shocking but intuitive, as Kinski gets into heated arguments with audience members during a performance as Jesus Christ. And if you look at it, shouldn't this be the way hecklers should be handled anyway? Kinski remains a fascinating figure through-out, a brilliant actor who could perfectly become a character and take over the screen. Herzog is a mad genius too and so his portrait of his best friend is really filled with depth and even touching at times. We see them filming in the harsh conditions they went up against to make the masterpieces "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God" and "Fitzcarraldo." We see Kinski and his famous tantrums as he chews out crew members and Herzog in truly violent-mouthed ways.... It is always interesting to hear Herzog talk about the making of the movies and there stunning vistas, like the amazon and Andes where the two mentioned films were made (we see the stunning sequence from the beginning of "Aguirre" where we see hundreds of Spanish conquistadors look like ants as they walk down an Andean slope). One thing the movie should be valued for is that Herzog does not only show the dark, crazy side of Kinski, he also shows the nice side. The last shot is truly memorable where Kinski is gently playing with a butterfly and we see his gentle, tender side. The movie is also comic, especially when we see two brilliant artists battle it out. It's funny to see that Kinski and Herzog loved and loathed each-other equally. "My Best Fiend" is a must for movie buffs, fans of Herzog or Kinski, and for anybody who is fascinated by films that explore unique minds. It is a fascinating, memorable piece of work.

My Best Fiend
"I was not excellent! I was not extraordinary! I was monumental! I was epochal!" Klaus Kinski, in response to a compliment from a theatre critic.

From the moment the film "My Best Fiend" begins, you are shocked and mezmerized by the sight of Klaus Kinski in a live performance piece, where he assumes the guise of an iconoclastic Jesus Christ, who proceeds to berate, denounce and even physically challange members of the audience. From that moment on, it is clear that Kinski is either completely mad, or teetering at the very edge of insanity. What director Werner Herzog has done, is to reveal their fascinating working relationship, by which he had to manipulate and channel Kinski's madness, so that his intensity could be captured by the camera, and used in his movies. Their collaboration resulted in such great movies as "Aguirre, The Wrath of God," and "Fitzcarraldo." The series of catastrophes that occured during both of these movie shoots on the Amazon, coupled with the stars' total instability, brought out the best and worst in Kinski, demonstrating that great art can sometimes be the result of two artists at war with each other. The location scenes along the Amazon are hauntingly beautiful, wild and frightening. It is the perfect backdrop and metaphor for Klaus Kinski's performances in these movies. The DVD offers the option of hearing Werner Herzog's narration in German or English.

Conflict is good
The title's play on words pretty much sums up the sentiment of the film. Herzog's depiction of his relationship with Kinski is painfully honest, but it is not hard to see the affection mingled with the frustration. Kinski was a mad man and nearly impossible to work with. And yet Herzog chose to work with him again and again, and with great results. This film is a tribute to their contentious and productive relationship.

There are some really funny stories here, including one where Herzog actually threatened to kill Kinski. Some may have heard of this spat, but it is still interesting to hear Herzog's dead-pan account.

Very honest, very informative, very entertaining documentary about a very complex relationship. It goes beyond friendship. It just had to be, whether either of them wanted it or not.

Character assassination
While providing an interesting behind-the-scenes glimpse at Herzog's truly stupendous films, this amounts to little more than a sustained attack on Kinski. Perhaps Kinski deserves it, but Herzog constantly pushes anyone who says anything nice about Kinksi (which is most of those interviewed) to say something negative about him, usually trying to remind them of some horriffic episode or another. This gets trying in a hurry. Perhaps the greatest display of pathology here are Herzog's transparent attempts to smear someone held in affectionate regard by people he worked with.

How not to Manage Conflict
I first recommend that a viewer rent Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes and Fitzcarraldo before viewing this documentary. To undestand the importance of this collaboration it is necessary to first see the films that it produced.

Herzog revisits the locations near Macchu Pichu where artistic passions blossomed into homicidal rage in the crucible of the Peruvian rainforest.

Herzog is fascinated by notions of human madness, obsession, and conciousness. This theme is the focus of most of his films. In Fitzcarraldo, the madness leads to incredible triumph and success, in Aguirre it leads to revolt, death, and utter chaos. What is most important to note is that in both instances is that the madness of the dominant individual, whether Fitz or Aguirre, is an intoxicating charisma that conforms a following to the individual's will. This is Kinski's obsession even when the cameras aren't rolling, and it is this passion that attracts Herzog's interest, an interest perhaps tied to his childhood in post-Third Reich Germany. Perhaps Herzog underestimated Kinski's persuasive rage that nearly turned Herzog's jungle endeavors into Pizzarro's folly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If any artist deserved a hagiography it was Jimi Hendrix, and Joe Boyd's1973 "authorized" tribute adequately sanctifies the legend. Perversely for adocumentary, it achieves this simply through well-chosen concert footage ratherthan through the insights of the various talking heads. Pete Townshend, EricClapton, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, and Germaine Greer are all wheeled out to waxlyrical about their days with Jimi, but nothing is more eloquent than watchingand listening to him play. From "Hey Joe" in grainy black and white on theReady Steady Go TV show, classic footage of Monterey, Woodstock (yes,"The Star-Spangled Banner"), and the Isle of Wight festivals to an acoustic 12- string rendition of "Hear My Train a' Comin'," Hendrix the musician speaks forhimself.

But if Hendrix the musician shines through, this is not the most insightfulprofile of Hendrix the man. The circumstances surrounding his death, forexample, are hardly touched upon (girlfriend at the time Monika Dannemann getsonly a few seconds of screen time). Interview footage with Hendrix himself plussome occasionally rambling and incoherent comments from such intimates as hisfather, army buddies, ex-girlfriends (including Linda Keith, who "discovered"him in New York and brought him to England), and fellow musicians all takesecond place to the music itself. The most sensible quote comes from LittleRichard, who proves once and for all that he's utterly bonkers when he says ofJimi's music: "At times he made my big toes shoot up into my boot." --MarkWalker, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (22)

AWESOME MOVIE ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST GUITARIST EVER!!!!!!!!!!
If you have any love for the guitar and Jimi Hendrix this is a must buy. Has awesome live shots of Jimi whaling, and very interesting interviews from some great musicians, along with some of his friends and his father (the Clapton and Townsend interviews were my personal favorates). It is the type of movie that you will watch many times over, so personally there is no way not to recommend this. The only thing that I could tell you is that if you are looking for just Jimi performances (although this one has a great many) without any interviews (because after a few time interviews do get annoying), then look at some of the recommendations on this page for other DVDs. But if your looking for a DVD with a pretty in dept view of Jimi, check this out.

Great Documentary
Originally released just two years after Jimi's death you get passionate interviews from the people who knew him. Featuring a young Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger, and also people who knew him well, we learn a lot about Jimi. Also the concert footage is spectacular. I hope Experience Hendrix releases a DVD of the Monterey Festival (part of which is included on this DVD). What a great concert. This is a must.

A true EXPERIENCE
Even if you dont like him,
his GREATNESS will allways out last,
your thoughts about him.

that in it self is werth the EXPEIRENCE!
I was about 13 when i first saw this film,
my best freind did not know it but by making,
me go see this film,he was going to change,
for good or bad my LIFE forever.
I did not really like jimi at the TIME,
but he had a great presants that could not be over looked.
For the first time in my life i saw my inner soul,
a TRUE SOUL BROTHER,his black african and native american,
Irish roots, i sher with him.
his left handedness and shuffled child hood.
and his 4REAL HONESTY and shyness i found reflected in me.
this is not the best documentery in the world,
but if you dont know anything about THE MAN,
then you must check this flik out.
it might just make you SEE DEEPER than the surfes,
of all things will allow.
SEE as many HENDRIX DVD`S AS YOU CAN,
There all diferant,
and werth the (EXPEIENCE).

don't throw away your lp!
In all fairness, this is a documentary of the musician's career, not a purely musical cd, therefore its producers are entitled to a presentation they deem relevant. However, what is a documentary about Jimi Hendrix if not his music? Some judicious cuts are made in the sometimes rambling monologues of the interviewees, notably Hendrix's father, and that's fine. Furthermore, the interviewees are smart and interesting, and between them manage to give us a straighforward, not fawning, portrait of a shy, complex genius. But several cuts have been made to music as well, and that's not fine at all. In fact, few tracks are complete (for instance, Johnny B. Goode lacks its terrific intro, and both Machine Gun versions are substantially chopped down) and a lot of Jimi's banter is gone as well; it may not have been crucial, but I, for one, enjoyed it. So, I'd say, for the visual effect, this dvd is priceless - and, inevitably, much sharper than the vhs version - but if you also want the complete music, every note of it, and if you're lucky enough to have the original double-lp, keep it! The album was never issued as a cd, although parts of it are doubtless strewn across the various sludge Jimi's estate keeps dredging out of somewhere to make a buck.

Exceptional collection
This is how a bio should be done! It's a nice treat to have a lineup including Little Richard, Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Mitch Mitchell, Billy Cox, and Mick Jagger provide first-hand recollections of times spent with Jimi. It's supplemented with generous screen time for his dad and 3 or 4 former girlfriends, which is entertaining. To top it off, there is incredible, well-produced footage of Jimi in concert and in the studio, and the live appearances span his career. You can actually see him morph from a wide-eyed young prodigy into an exhausted curiosity. You can even hear it in the short interview segments that feature Jimi himself.
This ran as a Friday night midnight movie for about 50 weeks in a popular New Orleans theatre in the early 1970's and became one of the hottest tickets in New Orleans (where brilliant musicians are truly appreciated)during its run. I saw it at least a half dozen times then, and it is still as riveting today. If you get it, you won't be disappointed, and it is the perfect introduction to anyone who is not familiar with the story of Jimi Hendrix. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Add The Man from Elysian Fields to the list of essential movies about the pains of writing. This wry comedy-drama charts the frustrations of a financially strapped novelist (Andy Garcia) as he desperately and secretly agrees to be an "escort" for ladies who need, ah, escorting. This leads him into a Faustian bargain to help a beautiful client (Olivia Williams) whose husband, a once-great, now-dying writer (a mighty James Coburn), is struggling with a final work. Of course the fact that the men are sharing a project and a woman complicates matters--and Garcia's loyal wife (Julianna Margulies) is curious about all these nights spent away. The movie explores different levels of compromise and betrayal, yet it remains tartly amusing throughout. And it has a glorious casting inspiration: the director of the mysterious escort service is played by Mick Jagger, looking decadently elegant and purring like a vaguely satanic Siamese cat. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Writer's Blockhead
Well, let's see. When his first novel (entitled "Hitler's Child") fails to generate sales and his publisher refuses to print his second book, what is a starving writer to do?

Work for a male escort service, of course!

As goofy as this premise is, THE MAN FROM ELYSIAN FIELDS actually delivers a compelling story that is both fun and painful to watch. Unable to get his old job back and desperately strapped for cash, hard luck novelist Byron Tiller (Andy Garcia) is lured by the seductive enticement of "easy money" as an escort for Elysian Fields, a playground for rich, neglected housewives. Problem is, there's nothing "easy" about Byron's new career, and this character learns lesson after lesson--about himself, about the importance of his marriage--via a very unforgiving school of hard knocks.

The tragic irony of this film manifests itself over and over. By trying to provide for and protect his family, Byron's poor decision to join Elysian only serves to destroy it. And naturally--irony of ironies--Byron's best client is the exotic, beautiful Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams), who just happens to be married to Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Tobias Alcott (played wonderfully by James Coburn). The ailing Tobias seeks Byron's aid to rewrite his last novel; the young writer eagerly agrees; the stage is set for dismal, heartbreaking disappointment (should have insisted on a written contract, dude).

Garcia is so soft-spoken and restrained in this role, even after getting knocked down again and again, that I--unlike some of the reviewers here--actually was relieved when he finally unleashed some anger and frustration by trashing the wardrobe room at Elysian Fields. I'll bet the character felt better; I know I did.

Mick Jagger as the articulate, whiskey-sipping proprietor of Elysian Fields was an unexpected and delightful surprise. The ending was a bit uneven and sappy, but entirely predictable. For all you struggling writers out there, I would recommend you forego becoming an escort and pick something safer. Sword swallowing comes to mind.
--D. Mikels

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
In the film, "The Man from Elysian Fields," Andy Garcia plays the morose married writer, Byron Tiller. Tiller's one book "Hitler's Child, " isn't exactly a best-seller, and now he's almost finished book number two. Tiller's publisher won't even publish this second book. Tiller's wife, Dena (Julianna Margulies) is so unshakeable in her belief that both the book and her husband will be whoopingly successful, that Byron can't break the news that there will be no second book--no advance--no great writing career.

Desperation leads Byron to Elysian Fields--an elite male escort agency that just happens to be conveniently located next to his drab little office. The owner of the agency, the fascinating Luther Fox (Mick Jagger) offers to provide Byron with work, and so Byron accepts. His first assignment, as luck and Hollywood would have it, is to accompany porcelain beauty, Andrea Alcott, for a night on the town. Now Andrea is married to Byron's idol--popular author Tobias Alcott. Byron finds the situation intriguing and delectable enough to leave moral scruples behind as he fills in for Tobias in the bedroom too, but things are not quite as they seem, and Byron has a nasty illogical lesson waiting for him.

The film possessed many allegorical elements--Elysian Fields is, of course, in mythology, the place where souls go after death. Luther Fox is certainly a believable satiny evil Satan--by offering Byron an evening with the wife of a literary giant, he tempts him into selling his soul. Supernatural elements are weaved into the story and the set designs, but the film doesn't seem to know quite what to do with the layers of meaning created in the plot. So instead, the film disintergrates nonsensically into codswallop--sarcastic, world-weary, elegant Luther Fox turns into a pathetic love-lorn reject, and Byron's hell is laced with the promise of Hollywood happy endings. A sad disappointment indeed--why bother to lace the story with allegory and then suddenly switch gears half way through? Splendid performance from Mick Jagger--he redeemed this film for me--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer.

Very Poorly Written
It is ironic that this movie should pertain to the subject of writing, as it is very poorly written.
A MICROCOSM of this can be seen at the end, where the author reads his supposedly "breakthrough" novel: anybody over an amateur level readily recognizes what he is reading as extremely poor, extremely amateurish writing. It is also interesting that John Grisham is referred to once in the movie as a paragon of good writing--as though "fast food" writing ever qualified as very good intellectual reading meat.
The stupidity of the protagonist in not procuring a contract for his services strains credulity.
The likelihood that a well-known author would acquiesce to co-author his last book strains credulity.
The very stilted dialogue of this movie strains credulity.
Mick Jagger did a great job acting, but it's not enough to save this stinker.
The guy who wrote this movie neither understands good writing nor was capable of it.

The Man From Elysian Fields
My husband and I enjoyed this movie very much. Even though the story line was a bit of a downer at times, it was still very entertaining and kept our interest throughout the entire movie. Andy Garcia and Mick Jagger did an excellent job in conveying the desperation they each felt during critical moments in their lives. James Corburn and the actress who played his wife were good in their roles, as well.

a 10 star movie-must see!!!
Husband and I loved everything about this movie. Don't need to elaborate-read the previous reviews. Please rent, won't be disappointed ... Read more

Description

Bounty hunters from the future raid the present to provide new bodies for the super rich in the all-out, pedal-to-the-medal sci-fi thriller Freejack, directed by Geoff Murphy (Young Guns) and sparked by the imagination of Alien and Total Recall veteran Ronald Shusett.

Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo star, keeping pace with the scenic, supersonic excitement.Prior to a crash, race car driver Alex Furlong (Estevez) is snatched from his cockpit and hurled into the futureworld of 2009.He's dead.And running for his life.He's a "freejack," a stranger in the strangest of lands.And a relentless "bonejacker" (Jagger) can collect millions bringing him in. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1991 concert film was shot in the IMAX format and was originallypresented on enormous IMAX screens, with outstanding visual and audioclarity. The dimensions may have been scaled down for this DVD release, but the show is still huge in energy and talent. Filmed during a European leg ofthe Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels tour, this production boasts 15 songsand an extraordinary stage set with inflatable floozies (for "Honky TonkWoman") and wild dogs (rather cleverly for "Street Fighting Man"). TheStones' set emphasizes material from the late 1960s and early '70s ("TumblingDice," "Happy," "You Can't Always Get What You Want"), but the band'sperformance is so furious that the show is far from a pandering oldies act. Highlights include "Paint It Black," at once brutal and delicate, as well asa muscular "Rock and a Hard Place," a psychedelicized "2,000 Light Years fromHome," and a cheeky "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll." Once kings of a gloriouslysloppy sound, the Stones prove to be as effective in their artistic maturitywith small, breathtaking touches as they are with chunky orchestration. Guitarists Keith Richards and Ron Wood play as if they are of one mind,Richards providing powerful leads while his partner captures some of thetexture of the group's original recordings. Bassist Bill Wyman, still in theband at this phase, offers wit and an encyclopedic grasp of rhythm & blueshistory, while drummer Charlie Watts adds control and swing.Mick Jaggerprowls, climbs around the set, and delivers all the charismatic goods foradoring audiences, even touching the forbidden fruit again in a feverishpeformance of "Sympathy for the Devil." The DVD also includes a full Stones discography. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

bad sound
What happened to the sound quality? I originally saw the Stones' Live at the Max at an IMAX theater in Vancouver, Canada, and it sounded incredible. The sound literally blew my away. But the sound quality in this DVD is simply mute in comparison. I consider the Stones' Gimme Shelter DVD the greatest rock film ever made (followed closely by Pink Floyd's Live at Pompei and The Wall). Unfortunately, Floyd's Live at Pompei isn't on DVD, and the Stones' Live at the Imax is (it should have been left on VHS, or at least digitally remastered for DVD).

I have the THX version and it still sucks!
Like everyone else with any musical taste I love the Stones, and have been following them since I was fifteen and was hooked by "Satisfaction". That said, there seems to always be a propensity by whoever does the mixing for Stones' movies/DVDs to screw up the sound (maybe the Glimmer Twins themselves?). For instance, I have a number of bootlegs from the 1972 tour (Mick Taylor, decadence, hooray!), most of which are brilliant, full-bodied and powerful, then you get "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones", and it is comparatively anemic (actually awful) - guitars too tinny, the bottom rumble eliminated, Jagger too loud, and instead of sounding powerful, it sounds fragmented not like a real band at all. "At the Max" continues this tradition (?). I have videotape of that tour and, again, it is great, but I can't even watch this DVD, they manage to make the Stones sound boring!! The good news is that on Four Flicks, at last, a really decent job of mixing has been done that actually does sound like a Stones' concert - major regret that they didn't learn to do this before Bill Wyman left the band. At least we have "Gimme Shelter", which in its newest incarnation comes pretty close (ever hear it in a theatre with a good sound system turned up loud? Magic!) But unless you must have everything, I would avoid this one.

horrible sound -
what's with the sound on this dvd. The audience noise is louder than the Stones. The musical quality is compared to an old record which has been ran over by a truck. The crowd's screaming and yelling drowns out 85% of the music.

This concert video is the best argument why stadium concerts are not made for music.

The Rolling Stones-Live at the Max
Very good but audio does not even come close to DTS Quality

Too many overdubs...
I saw this in an IMax theater last year and was horrified to see that almost all of the guitar work is overdubbed. Keith's fingerwork doesn't match what is coming out of the speakers at all. You'd think they could actually play the tunes live by now. Quite the embarrassment. I'd rather hear a few bum notes than this dishonest mess. ... Read more

Description

Campbell's soup cans, drug addicts-turned-celebritiesand a Day-Glo Marilyn Monroe: these are some of the groundbreakingimages from Andy Warhol's artistic vision.

This program offers the definitive look at the life and creative world of a revolutionary who influenced the 20th century in everything from painting to film to music.Capturing the essence of Warhol's strobe-lit, amphetamine- fueled 60s "scene" are rare audiotapes and films from the Warhol Foundation Archives and recollections of friends and colleagues like Debbie Harry and Dennis Hopper.

Enter Warhol's fabulous inner circle, where both high and lowbrow converge beneath the banner of celebrity and everyone gets to be famous for fifteen minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Interesting but disappointing
This production has all the flavor of a bland, picky, British critic, which is the voice you'll strain to decipher as you watch it. It was interesting, mainly because Warhol was an entertaining and outrageous character, but when it was over, I felt like it missed the significant essence of the man. My major criticism is that the film spent more time on his kinky lifestyle than on his true legacy -- his art. I would have preferred a film that focused more on his artistic contribution, and less on whether he was bisexual and lived with his mother all his life. So when it was over, I wished I had selected one of the other Warhol DVDs.

Informative but Generally Goofy
Although the film is really informative and offers a great anectdote about Warhol's supposed asexuality, the film has a cheesy PBS documentary feel to it. It's high art approach to Warhol's life and art seem opposed to his own intentions in his work. There's still some amazingly funny moments, all unintentional.

Finally a new DVD on Warhol
I was excited to see a new DVD was to be released about Andy Warhol a month ago. I bought this right away when it was finally released only to find out it is a documentary that was created in Canada that was broadcast on US television about 8 months ago. I had taped this when it aired so I was a bit disappointed to learn they are one in the same although it's nice to have it on DVD instead of tape. This is a great DVD and covers some new angles and material not found in 'Portrait of an Artist' or 'Superstar'. It's interesting to see some new interviews with members of the Warhola family. To see how they have aged since 'Portrait of an Artist' just proves it's about time something new was released. I highly recommend this DVD if you did not already watch it on television or if you are an avid fan of Andy like myself. Well worth the price of admission alone:-) Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Pretty Empty
This felt like a particularly vacuous segment of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." I guess I was looking for an insightful glimpse into the world of Mick Jagger. Instead, I got a poorly edited glorification of Mick as loving father, musical prodigy and jetsetting man of the world. There was no critical analysis of his life, his music, his failed relationships, his relationship with offspring not appearing in the film, etc. This felt like a self-promotional image piece that was carefully designed to present Jagger as a man of sterling character. My suspicion was confirmed, in fact, when I read the closing credits: Mick was the Executive Producer. I have a feeling that the purpose of this so-called documentary was to inspire greater interest in Jagger among the public, and particularly among his fans, in order to increase sales of his newly released solo album. There's nothing wrong with such aggressive marketing, but let's not call the film a "documentary" - a "public relations" piece would have been a more fitting description. I have far greater respect for the documentary form than this hollow work conveyed.

The Other Half
I bought this DVD 1) because I heard Pete Townshend was in it and 2) because Mick is a very bright and interesting guy and I love the Rolling Stones. Very fun viewing; nice to see Mick enjoying his family and great to see fragments of him in the creative process. "Goddess" has some very strong work on it and the live tracks here are great. The highlight for me was Mick and Pete recording and chatting in the studio. Pick it up.

Being Mick-something I always wanted to see!
For any Rolling Stones or Mick Jagger fan, this is a must! It is always enjoyable to see how the "other half" lives including Rock Royalty such a Sir Mick. He is a musical genius and the glimpse into his life is quite interesting as we see Mick as the family man and the musician. Being from Florida, I especially enjoyed the scene from Miami where Mick goes on an airboat looking for gators, I assume in his offtime from working with Lenny Kravitz. Overall very interesting and something I thought I would never get to see....a candid glimpse of a musical icon! I've watched it so many times and it is a necessary collector's item for the Stones fan!

Good
I enjoyed this. The tag line, "You would if you could" is a little condescending, and you might think "I'll never live like that, what a jerk." But Mick seems like a nice guy, and it's fun to watch. I can't give it 5 stars, because Mick isn't worth 5 stars without the other Stones.

Something stupid
A horribly made documentary on the life of Mick Jagger. That's all. Forget it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mick Jagger had one of his rare sizable acting roles, as the famed Australian outlaw, in this atmospheric biopic (remade in 2004 with Heath Ledger). The movie has the look and spirit of other Vietnam-era counterculture Westerns, with Irishman Ned Kelly a rebel against the unjust Establishment. Tony Richardson's direction has the free-for-all laxity of the era, though the general sense of mess is tidied up by the often stunning location photography by ace DP Gerry Fisher. What makes the film memorable is the soundtrack, a heavy portion of which is made up of Western ballads written by witty Shel Silverstein and sung by Waylon Jennings; elsewhere, the Amish-bearded Jagger croons "The Wild Colonial Boy." A charitable assessment of Jagger's performance would conclude that he brings an intriguing Pirandellian presence to the role; a more clear-eyed view would say that he simply doesn't have the acting chops to carry it off. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (7)

the music is the thing
Okay so Mic Jagger was an odd choice to play Ned Kelly but so what? Before this movie came out most of the world didn't know who the Kellys were. Perhaps the movie made people decide to learn more which is why we now have at least two very good books on Ned Kelly's life. But this is supposed to be about the sound track and I'll get to that. Waylon Jennings was brilliant on this album. Every song moves the movie along and actually comments on the action on the screen. Once you hear it you'll never forget Blame it On the Kellys or Daddy Does His Ranching (Dad's a cattle thief) in the Evening.

Kelly YES..Jagger NO
as a straight forward attempt to tell Kelly's story it succeeds. but Jagger, sadly, is Mick Jagger, not Edward Kelly. Unartistic as a film, it nevertheless tells a great story quite well, and i must confess, whenit first came out (1970) it started me on a Kelly quest that has lasted ever since. So BRAVO for Tony Richardson's attmept....and I like Mick and found SOME of his work here "ok"...but if you watch a movie on Kelly and can only see Mick Jagger, then the casting director should be fired!!

youth is born again
in the seventies I saw the movie in London at the odeon, naturally I went to see it, because Mick Jagger was the star. Nowadays I recognize, the movie is very thin, but the music is still great, and I love to remember those crazy days. ( 47 years)

Grossly inaccurate
I'm an Australian and have been researching Ned Kelly for 25 years. I watched this film at the movies when it came out. It was terrible then, and is even more terrible to watch now. If you are interested in the Kelly Gang, there are some very good books: recommended "A Short Life" by Ian Jones. See if Amazon has it! It is a very accurate account of the life of Edward Kelly, which is more than I can say for this movie.

A Big casting mistake
Ok, the only reason I watched this was because I'm a big Stones fan but I didn't really expect it to be too good or even memerable and its not. One thing is that I read somewhere that Ned Kelly was a big guy, about 200 pounds, and so I don't think Mick Jagger was a very good pick for him since Mick is so skinny. Another thing is the beard. It just looks hideous. The accent Mick puts on is also hideous, anyway, he mumbles the whole way through and his acting is VERY flat. The other actors weren't too good or memoralbe either. The script must not have been too hot because the only scenes that I really remember are the wrestling match and the end when he gets captured. If you want to watch a good movie with Mick Jagger in it watch Performance instead. ... Read more

Description

An emperor who has the means to buy anything he could possibly want finds that true treasure lies in the song of a plain bird. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Faerie Tale Theatre: The Nightingale
Mick Jagger stars as the Emperor of Cathay in this beautiful and lavish production from Faerie Tale Theatre. It's one of the most touching faerie tales, and it turns out to be one of the best episodes from this series. Jagger turns in an excellent performance as the Emperor, and Barbara Hershey is absolutely charming as the loyal kitchen maid. A spellbinding episode that is one of my favourites.

Sweet and affecting
Mick Jagger stars as the Emperor of Cathay in THE NIGHTINGALE, FAERIE TALE THEATRE'S great new telling of the tale.

He is quite good in his acting role here, although one can't help thinking that someone more suitable could have been found, considering the series' impeccable casting in all its productions.

Barbara Hershy plays the Little Kitchen Maid who opens the Emperor's heart by bringing him the magical Nightingale, who is voiced by Shelly Duvall (creator and producer of the series).

Also featured are Mako and Edward James Olmos. ... Read more