Film: Gimme Shelter

Director: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Genre: Documentary
Source: USA (1970)
Rating: PG
Location/Format: HuluPlus
Grade: A-

Well, this was fascinating. I've "known" about Altamont and how the Hell's Angels killed a man at a Rolling Stones show for ages, but this documentary opened my eyes to what went wrong as well as the fallout of the situation. It was traumatic and tragic, and it exposed a side of Mick Jagger that I had never really seen before.

Mayles/Zwerin allow silences to play out pregnantly in this film, but it's the people doing the talking who seem to get their ire. They show large sections of "planning" conference calls in which the poor organization of the Altamont concert is apparent: a lack of parking, a lack of planning, a lack of security. Knowing what we know now, it's impossible not to be shocked at the lack of foresight these big promoters and businessmen had, but of course at the time they must have been expecting another Woodstock: peace, love, and understanding. In failing to plan, the concert organizers come off as money-grubbers who took no thought for the people they were supposed to be planning for. Yes, the Stones were on stage when the stabbing occurred, and yes, they technically presided over the mayhem, but by repeatedly emphasizing the packed stage (so many people just milling about while bands were trying to play), showing Jagger's deer-in-the-headlights look, and allowing the band's viewing of the footage to devolve inot shocked silence, Mayles/Zwerin clearly allow their sympathies to shine through. It's great commentary-through-editing, and the film's structure really worked for me in that regard.

That's not to say that the Stones come off as angels, either. Early footage of Jagger playing up the rock-star angle, including lines like "Something always happens when we play [Sympathy for the Devil]," and other examples show why parents and "responsible adults" didn't really like him and were quick to point the finger at him as responsible for the ills in the world. He enjoyed pushing buttons, playing the bad boy, and pushing the limits of good taste.

Still, Jagger's sins seem minor here. Of course, noticeably absent from the film is the perspective of the Hell's Angels, other than a clip from a radio show in which a spokesman blames Jagger for blaming them. Similarly, there is no real explanation or investigation into the victim himself, which makes this more of a film about celebrity than about tragedy in the specific. I think at least acknowledging the victim a bit would have strengthened the emotional weight of the film.

Still, I came in to the movie just looking for something in the background while I worked, and I ended up not getting anything down because I was so drawn into the movie's drama. I was distressed, moved, and left with a sadness and malaise that I didn't expect. Powerful film-making.

Alternate Film Title: Nah, Gimme Shelter is about perfect--a little bit of a plea, a little bit of a demand, a little bit of an allusion to the storms that overwhelm us.