Thursday 25 June 2009

Film Review: SHINE A LIGHT (2008)


Director: Martin Scorsese
Running time: 122 mins (approx)

Watched on Sky+ Thursday 25th June 2009.

A long time ago, back in 1982 I think it was, I went to a park in Leeds with by girlfriend at the time and we watched a band called The Rolling Stones. As I recall, they were not bad… Twenty Seven years later I see them on TV in a documentary type film directed by Martin Scorsese. And guess what… They’re still not bad…

Recorded over two nights at the Beacon Theatre New York during the 2006 ‘A Bigger Bang’ tour. We begin with a kind of mish-mash of clips showing either members of the band or Martin Scorsese talking about the stage, or the songs, or the filming. It’s almost like a documentary about a documentary. Eventually we begin the show with Bill Clinton introducing the band and finally they take to the stage with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”. The rest of the set is listed below, but it is interspersed with archive clips of interviews with various band members over the years from the 1960’s up to date.

As a film, I quite enjoyed it, I didn’t find the archive material too intrusive, although I think you would have to be a fan of the Stones to want to see it. It was made to be shown in IMAX theatres and I think it would have been quite spectacular on a screen of that size. I watched it on by 37 inch LCD which was OK with the sound turned up pretty loud (sorry neighbours).

All in all, it’s basically the concert with a few extra bits thrown in. I can only really score it on the Stones performance because I’ve been to many a big outdoor concert where the visuals are just as good (although maybe not the same quality). So, it’s a good watch if you’re a Stones fan, if you’re not, then I wouldn’t go and see it.

Set List:

Most of the performance footage was culled from the second night of filming. All songs are written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except the ones which are noted.

"Jumpin' Jack Flash"
"Shattered"
"She Was Hot"
"All Down the Line"
"Loving Cup" - with Jack White (The Third)
"As Tears Go By" (Jagger/Richards/Oldham)
"Some Girls"
"Just My Imagination" (Norman Whitfield/Barrett Strong)
"Far Away Eyes"
"Champagne & Reefer" (Muddy Waters) - with Buddy Guy
"Tumbling Dice"
* Band introductions
"You Got the Silver" - lead vocal by Keith Richards
"Connection" (incomplete/cut with 1999 interview clips) - lead vocal by Keith Richards
"Sympathy for the Devil"
"Live with Me" - with Christina Aguilera
"Start Me Up"
"Brown Sugar"
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction”
"Shine a Light" (incomplete; audio only)

Additional acoustic instrumental numbers are also played during the closing credits:
"Wild Horses"
"Only Found Out Yesterday" (Richards)

My score: 8/10

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