Gimme Shelter (1970) Review

Title: Gimme Shelter

Year: 1970

Director: Maysles Brothers

Country: US

Language: English

"If you build it, they will come." is a famous line from Field of Dreams (1989) that would most appropriately apply to Woodstock; the free counter-culture hippie festival held in August 1969. That event showed the best that the 60's revolution had to offer. The Rolling Stones' event at Altamont in 1970 would show the ugly side of that generation. 

This documentary shows what happens when 3,000 members of the "Love" Generation collide with the Hells Angels at an event held by the Rolling Stones. 

Gimme Shelter was made in an innovative, seemingly spontaneous style, similar to the French Concept of Cinema Verte. The Maysles brothers and Zwerin bind together the shows' formulation, execution and aftermath in riveting fashion. It's a film that organically builds to a boil as an uneasy tension permutes the atmosphere. /

The concert, much like the previous decade, began with naive optimism before everything seemed to fall apart. The Rolling Stones provided a soundtrack that fit the overal mood at the time; hedonistic, violent, and volatile. It spoke to the dislushionment Americans had about their own country during Vietnam. 

Gimme Shelter is an important documentary; a time capsule that captures the social and political tensions of the era. It is an entertaining picture, even if you don't like The Rolling Stones' music.