Truly Dreadful Film

Absolutely the worst movie.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Ladies and Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones (1973) **** (out of 4) OK, I understand the Stone not wanting C*cksucker Blues to have an official release but why in the hell hasn't this thing been released yet? Two concerts from Fort Worth, TX were edited together for this film, which was recorded on The Stones Exile on Main Street tour. Just check out this setlist: Brown Sugar, Gimme Shelter, Dead Flowers, Happy, Tumblin Dice, Love in Vein, Sweet Virginia, You Can't Always Get What You Want, All Down the Line, Midnight Rambler, Bye Bye Johnny, Rip This Joint, Jumpin Jack Flash and Street Fightin Man. The actual film itself isn't as good as Gimme Shelter but the performance of the band here is downright terrific. There's no behind the scenes stuff or interviews edited in. This is just a pure rock and roll show with the boys delivering terrific performances and perhaps the greatest live version of Gimme Shelter that I've heard. I also really enjoyed all the songs from 'Sticky Fingers', which we all know is the band's greatest album. When I saw The Stones last year their song Dead Flowers was played and pretty much became my title song with the ex who went with me.

"Ladies & Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones" (Directed by Rollin Binzer,1973) Although I would perhaps include The Rolling Stones' performance in "The T.A.M.I. Show" along with this, that was a different era and line-up of the group, still including the musically-versatile band founder, Brian Jones, on guitar, dulcimer, mandolin, maracas, recorder and whatever else warranted his talents.And although there are many great live or pseudo-live performances of the band, ranging from their half dozen or so appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (the earliest of which rank with the aforementioned "T.A.M.I" showcase) to "Hullabaloo," to "Ready Steady Go!," to "Shindig!," and even a full-set, 1971 videotaped show at London's Marquee Club, where they got their start as a blues cover combo, one really cannot count these as full-feature, theatrical documents of the group. Nor can one, I suppose, count the initially British-only TV performance (since made commercially available from a color print, after the Stones reacquired it from The Who) of "The Rolling Stones' Rock & Roll Circus." And besides, although riveting, lead singer Mick Jagger was apparently higher than a cut-cord, helium balloon for that one! But for a pure, near-cinema verite (conceding they rehearsed their music sets) concert film, you can't get any better than this, save for a front row seat at one of their gigs from either the 1972 or '75 tours, the latter of which was, sadly, not filmed (at least to general knowledge). That tour contained the infamous ride Jagger took on an inflatable phallus, musically just as tight, theatrically even more the spectacle, though not in support of as great a studio recording. This film, culled from footage at two Texas concerts in the summer of 1972, to promote their then-new Atlantic/Rolling Stones Records LP release, "Exile On Main Street," remains not only the best concert film of the band, but among the best, straight rock concert films ever! I saw this film in a theater only once, in re-release on a 1980 double bill with the then-newly-released "Rock 'N' Roll High School," starring The Ramones, and it has to rank as one of the greatest double bills I have ever seen in a commercial theater--while away at college in Amherst, Massachusetts. One, the best celluloid document of a world-famous rock & roll band, in their prime and playing one of their best sets; the other, the best re-creation of a rock & roll drive-in movie, starring the world's most famous, two-chord garage band.Of course, the theater in which I saw it didn't have the benefit of the quadraphonic sound included for the film's initial release, but was nevertheless an awesome experience to see larger-than-life images of Jagger and Keith Richards (with his streaked, rooster's mane shag) double-sucking the mike, the camera close up on Jagger in a blue jumpsuit one second, panning the stage to a shot of Mick Taylor on a lead solo or Bobby Keys blowing sax the next, or downstage, then back up to Jagger, shimmying the stage at the second show in a white jumpsuit! "Dead Flowers," "Happy," "Sweet Virginia" and "Tumbling Dice" are high points, but it's all excellent, if only a little too short.I don't know about the validity of information contained in a previously-posted review, that someone associated with the film's production said existing prints of this film were damaged? All I can say is that I saw what appeared to be an intact film in '80; have since acquired a bootleg VHS copy of it in the early '90s, which appears to be mostly there, though something seems weird about the very beginning of it versus how I recall from the theatrical screening. But that could also be just my impaired memory--like those notorious Twins of Glimmer, I too have done some chemical dabbling over these many years! In any event, if you get a chance ever to see this on a big-screen--do yourself a favor and go see it! Also, you may try cruising the Web and/or eBay for an illegitimate DVD/VHS copy of the film--at least will get a sense of what all the fuss is about here. I think you'll find the superlatives justified.The Stones are well past their prime these days, almost the equivalent of a very well-compensated, touring oldies act ("The Strolling Bones" as some have said), making records that don't matter but to their legions of fans numbering in the millions & spanning a few generations now. But this film captures them perfectly, when they were very much an in-the-moment, happening entity, still releasing records of reckoning, really worthy of their moniker, "The World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band!" But even Richards, the group's heart & soul, if not nominal leader, has said that dubbing given the Stones is overused, that on any given night the world's best rock & roll band is a different group; maybe that garage outfit playing their hottest set at some roadside shack in the boondocks is, on that night, the "world's greatest" rock act. For that humble admission alone, seeing this filmed recording of The Rolling Stones at the peak of their powers is an investment of time well worth spent!

1972 shows the Stones in their PRIME. The actual "stage show" is not as good as 4 Flicks but the playing is incredible.The entire band is awesome. Mick Taylor steals the show (as he did throughout 1972-73). Highlights for Mick are Gimmie Shleter, Love in Vain and YCAGWYW. His solos are beyond belief. At this point Mick Taylor was probably the most fluid, brilliant guitarist in ALL of R&R.Keith has moments as well. Bye Bye Johnnie is fantastic. Fans that are familiar with the recent Keef will be surprised how well he plays (without the sloppiness of recent years). He also does not cut corners in 1972. Listen to all the detailed chords he hits (for example on Tumblin Dice) vs 4 FLicks.The only negatives: all the songs are played faster than normal and the set list is short.

It's great to have some good footage of the early 1970's Stones (during their "Exile On Main Street" tour), but it's probably best suited to hard core fans and other nostelgic types. Keith Richards is especially cool during this era, and many would agree that the band is pretty much at their peak here. Great rock and roll music, originally released in quadrophonic sound. Recorded live in Texas, with all on-stage footage and no backstage or interview shots whatsoever. The biggest problem is that you CAN'T BUY THE THING!!! Why has this never been released officially on VHS? Where's a new remastered DVD? Most likely Allen Klein is to blame somehow for this great footage not being (legitimately) available, but let's hope that someday we can actually go buy an official release of this classic. Stones fans HAVE to see this thing, but casual fans may want to stick with "Gimme Shelter," which you can at least go buy/rent.