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With No Direction Home and The Last Waltz, along with his editorial stint on Woodstock, it can be said that Martin Scorsese is fond of documenting the livewire creatures of the rock and roll world. The Rolling Stones, the aging rockers who have been referenced numerous times in his features, happen to be the New Yorker's favourite band. Consequently, Shine a Light, a detailed shufti at how a Stones concert comes to fruition, is a dream collaboration for fans of the maestro and the uber-famous recording artists.
Filmed over two nights at the Big Apple's Beacon Theatre, Scorsese and the legendary foursome fill two hours with very little effort - the director's legwork is completed by the large assemblage of cinematographers (all Oscar winners/nominees including Robert Richardson and John Toll) who operate eighteen cameras, and the band are simply themselves on stage. This is the foundation for the endearing nature of the work - the audience wants to see two legendary talents from their respective cultural spheres combine and interact. Both parties respect each other enough to simply get on with it - Jagger trusts Scorsese's judgment regarding having a camera "flying around the stage" and the director, even though he undergoes a trademark minor panic, lets the band open without having a playlist. From the opening meet-and-greet of the film when the English exports congregate with Bill and Hillary Clinton, the humanity of the band is extremely evident - Mick is entirely courteous in person but a complete extrovert when he enters his domain of the stage, which he prowls like a cheetah, Keith is as anomalous as Johnny Depp paints him in Pirates of the Caribbean, Charlie is sombre and straightedge, and Ronnie seems like a guy winding down from the glory days for the good of his health - all four fire witticisms like bullets though.
The documentary footage Scorsese includes provides the majority of laughs - everybody finds deadpan Englishness versus Japanese enthusiasm hilarious - but Shine a Light is ultimately a film about performance. Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy and Jack White hop on the Stones juggernaut for some standout duets and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Sympathy for the Devil" are certain highlights. More recognisable hits would have been more welcome however, and with the Scorsese connection, not having "Gimme Shelter" in the film is criminal. In addition, with the band approaching retirement age they are not exactly as vivacious as they used to be, but the advert for vitality they represent on stage is breathtaking to behold. The manner in which the band orbit Jagger is good to see but occasionally Scorsese seemingly has too much choice vis-a-vis camera options and the editing comes across as a tad exhausting. This is a trifling complaint though, as overall Scorsese presents the concert as an intimate opera as well as a show of blockbuster proportions (even on IMAX the film portrays a rare closeness between the stage and viewers). Jagger battling the audience armed with his never-ending energy is a must-see even for Stones novices. Watts knows he has the best job in the world but remains focused, Wood can't believe he has such a cool profession and is always excitable, Richards has no idea where he is, and Jagger shepherds the talents together for an explosive cocktail - the camaraderie and body language the four shares is simply heart-warming.
The summary
The Rolling Stones and Martin Scorsese are comparable to a tennis doubles team. They have each other covered all over the court, they normally pick the correct shots, and they take it in turns to hit smashes to justify their respective positions as legends. They have a respectful understanding.
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