Session 2: Gimme Shelter (1970)

Today’s film:Gimme Shelter

• Co-Directors: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, and Charlotte Zwerin• Cinematography: the Maysles brothers• Co-Editor: Charlotte Zwerin• Starring The Rolling Stones:

– Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor

• Premiered December 6, 1970 in New York– Opened in the UK on December 13, 1970– Also released theatrically (1971-1974) in Canada, West

Germany, Sweden, Denmark, France, Venezuela, Japan, Finland, Spain

• Budget: approx. $634K; box office stats not available• Hybrid Observational documentary

Features of Observational documentaries

• Observational documentaries usually include the following elements:– Non-intervention of filmmaker with subjects– No asking questions directly– Longer camera takes– Synchronous sound: what you see has the actual

sound that goes with it– Examples: March of the Penguins; Koyaanisqatsi

Today’s film:Gimme Shelter

• Awards:– Won Cinema Eye Honors for “The Influentials”: 2014,

2015, and 2016– Nominee, Golden Trailer Awards for “Best

Documentary TV Spot”: 2017

• Honors:– Ranks #5 on vulture.com’s 2015 list of 50 Best Music

Documentaries of All Time

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 100% ; Audience 91%

Albert and David Maysles

David (left) and Albert (right) Maysles in 1969

Maysles Brothers resume summary

• Over 30 total documentary films together– Best known for Salesman (1969), Gimme Shelter (1970),

and Grey Gardens (1975)

– Also What’s Happening! The Beatles In The U.S.A. (1964)

• Albert (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) has 53 total directorial credits and 83 credits as cinematographer

• David (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987) has 23 total directorial credits and 13 credits as cinematographer

• Well-known proponents and practitioners of the “Direct Cinema” genre

Charlotte Zwerin

Charlie Watts (left) and Zwerin (right) in 1969

Zwerin resume summary

• August 15, 1931 – January 22, 2004• As director: 14 total credits (both with and

without the Maysles)– Best known for Salesman (1969), Gimme Shelter

(1970), and Running Fence (1977)– Also directed films on Vladimir Horowitz (1987),

Thelonious Monk (1989), and Ella Fitzgerald (1999)• As editor: 9 credits• As producer: 7 credits• Well-known proponent and practitioner of the

“Direct Cinema” genre

Today’s film:Gimme Shelter

• This film “captures that petulant omnisexuality that made many adults consider Jagger as a threat to their daughters, sons and household pets alike.” – Variety

• “The impact of this stunning film – and the lessons to be learned from it – are as remarkable as when it was first released 30 years ago.” – Boston Globe

• Let’s watch ...

Brief epilogue

• The film’s footage of the stabbing death of 18-

year old Meredith Hunter at the Altamont

Free Concert was used in the trial of Hells

Angel Alan Passaro

– Jury (8 men, 4 women) deliberated for 12.5 hours

after hearing 17 days of testimony

– Passaro was acquitted on the grounds of self-

defense

Brief epilogue

• The film crew included 25 camera operators and 16 sound recordists, including:– George Lucas– Peter Adair– Joan Churchill– Gary Weis

Brief epilogue

• The Rolling Stones are still at it*

– Current European/North American “No Filter

Tour” from Sept. 2017 through June 2019*

• Jagger and Richards are both currently age 75

• Watts is currently age 77

• Wyman is currently age 82 (left the band in 1993)

• Ronnie Wood (who replaced Mick Taylor in 1975) is

currently age 71

• Mick Taylor is currently age 70

Brief epilogue

• The Rolling Stones have toured (most often in Europe, the UK, and the US) 47 times since 1963!

– First ever gig was July 12, 1962 at Marquee Club in London

– First tour was British Tour 1963 (Sept – Nov)

– American Tour 1969 was their 25th tour overall and 5th

of the US; previous US tour was 1966

• Grossed over $1M; ticket prices ranged from $3 to $8

– Their tours currently hold the #3, #14, and #16 spots on the list of Top 20 grossing tours of all time

• 4 tours, at the time of completion, were the highest grossing of all time

Brief epilogue

• The “Tour of the Americas ’75” opened in Baton Rouge, LA on June 1st