Scorsese Rolls With the Stones

Scorsese Rolls With the Stones

Before Shutter Island and after The Departed—there was an interlude in the Scorsese – DiCaprio love affair: a project called “Shine a Light.”

“Shine a Light” is a full-length concert film slash documentary directed by Martin Scorsese featuring the legendary rock band, The Rolling Stones. An IMAX version was released in the United States.

With a director like Martin Scorsese and a band like the Stones, I was probably set my expectations too high. I was looking for something epic. I was hoping for more storytelling or a reveal of some incredible new insight about the band.

What I got for the most part was incredibly shot footage (18 cameras) of two fabulous shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre in autumn of 2006. This, interspersed with a few scenes of pre-show discussions in hotel rooms and interviews from as early as the 60’s.

I’ve always had a theory that it’s not expensive plastic surgery—fake noses, liposuction and stretched out skin that keeps you eternally young: it’s a passion for rock and roll and a sense of humor. Just look at these guys: Mick Jagger was 63 when they shot this, Keith Richards was 62, Ronnie Wood was 59 and Charlie Watts was 65! And they’re playing their hearts out con mucho gusto as if they were 40 years younger. They’re still skinny as ever, with Jagger being the wiriest of the four, prancing, dancing, shaking and moving about in his skinny black jeans and shiny tight black t-shirt riding up and down revealing zero body fat in the abdominal area.

The wrinkles are there in all their glory—untouched by scalpel and suture sculpture artists of Los Angeles and Miami. Save for the Watts, their hair is dyed a deep rock and roll black. But they’re all incredibly fit with the stamina to pull off show like this.

Here comes Keith Richards wearing the eyeliner and shiny black scarf with dingles and dangles tied around. And then you see where some of Jack Sparrow’s style came from.

While Mick Jagger is clever and articulate, I couldn’t help but laugh at Keith Richards’ answers in past interviews: Q: What do you tell yourself before you go out and play for a hundred thousand people? A: “You better wake up.” Or, Q: What is the question you get asked most often? A: “That one you asked me.”

When Richards gets introduced at the end of the show, he says “It’s good to see you all” he pauses for a bit and continues, “it’s good to see anybody” and then laughs.

Being a huge Jack White fan, I absolutely enjoyed him coming on stage for “Loving Cup.” Bluesman Buddy Guy came on for “Champagne and Reefer,” when Christina Aguilera came out I thought, OK, this looks like “ASAP” now.

There’s footage of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards after they were arrested, and a forum between Jagger in a loose flowing tunic top meeting with a British Jesuit, paper editor, a Lord and few other esteemed representatives of polite society. Ah, they’ve been accused to being rebels and rabble-rousers but look who’s the big fan boy at the Beacon show? Two term US President Bill Clinton who brought along Hillary, Hillary’s excited mom (87 at the time), Chelsea and a 10-year old nephew.

Like any concert, there are highlights and a few parts I (shame on me) forwarded through having seen a good deal of past footage and shows by the band. Watching this however has made “you’ve come a long way, baby” seem like an understatement for the band. Whatever the destination is, “Shine a Light” shows the Stones, nearly half a century later, are still furiously rolling.