Movie Info:
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Christina Aguilera, Buddy Guy, Jack White, Darryl Jones, Lisa Fischer
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 4, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability:Amazon for $18.99

I’m not a big fan of the Rolling Stones. I know they’re one of the best bands of all time, but I much prefer The Beatles. Nevertheless, I can respect the band’s longevity, passion for music, and ability to appease a widely diverse audience. It seems fitting that one of the best directors of all time and one of the best bands of all time would team up to make the critically acclaimed documentary, Shine a Light.

When you think Martin Scorsese, you think well written, mob related drama. You don’t think music documentaries. Stepping out of the box, Scorsese offers a stunningly directed, chaotic look at the behind the scenes element of the Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang Tour”. While the behind the scenes footage is short compared to the concert footage, what is there is a buildup of what is yet to come. That being said, despite not being a Stones fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary.

While Martin Scorsese has never worked with the Stones, most of the movies that Scorsese has made often contain songs and/or references to the band. It is clear that as much as Scorsese sees the Stones as an equal collaborative, creative partner, he is also a fan of the band with a great respect for the band’s work. Likewise, the Stones couldn’t ask for a better director to create and present this documentary.

For as long as the Rolling Stones have been around, it is surprising how good they sound on this DVD. It is as if Scorsese is able to capture the essence of the band and display them at their very best. Perhaps it is the undeniable link that has brought these two creative forces together that makes this documentary surprisingly good, even for those who may not be huge fans of the Stones.

The Shine a Light Plot
The bulk of the Shine a Light documentary is concert footage. There are two, 2006 concerts that are interwoven to make up one full length documentary movie. The concerts used are both from the “A Bigger Bang” tour, which went worldwide and lasted from August of 2005 to August of 2007. Just for reference, this was the highest grossing Stones tour of all time, with the Stones brining in close to $560 million.

The Shine a Light concert footage comes from two performances held at New York’s Beacon Theater on October 29, 2006 and November 1, 2006. Interspersed between concert footage is footage of the Stones in earlier years. This archival footage includes interviews, rare behind the scenes peeks, and historical news clips about the band. During the concert portion, some other, big named celebrities including Buddy Guy, Christina Aguilera, and Jack White perform with the Stones, adding another element to this already interesting movie. If you aren’t a music fan, this might not be your cup of tea, but nearly anyone else will appreciate the effort put into developing Shine a Light.

While the concert begins with my very favorite song by the Stones (“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”), it ends with fan favorite “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”. In between, there are a variety of songs, with a list of everything during the concert including:

- “Shattered”
- “She Was Hot”
- “All Down the Line”
- “Loving Cup” (w/ Jack White)
- “As Tears Go By”
- “Some Girls”
- “Just My Imagination”
- “Far Away Eyes”
- “Champagne & Reefer” (Muddy Waters) (w/ Buddy Guy)
- “Tumbling Dice”
- “You Got the Silver”
- “Connection”
- “Sympathy for the Devil”
- “Live with Me” (w/ Christina Aguilera)
- “Start Me Up”
- “Brown Sugar”

Fittingly, after the concert ends, the audio for “Shine a Light” plays.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The video presentation for Shine a Light is viewed at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The anamorphic, 16×9 widescreen presentation looks excellent, especially since the bulk of Shine a Light is music concert footage. While some of the archive footage shows its age, with 1.33:1 transfers, grain, dirt, and noise, the newer footage and the concert is a stunning cacophony of lights, music and sound. In layman’s terms, it looks nearly as good as it sounds.

The audio for Shine a Light had to be especially strong since so much of the soundtrack relies on the sound of music and dialogue. The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track in English does an excellent job at achieving superior sound quality. The surround sound makes the music sound full, warm and perfect, allowing viewers to receive one enjoyable concert experience. You almost feel like you’re there with the Stones and all their fans. The music balances the dialogue nicely. I didn’t need to volume toggle, which I hate doing. Soundtracks are also available in French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. Subtitles are available in all three languages and Closed Captioning is available for the hearing impaired in English and French.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
There are actually multiple bonus features included on the Shine a Light DVD. The first bonus is a behind the scenes featurette. This looks at the Stones backstage, rehearsals, and more. All of it is not narrated, like other parts of the film. With over 15 minutes of footage, this is going to be a fan’s favorite bonus featurette and is easily the best bonus on this entire DVD.

There are a series of bonus songs not shown during the concert. There are four in total with well over 15 minutes worth of footage. These songs were actually performed while the concert was happening, but didn’t get to be a part of the actual concert filmed and presented in Shine a Light. The songs included are, “Paint it Black”, “I’m Free”, “Little T & A”, and “Undercover of the Night”. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround with a 16×9 anamorphic widescreen display, Shine a Light looks and sounds excellent.

There are images of archive and song credits within the bonuses and there are also various previews for other Paramount movies. The previews are for Stop-Loss, Neil Young: Heart of Gold, Bob Dylan: No Direction Home, American Teen, Defiance, The Duchess, and Son of Rambow.

While not a lot of bonuses (in total) what is here is worth its weight in gold.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Surprisingly, I found Shine a Light to be quite enjoyable. While I’m not a big Stones fan I can appreciate all of the hard work, dedication and creativity the band has put into their craft, over the years. While Shine a Light might not be for everyone, a wide audience of music lovers (Stones fans or not) will find enjoyment in watching this documentary. With its frenetic pace, Scorsese-esque look and entertaining diversity of songs included during the concert portion of the film, Shine a Light is the must have documentaries of 2008.

Overall Rating:

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