Gimme Shelter (documentary)

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Gimme Shelter
Cover for the Criterion Collection DVD.
Directed by	Albert and David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Produced by	Porter Bibb, Ronald Schneider
Starring	The Rolling Stones
Cinematography	Albert and David Maysles
Editing by	Charlotte Zwerin
Distributed by	Maysles Films
Release date(s)	December 6, 1970
Running time	91 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Gimme Shelter is a 1970 documentary film directed by Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin, chronicling the Rolling Stones' 1969 US tour, which culminated in the disastrous Altamont Free Concert. The film is named after "Gimme Shelter", the lead track from the Rolling Stones' 1969 album Let It Bleed.

1 Production
2 Songs performed
3 External links

[edit] Production

The film depicts some of the Madison Square Garden concert, later featured on the live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!, as well as the photography session for the cover, featuring Charlie Watts and a donkey. It also shows the Stones at work in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, recording "Wild Horses". Performances documented in the film include Ike and Tina Turner (who was one of the Rolling Stones' opening acts for the 1969 tour), the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Jefferson Airplane.

Much of the film chronicles the behind-the-scenes dealmaking that took place to make the free Altamont concert happen. The action then turns on the concert itself at the Altamont Speedway, the security for which was provided by the Hells Angels. As the day progressed, with drug-taking and drinking by the Angels and members of the audience, the mood turned ugly. Fights broke out during performances by Jefferson Airplane (at one point lead singer Marty Balin was knocked out by a Hells Angel) and the Flying Burrito Brothers. By the time the Stones hit the stage, the crowd was especially restless.

It was during "Under My Thumb" that a gun-toting fan, Meredith Hunter, was stabbed to death by a member of the Angels, although "Sympathy for the Devil" is often erroneously associated with the incident.

A young George Lucas was a camera operator for the Altamont concert. However, his camera jammed after shooting about 100 feet of film, and none of his footage was incorporated in the final cut.