Gimme Shelter (1970)

A harrowing documentary of the Stones' 1969 tour, with much of the focus on the tragic concert at Altamont.

Directors:

Albert Maysles, David Maysles

Stars:

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
The Rolling Stones	...	Themselves
Mick Jagger	...	Himself
Charlie Watts	...	Himself
Keith Richards	...	Himself (as Keith Richard)
Mick Taylor	...	Himself
Bill Wyman	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marty Balin	...	Himself (as Jefferson Airplane)
Sonny Barger	...	Himself
Melvin Belli	...	Himself
Dick Carter	...	Himself
Jack Casady	...	Himself (as Jefferson Airplane)
Mike Clarke	...	Himself (as The Flying Burrito Brothers)
Sam Cutler	...	Himself
Spencer Dryden	...	Himself (as Jefferson Airplane)
Chris Hillman	...	Himself (as The Flying Burrito Brothers)

Storyline

A documentary on the Rolling Stones' 1969 US tour and the tragic events that concluded it. We see footage of their concerts and of them making the Sticky Fingers album in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. However, the main focus of the film is on one concert - Altamont Speedway, outside San Francisco, 6 December 1969. A free concert, it is the Stones' idea and it was meant to be the Woodstock of the West (Woodstock having occurred four months earlier). Other bands performing included Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner, Crosby Stills Nash and Young and Santana. However, it is far from being the peace and love of Woodstock. Part of the problem is that the Stones hired the Hells Angels as security. The other problem was that a large portion of the crowd were high on drugs. Friction ensues. During the Stones' set, Meredith Hunter, high on methamphetamine and armed with a gun, makes a lunge for the stage and is stabbed to death by the Hells Angels. The peace and ...

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Plot Keywords:

sound equipment | performance | hell's angels motorcycle club | rock 'n' roll | singing | 

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Taglines:

The Rolling Stones gave a concert in Altamont, Calif. The Hell's Angels policed it. Four people died. This is the Actual Film Story.

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Genres:

Documentary | Music | Thriller

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Official Sites:

Maysles Films

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1970 (UK)

Also Known As:

Gimme Shelter

Filming Locations:

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,576, 13 August 2000

Gross USA:

$252,570

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maysles Films, Penforta

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, Meredith Hunter was not killed during the performance of "Sympathy for the Devil". He was actually stabbed just as The Rolling Stones started the first verse of "Under My Thumb". The version of "Under My Thumb" that appears in the film was actually played after the killing with the stabbing moved to the end of the second version of the song.

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Quotes

Grace Slick: You don't hassle with anybody in particular. You gotta keep your bodies off each other unless you intend love. People get weird, and you need people like the Angels to keep people in line. But the Angels also - you know, you don't bust people in the head - for nothing. So both sides are fucking up temporarily; let's not keep FUCKING UP!

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Alternate Versions

Re-released in 1992 with some uncensored dialog and some more brief nudity; this version is rated R.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Simpsons: Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays (2004)

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Soundtracks

Wild Horses
Written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Performed by The Rolling Stones

User Reviews

Out of control

Certainly not a filmed concert, this important documentary describes, in a very sensitive and powerful way, the incredible human bestiary that rushed towards the 1969 free Rolling Stones show located on Altamont speedway, California. Complete disorganization, brutal security staff, drug abuse will turn this rock party to an awful black celebration that will lead to more than a human sacrifice : the destruction of a new kind of innocence. Often shocking and disturbing, sometimes dreadful, "Gimme shelter" brings to us not only the pictures of a riot. It makes us think about the difficulty for men to live as social animals when they're unable to repress their predator instincts. Let's finally mention the great musical first part of the film, and the quality of the direction.