Most excellent rock documentary. Almost all the criticism seems to be about the Stones keeping their commentary off-camera and how it basically ends around 1981, with only brief snippets of concert footage and whatnot from the next 30 years or so. They just wanted to reminisce about the old days without viewers comparing their youthful selves to their current appearance. We all get old, no way around it. Except for the path that Brian took. They basically stopped the story after about 20 years because they wanted the focus to be on their beginnings and how turbulent and extraordinary those times were. There's also a surreal, electrifying, eerie segment on "Midnight Rambler", which Keith feels is the ultimate Rolling Stones song. At any rate, after 20 years things had calmed down quite a bit, and the Stones themselves had settled very comfortably into their exalted status as a touring juggernaut who could enjoy their private lives without public scrutiny. In between tours, they pretty much drop out of sight. Intermittent fame that can be turned off and on like a faucet must be a great blessing indeed. Also, after the 1981 tour the resentments between Mick and Keith completely boiled over and the Stones didn't tour again until 1989. They obviously didn't feel like digging up all those hard feelings, and Mick and Keith can't ever be forced to do anything they don't want to do. What possible purpose would that accomplish anyway? They wanted a 2-hr enjoyable movie and not an 8-hr bathos, so they did some necessary trimming. Anyway, we're seeing what the Stones themselves felt was most important to tell. What's wrong with that?
Extras: The DVD has about half an hour of concerts from 1964 and 1965, when they were just starting their meteoric rise. Of course, there's a lot of Brian Jones, which I guess is their tribute to him. There's a commentary by director Brett Morgen, but he keeps it mercifully brief.
Mick Jagger says the Stones aren't the least bit sentimental and have little interest in looking back. But in this case he said they had to make this film only because it was their 50-yr anniversary, and if they hadn't, then the BBC would've slapped together a boring opinion-fest about them. They didn't want the BBC to have the last word on them, so we got this very solid work instead.
So there you have it. Crossfire Hurricane is well worth the time for Stones fans and those who are curious about them.
Extras: The DVD has about half an hour of concerts from 1964 and 1965, when they were just starting their meteoric rise. Of course, there's a lot of Brian Jones, which I guess is their tribute to him. There's a commentary by director Brett Morgen, but he keeps it mercifully brief.
Mick Jagger says the Stones aren't the least bit sentimental and have little interest in looking back. But in this case he said they had to make this film only because it was their 50-yr anniversary, and if they hadn't, then the BBC would've slapped together a boring opinion-fest about them. They didn't want the BBC to have the last word on them, so we got this very solid work instead.
So there you have it. Crossfire Hurricane is well worth the time for Stones fans and those who are curious about them.