(2008) Director Martin Scorsese's thrilling concert film of the Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger (vocals, guitar), Keith Richards (guitar), Ronnie Wood (guitar), Charlie Watts (drums) - performing at the Beacon Theater in New York City, along with backup musicians.

Pre-production confusion - in setting up his cameras, Scorsese repeatedly expresses frustration at not being informed what songs and in what order the band will play - and Bill Clinton's introduction precede Richards's opening guitar chords to "Jumpin' Jack Flash": Mick, thin and athletic, in a crimson shirt and shaggy brown hair, leaps forward with mike in hand.

"Can you picture yourself at the age of 60 doing what you're doing now?" asks Dick Cavett of a much younger Jagger in one of the inserted interviews from archival film. "Yeah," replies Jagger, who's 64 in the concert. Other film clips refer to the early anarchy and arrests for drug possession of the band members; suffering no fools, idiotic questions are met with laconic answers or parried with parody.

Their ruined, almost cadaverous faces, gaunt and deeply lined (putting me in mind of the elderly economist Alice Rivlin with her wreck of a wrinkled face below unnatural-looking hair), seem like masks on otherwise lithe, youthful bodies, communicating energetic electrification into an enthusiastic audience (many fans are youthful, especially girls in the front rows); except for Watts (who blows out his cheeks at one point, showing the effort he's exerted at his drum kit) with his naturally gray hair, the other three have long, darkly dyed hair.

Their luck hasn't run out yet. Among the songs - Jagger all the while dancing and prancing with frenzied abandon - include: "Shattered," "She Was Hot," "Loving Cup" (performed with Jack White III), "As Tears Go By," "Some Girls," "Just My Imagination," "Faraway Eyes," "Champagne and Reefer" (featuring Buddy Guy), and "Tumbling Dice."

After Mick introduces everyone in the band, Keith (telling an interviewer he doesn't think while on stage: "We love what we do"), with headband and beaded bracelets with miniature handcuffs around his wrist, inhaling a cigarette, sings "You Got the Silver" and "Connection" while Mick takes a break.

From the rear of the audience, Jagger reemerges, striding and "coo-cooing" toward a red-lit stage for "Sympathy for the Devil" (see Jean-Luc Godard's 1+1 involving a recording session of this song), "Live with Me" (duet with stiletto-heeled, blonde Christina Aguilera in white blouse beside the dark prince), "Start Me Up," "Brown Sugar," and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." You'll get lots of satisfaction from this movie and its music, especially if you see and hear it in a theater.

"May the good lord shine a light on you Make every song your favourite tune May the good lord shine a light on you Warm like the evening sun."

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Copyright © 2009 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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