Gimme Shelter
Gimme Shelter

Movie spotlight

Gimme Shelter

1970
Movie
92 min
English

A detailed chronicle of the famous 1969 tour of the United States by the British rock band The Rolling Stones, which culminated with the disastrous and tragic concert held on December 6 at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, an event of historical significance, as it marked the end of an era: the generation of peace and love suddenly became the generation of disillusionment.

Insights

IMDb7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes96%
Metacritic82/100
Google Users89%
Director: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte ZwerinGenres: Documentary, Music

Plot Summary

This documentary chronicles the Rolling Stones' chaotic 1969 U.S. tour, culminating in the infamous Altamont Free Concert. It captures the band's performances and the escalating tensions, violence, and drug use surrounding the ill-fated festival. The film offers a raw and unflinching look at the end of the hippie era and the dark side of rock and roll excess.

Critical Reception

Gimme Shelter is widely regarded as a landmark music documentary, praised for its raw, cinéma vérité style and its candid portrayal of the Rolling Stones and the turbulent events of the Altamont concert. While the violence and tragic outcomes were shocking, critics acknowledged its historical significance and its unflinching examination of a pivotal moment in music history and counterculture.

What Reviewers Say

  • A groundbreaking and essential rock documentary.

  • Captures the dangerous energy and tragic end of an era.

  • Provides an unflinching, often disturbing, look at the Rolling Stones and their fans.

Google audience: Viewers lauded the film for its raw authenticity and its historical importance in documenting the Rolling Stones' Altamont concert. Many found it a shocking but captivating look at the darker side of the music scene and the end of the peace and love era.

Awards & Accolades

None notable, but considered a highly influential documentary.

Fun Fact

The film is notorious for including footage of Meredith Hunter's actual murder at the Altamont concert, a moment captured by multiple cameras during the chaos.

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