Keith Richards in Shine a Light

The Six Pack

Six Films Starring The Rolling Stones

by Matt Prigge

Charlie Is My Darling (1966): The Beatles had Richard Lester, but the Stones had a revolving door of directors, each offering a radically different view of the future most unstoppable band ever. First up was ’60s pop scene chronicler Peter Whitehead (Wholly Communion), who brought his resourceful way with documentaries to chronicle them on tour in Ireland—alas, without synch sound. (Their songs litter the soundtrack.) Like a dry-run for Cocksucker Blues, only even harder to find.

Sympathy for the Devil (1968): Early into his post-narrative Maoist period, Jean-Luc Godard filmed the Stones methodically cobbling together the title song—intended as a metaphor for the inability of social movements to successfully mobilize (hint hint). Infamous for pissing off innocent Stones fans, it intriguingly pits the band for screen-time against the Black Panthers, intrusive narration and Godard’s usual playfully didactic set pieces.

Gimme Shelter (1970): Wanting more than a concert picture, the Stones reached out to cinema titans Albert and David Maysles (Salesman) to film the events at Altamont, which included a murder and both the literal and figurative end of the ’60s. Nice foresight. Sorta.

Cocksucker Blues (1972): Photographer Robert Frank’s documentation of the Exile on Main St. tour plays like the inverse of the usual tour doc. Dwelling on the boredom of rock ’n’ roll, it has roadies and groupies wearily hooking up for the camera, playing cards, watching TV and shooting drugs. Did they not think the camera was on? Suffice to say the Stones forbade its release (dubs abound), though rumor has it Mick—who at one point films himself rubbing his own pack—loves it.

Let’s Spend the Night Together (1983): Officially cleaned-up and ready to placate aging boomers, the Stones hired a great director (Hal Ashby) and the world’s best cinematographers to make a straight-up, no-holds-barred, dull-as-dishwater concert movie.

Shine a Light (2008): See above. Replace Ashby with Marty Scorsese and age the band two and a half decades. Sigh.