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| Starring: The Rolling Stones Directed by: Martin Scorsese |
Theatrical release: 2008
DVD release: 2008
Released by: Paramount Dolby
Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Widescreen |
At 65, Martin Scorsese is roughly the same
age as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Charlie Watts, the remaining original Rolling
Stones, but he’s grandfatherly and beleaguered when dealing with the band in the
early scenes of Shine a Light, his film of their two performances in 2006 at
New York’s Beacon Theatre. First, there’s some disagreement about the stage
being constructed -- Jagger doesn’t much like it and thinks its design was
Scorsese’s idea; Scorsese thinks it was Jagger’s -- then the director can’t
get anyone in the band or crew to give him a clue about the set list for the night.
Knowing what song the band might open with, he explains to an assistant, will help him
decide how to shoot it. Scorsese would dearly love to use crane shots and lots of camera
movement, yet Jagger’s afraid the cameras will be distracting to the audience.
| On Blu-ray  I saw Shine a Light
two times in an IMAX theater when it first came out. I don't consider it a documentary as
much as a concert film with a smattering of archival footage. But, regardless of how one
wants to classify it, it has some of the best concert footage ever shot, and I eagerly
anticipated the release on Blu-ray to see and hear if I could replicate in my home the
amazing experiences I had in the theater.
The high-def image doesn't disappoint. Scorsese used a
small army of cameramen who produce a dazzling array of images from every angle in a
variety of visual styles. The transfer to 1080p is so richly detailed that it feels like
you're almost there. While not as awe-inspiring as in an IMAX theater, it's as good as you
can expect in a home setting.
The sound isn't up to the same standard. There are three
mixes: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, DTS-HD MA 5.1, and PCM stereo. The Dolby mix sounds the
worst, the PCM mix the best, and the DTS mix somewhere in between. But they all pale in
comparison to what's presented on the soundtrack available on CD. Most noticeably, all
three sound thinner (the Dolby mix is almost threadbare) and they all contain noticeable
distortion, particularly in the mid and high frequencies. In fact, the distortion was
apparent enough that I thought perhaps my speakers had damaged drivers. A quick check
against the CD soundtrack, which sounds quite clean in comparison even though it's far
from being the best live recording around, verified that the problem wasn't with my
speakers or the rest of the equipment I have. It's in the mixes.
With an excellent image but sub-par sound, the overall
quality of the Blu-ray Shine a Light release is a mixed bag, making it a bit of a
letdown for me. Plus, the extras are the same as what's on the regular DVD. I would have
expected something more. However, what Scorsese puts on the screen is usually far better
than what most filmmakers produce, and Shine a Light is no exception. This is one
of the best films of 2008, and even this flawed release is well worth watching. Who knows
-- perhaps this is just a starter and we'll see a souped-up Blu-ray release with better
sound and more extras somewhere down the road. I hope so.
...Doug Schneider
das@hometheatersound.com |
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Here are the Rolling Stones, at retirement age, still going
at it and still not playing by anybody else’s rules. At this stage in the game,
however, it’s not so much a restatement of the band’s outlaw status as it is a
clear example of what happens when you spend more than 40 years getting your way. Scorsese
finally gets his set list as the band is taking the stage, and he films them beautifully.
He hired a number of well-regarded cinematographers who keep the cameras moving and grab
some alarming close-ups. Richards and Ron Wood look unnaturally trim and fit for their
ages, but all the debauchery that has not left its mark on their bodies seems to have
taken extra revenge on their faces. Jagger, on the other hand, looks good, still knows how
to move onstage, and is in good voice, although with the upper register sanded off a bit.
As a live band, the Stones are probably a brand more than a
profound musical experience, but they’ve tightened considerably since Hal Ashby
filmed them in 1983 for Let’s Spend the Night Together, their last
feature film. They sound sharp here, and when Wood and Richards drop a chord or riff in an
odd spot, it sounds like an attempt to find something new in songs they’ve played a
thousand times -- they’re still trying to have fun with them. The song choices are
unpredictable. After they open with "Jumpin' Jack Flash," the band plays
"Shattered," "She Was Hot," and "All Down the Line," songs
known well by hardcore fans but probably less so by the classic-rock crowd that tends to
flock to these things.
The two-channel sound captures the ragged glory of the
band. Watts’ drums sound particularly strong, with the snare ringing out hard (there
are great shots of him throughout the film). The guitars have plenty of bite, and
Jagger’s voice is well focused. The sound is compressed, but it probably comes close
to what the band sounds like live. The 5.1 surround mix drops the energy level
considerably and seems to scatter the instruments around the soundstage.
The DVD adds four tunes not included in the theatrical
release: "Undercover of the Night," "Paint It Black," "Little
T&A," and "I'm Free." There's also a behind-the-scenes feature on the
making of the film.
Shine a Light catches the Stones on a good night,
well lit and respectfully filmed, and that’s not nothing. |
