SnoopyStyle It's 1969 four months after Woodstock. The Rolling Stones are giving a free concert at the Altamont Speedway with Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, CSN&Y as well as others in northern California. Hell's Angels are put in charge of security around the stage. The details are all in dispute but the violence gets out of control.It's amazing to see the Stones react to the footage afterward. Mick looks high and almost gitty at times. At other times, he looks concern which is the demeanor of everybody. There is a feeling of dread running throughout this documentary. Each problem in the planning and execution of the concert is magnified by the knowledge of what's to come. The style is observational which is so amazing in this. It doesn't take a direct stand in that the filmmakers aren't making any comments. From the footage, the Hell's Angels and drugs are made out to be the bad guys in this movie. It also shows how unprepared the concert planning was. It is one of the most compelling concert movie ever.

tavm While I had previously seen this film on tape that I recorded off AMC, that cassette didn't record the whole thing so it wasn't until I just watched it on YouTube that I saw the murder that pretty much ended the picture. If I didn't already read about it on various internet articles, I wouldn't have known about the gun that murdered man had that he presumably intended to use on that Hell's Angel that stabbed him. This film, Gimme Shelter, is both enjoyable for the performances of The Rolling Stones and others like Ike and Tina Turner, Jefferson Airplane, and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and upsetting for all those scenes of those Hell's Angels constantly beating up on several audience members not to mention some of the musicians like Airplane's Marty Balin. And seeing Mick Jagger's face after seeing the whole thing on the view finder makes one wonder how he could have continued the way he did after that. Still, at least during those Madison Square Garden performances of The Stones and The Turners, you could marvel at the way they put themselves out there. I especially loved the way Tina stroked that microphone and its handle! And while the camera is mostly on the audience and their scuffles when the other acts are playing at Altamont Speedway, at least you can hear what they're singing when that happens. So on that note, Gimme Shelter is one of the most compelling of concert documentaries from this most interesting era in Rock music. Kudos to David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin.

Ali Catterall It wasn't one of the Rolling Stones' smarter ideas to hire the Hells Angels as security for their Woodstock cash-in at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969. Oh, and how do we pay them for services rendered? Hmm, let's see - $500 in beer ought to do it.David and Albert Maysles' notorious documentary-cum-snuff movie captures the madness - and murder - that ensued, as a young, black Meredith Hunter is stabbed to death by the Angels live on camera, while the Stones' frontman whimpers from the stage: "Who's fighting and what for? Everybody be cool now." Memo to Jagger: You're not some conduit for Satan, you're a mincing, top-hatted, former drop-out from the London School of Economics, and you're completely out of your depth.

Ralf Beckers I only recently acquired this on DVD from South America. Initially, bought it only out of curiosity. Now, I think it has taught me some truths. The content is historical/documentary and beyond any conventional rating. The music tracks in the film do have very good audio, though. Now to Dan Sims' question. I share the same view: IMHO, if someone points a gun at me, especially a high as a kite hippie, I'd deal with it in a way I see appropriate to the given situation. Square fact is, that 81 was hired to protect the bands and the audience. One could make a point that the Stones and a bunch of tree huggers owe their lives to the Big Red Machine, obviously the only men sober and sane enough to realize the danger and having the balls to deal with it. Given the chaotic circumstances, I find nothing wrong with the events in 1969. To my knowledge, so did a court of justice. Well, except parking your bike in front of the stage and getting all upset about it when someone stumbles over it. That is so silly. Cheers.