chopper32

Charming real-life footage of the Stones when they were a working band. They act like young men in their early 20's experiencing the first flush of fame: impersonating Elvis, running from fans, endless travel. It's not meant to be prophetic but rather, a contemporary look at a phenomenon. A band would be too wise (or too well advised) to be so open now concerning doubt over their abilities or being exposed for their pretensions. Brian Jones is particularly vulnerable to having lofty artistic ideas which he doesn't really understand. This is a fantastic snapshot of rock before cynicism, drugs, police busts, corporate machinery and political sloganeering ushered in the hippy dream and the dark side of the sixties. Rock before overdoses, festivals and manipulative guile.

By no means a Marx Brothers-type film. People know too much about the band, etc for it to be fresh: however it is really fun and considerably less trashy than most pop exploitation films. Myth-making without being mischievous. The cast are charming and the songs are great. There is a sense of unforced fun and there is no "message". Worth it for the "Can't Buy Me Love" sequence. Remember that it is just a film made in 1964 and go with the ride.

This film is very worthwhile. You can pick out all your fave 60's references from "concept", "rock opera", "managers", dodgy sexual politics and the whole drugs thing. It works so very well because it is not based on one band. Not the Beatles, not the Stones, not the Beach Boys, Tommy Shondell or anyone. It's affectionate and damning of the whole process. It works very well as a "This Is Spinal Tap" without being a lampoon of the music business. Knowing without being smart-ass. A broad covering of its genre without being in broad strokes.