Shine a Light (Martin Scorsese, 2008)

Region 1 Paramount (USA)
NTSC, 1.78:1 16x9 enhanced
121 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English, DD 2.0 stereo surround English
Subtitles: Optional English, French, Spanish
Extras: Behind the Scenes; four deleted songs; previews for other movies

Released: 29 July 2008
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As famous as he is for gangster movies, Martin Scorsese has varied interests. For example, he directed an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, a movie without a trace of overt physical violence, and he also directed Kundun, a sometimes abstract biography of the Dalai Lama. Scorsese has also been involved with documentaries about musicians and musical events.

Shine a Light is a fairly straightforward presentation of a Rolling Stones concert. The movie begins with a brief look at the preparations for the event as well as Scorsese and the rockers discussing logistics. The concert was attended by Bill and Hillary Clinton, who get a meet-and-greet session before Bill introduces the Stones to the audience.

As I mainly listen to classical music, I’m not familiar with the Rolling Stones. Still, I enjoyed this movie. The Stones are no longer crazy, rebellious youths, so their on-stage behavior trends towards the mellow. However, Mick Jagger is still a charismatic stage presence, and the audience’s enthusiasm is infectious. The obvious highlights are “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Satisfaction”.

It’s rather interesting seeing what the Stones have become. In the “Behind the Scenes” featurette, the rockers are rather rude and abrasive in some archival interviews. Now, they do meet-and-greets with politicians. Even the Stones have succumbed to the Establishment.

Video:
The movie features a variety of mixed-media footage, all framed at 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The quality also varies widely, from gritty black-and-white backstage footage to pristine color renderings of the concert itself. Much of the movie has a “high-def” sheen that is quite pretty.

Audio:
As expected, the DD 5.1 English track is energetic and boisterous. The subwoofer gets quite a workout, though the surrounds are rather muted compared to the front speakers.

You can also watch the movie with a DD 2.0 stereo surround English track (for those of you who prefer listening to music with only two channels instead of “engineered” mixes). Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions support the audio.

Extras:
Upon loading, the disc plays several previews for other movies.

The “Behind the Scenes” featurette is basically a compilation of deleted scenes rather than a true look at the production’s development. For example, in the finished product, a phone conversation between Scorsese and the rockers consists of shots of Scorsese and a phone. In the “Behind the Scenes” featurette, we see the camera trained on Mick Jagger for the same phone conversation. We also see more footage from the meet-and-greet involving Bill Clinton.

You also get four deleted songs.

--Miscellaneous--
An insert advertises merchandise related to Shine a Light.