University of Virginia Library

Direct Cinema

I'm still at a loss. The Stones are
hardly ordinary people, and we see

only their stage presence, hardly
raw material of their daily lives. No
film can truly portray life as it is
lived in actuality. Each image in a
film is selected by the director or
editors and their arrangement of
scenes influences our
interpretation. For example, the
method of filming Tina Turner's
"I've Been Lovin' You Too Long"
has extremely sexual connotations,
which would not be seen if filmed
with a different camera position. In
fact, another song might very well
be less suggestive. How can there be
direct cinema presenting real life if
what is shown is filtered through
the eyes of a director? If the events
are re-ordered for dramatic effect?
If slow motion and overlaps are
used for effect? It seems impossible
to me, unless you set your camera
up and shoot the Empire State
Building continuously for a day.

Finally, "Gimme Shelter"
doesn't really know what it's about.
The film opens with the Stones, but
ends with the crowds leaving
Altamont. Is the film about the
Stones or Altamont, or is it a
filmed concert with some
additional footage of the tour? It's
obvious to me that Maysles/Zwerin
were extremely lucky that the
Angels were at Altamont. Without
the murder. "Gimme Shelter"
would be a very unimaginative
filmed performance, saved only by
the virtuosity of Mick Jagger and
the Rolling Stones.