Finally saw it. It is excellent. Remarkable woman. After reading various reviews generally emphasizing that the film is NOT about Stones, I was surprised that it is quite a lot about Stones, or at least Brian, Keith and Mick. Highly recommended.

There are many books, articles and films about the Rolling Stones. Some are written by the band members themselves, telling their version of the story. Some are written by former roommates or insiders, some by hangers on or people the band hired, and some are by professionals writing for a buck. None of these stories captures the influence of one person on the Rolling Stones more than the story of Anita Pallenberg.

Catching Fire is an autobiographical film created after her son Marlon Richards and his children found Anita’s typed, detailed manuscript after she died in June of 2017. Marlon and the filmmakers brilliantly bring us Anita’s story, in her own words, as her words narrate the story. To add validity and interest, Marlon adds many unseen home movies and family pictures, bringing life to Anita’s reflection on what it was like to not only be inside the Rolling Stones inner circle in the 60s and 70s, but what her role was in creating and influencing the rock and roll lifestyle that so many have tried to copy through the years.

As Keith says, “Anita was intriguing…difficult to put into words”. Thanks to Marlon’s ode to his mother and his desire to not only tell her important story, but to also share some intimate personal details, he gives us a film that provides real life examples of what Anita, Marlon and his sister Angela experienced.

In the end, a shy Keith was blessed with a muse who helped give him the confidence to create the image of one of the most famous rock stars in history. Anita had as impactful an influence on Keith as the guitar licks Keith studied and learned from Chuck Berry.

What this film immediately brought to mind for me is Keith’s second love, Patti. Like Anita needed to clean up, so did Keith, and while it may have taken Patti and Keith a while to get to the level of health and sobriety Keith seems to experience now, it’s nice to see that Anita thrived towards the end of her life, and “refound her soul”, as she says.

With Patti’s help, it seems Keith is on a similar journey and we no doubt have her to thank as well for being as important a part in Keith’s life as Anita was. Hopefully one day, we also will be able to read Anita’s own words, to get the rest of her story.

As she said, “the lawyers aren’t gonna like this”.

Thanks Marlon, great job!

CHELSKEITH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024-06-11 09:34 by MizzAmandaJonez.

Release date DVD Jul 30, 2024

[www.target.com]

News to me was the remark by the director of A Degree of Murder: that Brian lost interest in creating a soundtrack after a couple of weeks, and that Keith then finished it.

Mathijs

Many great insights from this film. One major takeaway for me is just what a class act Marlon Richards seems to be. We don't seem to mention that often here.

Quote
Lien
Release date DVD Jul 30, 2024

[www.target.com]

thank you very much

Quote
Lien

Release date DVD Jul 30, 2024

Also on [www.Amazon.com] .

Agree with MizzAmandaJonez write up. Watched the other night - really enjoyed it. A must see for the serious Stones fan.

Finally saw it. Remarkable. It miraculously and successfully brought out the humanity within people who were, at that time, incapable of being truly human due to the substances, the money, the fame, the business, “the ‘org’”. (For more background and contrast, read the filmmaker Robert Frank’s candid comments on the horrors of being caught up in the Rolling Stones’ orbit circa the early ‘70s.) And like all addicts, they were virtually incapable of being effective parents.

I have tremendous admiration for Marlon and Angela Richards and these filmmakers. Until now, IMHO, there has never been a cogent treatment of the Cantrell incident. I felt let-down after reading about it in “Life.” My takeaway there was, “wow, after all these years, he still doesn’t get it. Or, perhaps, it is all just too horrible and painful to really reckon with, so the gait will remain piratical.”

These filmmakers went through the eyes, ears, and hearts of Keith and Anita’s offspring to tell a loving story of a couple of unwittingly destructive monsters that the music industry and celebrity culture created. (“I shouted out, ‘who killed the Kennedys?’ When after all, it was you and me.”) And the four of them survived it all, redeeming and reclaiming their lives, to become the beautiful, fruitful human beings that Anita became and that they are today. Much love, indeed.

One gets the feeling Marlon and Angela, in reaction their wild parent, are more grounded. My father was 'wild', wilder than I had any interest in. My sister I are both very low key, skeptical people. You learn to discern the walkers from the talkers.

the film is now available on YouTube:

youtube.com

There was a screening of Cathing Fire in Oslo last weekend. Marlon was supposed to be there, but his plane got motor trouble. He hurried back home to participate via Teams. He was way funnier and very different to how I thought he'd be.

His favourite Stones tune is I Don't Know Why, btw.

Marlon was interviewed by Geir Hørnes (RobberBride here on IORR).

Congrats, Geir! Any audio / video of the interview would be eagerly received here…

Anita Pallenberg was one of a kind, many thanks to Marlon, Angela and Keith for releasing this truly amazing documentary

Quote
TIRED
the film is now available on YouTube:

youtube.com

Also on Hulu. Watched it last night.

As someone said, it may not be a Stones movie but sure has a lot of Stones content.

liked it....Did not realize that Anita was Mick's muse for You Can't Always Get What You Want until I watched the documentary...enlightening.......one of their most iconic songs.

Anyone else get the vibe that this film contains the santised bits? would be interesting to read the whole manuscript. Maybe she dishes the dirt on Spanish Tony or some other people... great film though.

I saw the movie last night. Well done, and at times very moving.
Remarkable how Marlon came through all that.

I finally saw this film yesterday.

The admiration we fans of the band feel for their work is based, among other reasons, on the fact that its members dedicated themselves to their work regardless of any circumstances. And some of the tolls they had to pay are depicted in this film.

It is striking how incapable Brian Jones was of making himself compatible with reality and adapting healthily to change. His (legitimate) aspirations were increasingly frustrated, and he seemed to find himself at a dead end, feeling like a secondary figure—both in the band and in his romantic life. Perhaps this is where his mistreatment of Anita P. and himself originated.

Hi everyone , I still haven't seen the movie yet, just seen a preview but already wonder when this happened, location and year if someone got an idea.









HMN



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-05-11 21:47 by Honestman.

Got a private answer from Geir (read his book if you miss it!!!) but I guess most of you already did
According to him, shots 1 and 3 should come from Peru or Brazil...
Thanks to him

HMN

Quote
Honestman
Got a private answer from Geir (read his book if you miss it!!!) but I guess most of you already did
According to him, shots 1 and 3 should come from Peru or Brazil...
Thanks to him

Photo #3 looks definitely like Peru.

On the second photo, Keith is playing what seems to be a Brazilian guitar like this:

Thanks Cristiano
I've never seen one other before.

HMN

[ok.ru]

Full movie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-05-13 16:46 by Lien.

I really liked this film. Do wish it didn't skip so much, and was a bit more honest. But the film is produced by her kids so it's obviously not going to dig into every personal detail.

Sky Arts will be broadcasting the film in the UK on Tuesday 20 May at 10.00 pm.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025-05-18 20:19 by martinw.