Re: Who went to the Stones movie last night! (2/28)
Date: March 1, 2006 16:32
The Rio movie in my town: HOW DID IT SUCK?
Let me count the ways...
1. The opening segment was lame basically showing long shots of the (now WAY tired) beginning of the show effects - TWICE.
2. The sound came on like a single speaker from a 12" TV - raspy, tinny and distorted. The theater turned it up as the show went on but it was still raspy, tinny and distorted - just louder. Moreover I was convinced it was all in center channel MONO. The only audio seperation to be heard was from screaming audience members, not the band. NO bottom end. NO rear channels.
3. The picture was dark and muted throughout the film giving it a morose and depressing feeling. It was practically black and white! The long shots of the crowd in the indisernible darkness were too much and too often. The digital video recording was unable to capture ANY degree of subtlety or detail in the picture reducing what little bright light they did attempt to show to massive monochromatic blobs. This is RIO for goddsakes! One of the most colorful destinations in the world!
4. After the SECOND sound drop out, somewhere around "Wild Horses" I ventured to the lobby to learn what might be my chances of a refund. "Zip, zero" said the manager as they were merely renting the facility to the outfit promoting the show. He told me to e-mail them (as I intend to do) and wished me luck.
5. The transfer of the digital video recording to the large screen resulted in a herky-jerky appearance to the rapid motion segments. Mick clapping his hands over his head as he trotted down the walkway looked like a silent era film being shown on a 24 frames per sec projecter when it was made at 30FPS.
6. The finale of "Brown Sugar" was shown entirely from directly overhead (apparently from a chopper). No waves to the audience, no bows, no lights or fireworks.
7. The annoying rapid edits endemic to virtually all concert films, except those by Johnathan Demme and Martin Scorsese, were present with virtually all the focus on Mick. Wouldn't it be interesting to see how some of those famous Keith riffs and runs are actually played?
8. Twas no fault of the "filmmakers" but, contrary to some posts above, Ronnie was like the walking dead. I'm his biggest apologist because when he's on HE'S ON. But the Rio show found him stumbling, inept and vaccuous for the most part. He was CLUELESS as to what to do in "RAin Fall Down" (Admittedly Keith wasn't much better) and his normally terrific solo in "YCAGWYW" was a trainwreck. All his strident slide guitar solos on the newer stuff sound the same (think "RJ," "YGMR"). He appeared to be trying his best but the damage is done I fear. He had a haunted look about him.
9. Keith hit more than his share of bum notes and despite Mick being more emotive than usual, this Rolling Stones performance was average at best.
Final analysis: The Rio concert film was the theatrical equivalent of the "Live Licks" CD.
TERRIBLE.