The brilliant Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricane is on TV split into two parts across this Saturday 17th Nov and next week on the 24th Nov. I saw this at The London Film Festival and was blown away by how entertaining it was, even if you are not a big Stones fan, for the history of the last 50 years of music it’s a must-see.
Directed by Brett Morgen, the film features heaps of historical footage, so much of it widely unseen, and commentary from all of the current line up of The Stones and former members Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. Featuring period interviews, extensive live performances and news archive footage, the documentary takes its title from the opening lines of Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
Morgen, whose previous films include the Robert Evans documentary The Kid Stays in the Picture, said: “Crossfire Hurricane invites the audience to experience first-hand the Stones’ nearly mythical journey from outsiders to rock’n’roll royalty It’s an aural and visual rollercoaster ride.”
The footage features very emotional interviews with Mick Jagger, who did 15 sessions each one lasting between 1-3 hours talking about everything from the early years of the band in 1963 to the present day. Morgen found the band surprisingly cooperative interviewees, despite the controversial subject matter including drug busts and the death of Brian Jones 42 years ago.
Morgen says, “A movie like this needs to do things you can’t do in books.”
He set out to tell a story which happens to be about five of the most famous people on earth who also created some of the most distinctive music of the last 50 years, and he has done that beautifully.
The film is screened in the UK on BBC2, while HBO will screen it in America.