FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT 

I think of the period of GIMME SHELTER in contrast to the five years before, when I made a film with my brother, David, on The Beatles when they first came to America.  The Beatles and all the content of that film were just youthful and joyous with no troubles, no problems—just openhearted good feelings. All that changed with events that took place at Altamont.  So it’s been said that when you see WHAT’S HAPPENING! THE BEATLES IN THE U.S.A. and GIMME SHELTER you get probably the best cinematic view of that whole decade, from joy to distress.

Each one of these projects seems to have come about just by chance.  In the case of The Rolling Stones, they hadn’t started their tour yet.  They were in California, and Haskell Wexler comes up and says “Look, The Stones are gonna be in New York at the Plaza Hotel tomorrow, and they’re gonna go on tour. You might want to meet them.”  We hadn't heard of the Stones, but we went to the Plaza hotel, knocked on the door, and they let us know that they were about to perform in Baltimore the next evening.  Watching the performance was enough to convince us they were good musicians. We spent two days filming them at Madison Square Garden.  At that point, we thought, “Oh my goodness, they’re not only good performers, but there are bound to be more events that take place that will help to make the film.”  Just what that “more” would be we had no idea.

When we finished the film and showed it to The Stones, I think that the negative side of things really made it difficult for Mick to sign a release, which we didn’t have.  For six months we were without a release so we couldn't show the film.  Then my brother met up with a friend of Mick's who persuaded Mick, and we got the release.  Without changing anything in the film, we went ahead and got it distributed.

It’s been said, and I think rightfully so, that it’s the greatest rock-and-roll film of the greatest rock-and-roll band.   Like so many documentary films, it’s difficult to see the film only once.  It’s not uncommon for people to have seen it five or six times.  Such a wealth of material, and you can’t get it all in one viewing.

-Albert Maysles