Charlie is My Darling [Movie]

I’m going to tackle new ground today, by somehow putting down my thoughts on the first Rolling Stone film, Charlie is My Darling. I have no Idea how I’m going to do that yet.

First, let’s give a little background.

Charlie Is My Darling was the first documentary film based on the Rolling Stones, are staring the Rolling Stones, directed by their own manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Filmed during The Rolling Stones 2^nd Irish Tour, which consisted of two dates (Two shows at the Delphi Theatre in Dublin, Ireland on September 3, 1965 and another two shows at the ABC Theatre in Belfast, Northern Ireland on September 4, 1965.) The original film premiered at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg in October of 1966, but was never released because of legal disputes between the Rolling Stones and Allen Klein, who founded ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. and royally fucked over many people (See Beatles disputes with ABKCO, The Concert for Bangladesh, UNICEF, his acquirement of all Stones songs pre-1971, etc. etc.) To go along with that, there was a burglary at Oldham’s office where all the prints of the movie magically disappeared. The film was finally released, restored and the works, in November of 2012, and was premiered at the Walter Reade Theater in New York City on September 29, 2012.

And let’s start. I’ll be watched the restored edition, which is a little over an hour long.

We start off with a nice introduction of the band members, and also a sly looking Andrew Loog Oldham, and interviews with The Stones and fans (you know, the average “so who do you like in the band?” “Oh, the drummer, yeah that’s his name.” Also no one knows why they like Bill Wyman, whose smile reminds me of Harrison. Also, the only answer they got out of the crowd was either “I just like him” or “I like his hair” and once “I like his style.”)

Heart of Stone plays while The Stones get out of their car, and the women do not respect their privacy, which is normal for a popular band in the 60’s. You gotta touch every part of their head.

So far, Charlie Watts has been the star of the film

They get into a taxi, run over and slaughter several people (not really), and then drive somewhere with random shots of confused Irish natives. They interview several people out on the street and, the main answers were “no, I’m not going to see them, but I tried.” So bitter-sweet.

Some rehearsals backstage on their first concert, that’s silenced for the studio version of Play with Fire to play overtop everything. But then we get onto the real concert, where the crowd chant something like We Want Mick. They open up with The Last Time, and a very good version of it as well (the mix is beautiful.) Quite a bit of footwork from Jagger and his long spider legs. At this point I remembered this is 1965 and not 1966 where I left off, so most of their best work hasn’t been recorded yet. At least it’s the beginning of their great times.

Next is Time is On My Side, and I realized I can’t really hear any of the backup vocals, and now my favorite part of the Stones (harmonizing) is gone. Boo. I expected more moving around and crazy from Jagger, and I’m glad that it was kept to a smaller level, even if it makes him look bored. Which he could be, but I don’t doubt it. He did do some sort of one-leg hopping thing that was a bit weird, but the crowd ate it up as expected.

And the Maracas come out for I’m Alright, and no matter how hard Jagger shakes those maracas I can’t hear them. Mick Jagger’s looks intently to one side, and we get to see a female crowd member fall, most likely passing out, and everyone behind her start to freak out. But Jagger’s too busy with his quiet maracas to care. In fact, he’ll entice it by standing really close to the crowd and force the security to try harder. And this shit hits the fan and the crowd completely takes over the stage, and nothing is stopped. This is where it gets fun. For us, I mean, definitely not for them. Some of the highlights of this mayhem was first, the whole band continues playing for a good amount of time while they get attacked. Someone goes over to Charlie Watts, grabs him and probably whispers something in his ear, and he keeps drumming away. The sounds of amps crying as the band members are pushed closer and closer to their amps. Two crowd members get pushed to the ground, but they both get back up and jump straight onto (I think) Brain Jones. Poor guy.

And here's Brian Jones being attacked. This picture does what happened no justice.

Keith Richards explains the chain reaction that creates mass mayhem on stage, and he’s probably really pissed. And then he was told a woman had to legs fractured at that concert. That’s horrible, but it’s their fault. Probably not her fault, but the crowd’s fault as a whole.

We get some hotel room footage of them doing so rehearsing and playing around, some acoustic versions of songs such as Tell Me and a Beatles medley. Pure fun, maybe pressured by the shaky handheld cameras all over the place, but not much.

*2 Months have passed since I wrote anything on this, so let’s pick up the pieces*

The Stones are on a train doing random singing for whatever reason, with Charlie Watts reading magazines and being intelligent, and having the least amount of fun. Mick Jagger doesn't seem to smile much either, but they have one shot of him smiling so that’s that.

I don’t know what they were doing with this train shot. Views of the Irish countryside with random shots of Keith Richards drinking wine.

Brain Jones talks about what we already know about popular bands from the 60’s; you have to be careful where you go. Charlie Watts has a sad part about not being able to do what he wants. Then they all run across the train tracks as the cameras scramble to follow. Very hectic being a Stone.

Then there’s some sort of family picture with Mick Jagger in it. No idea whose family, maybe it’s Jagger’s. Then they leave.

The next turn of events involve scaring motorists and kids.

He walked across the street like he had a stick up his ass and then dropped right when the car passed him. I think what makes it weird is that they don't seem silly at all when they're doing this. Almost serious. Excluding silly walk.

Jagger talks about kids wanting sex and doing the opposite of your parents. Weird.

A bunch of kids fill up an alleyway to see the Stones, instead of buying a ticket.  Meanwhile, Jagger and Jones talk about their worst experiences, or their most dangerous experiences.

A common reoccurring theme with The Rolling Stones hanging around playing music, Charlie Watts has nothing to do and Keith Richards is doing the most work. And Brian Jones picks his nose. Oh, and Richards needs to wear glasses indoors all the time.

The next concert starts with a medley of Everybody Needs Somebody to Love and Pain in My Heart with a very nice transition.

 Next was Berry’s Around and Around, and while the lights were very dark for the first song(s) Chuck Berry’s song gets full lights so we can see all of Jagger’s little dancing abilities out there. What a crowd pleaser, always has to do something and then jump right into normal vocals.

I don’t think I can hear Brian Jones’ guitar, which is a shame. Other than that it’s a good mix.

Unless the concert was cut, these songs seem to keep on going with less than ten second breaks in-between, not even enough to talk about anything. Now we have Satisfaction, and Mr. Watts does some excellent drumming here. Also, for some reason, during a verse of “I can’t get no, sat-is-fac-tion,” Jagger sounded different. Almost normal and non-gravelly. It was weird. I guess I’m not used to early Jagger anymore.

There was a dude out in the front crying, and he was just shoved back by security. It was interesting. And there was no riot. Score one for security.

They interview a man who said exactly what everyone thinks; the band’s good, but the crowd is shit and needs to calm down. And then Jagger solidified that by saying the relationship between crowd and band is sexual.

Jagger is wearing what looks like a very snug and comfortable turtleneck while half-singing to songs while the camera zooms in and out fast for dramatic effect.

I like the little things, so the quote “Who do you think you are?.. Mick Jagger” was pretty good.

On what could be the final flight in this movie, we get this.

Daww.

And then

Every woman in the theater when "aww." That what I'd report if I was in a theater in either 1966 or 2012.

And the first one to wake is Charlie Watts. This movie has gotten a lot of Watts love.

So the final question is 

Should You Watch This?

And the answer is

Only if you’re a Rolling Stones fan. Or want to see life as an Irish concert-goer.

Not the casual listener, but a good fan. For those that have seen backstage footage of Beatles, it’s very different. Same crowds though. A lot of just shots of all of the Stones doing random things and terrorizing the Irish.

Rate the movie? I really can’t, it wasn’t for me. 6 / 10 for the actual entertainment value, 8 / 10 for the content, 8.5 / 10 for how it was put together, and 9.5 / 10 for the actual concert performances. There’s numbers.