The effect was intense and overwhelming, but I mean that in a good way.
Shine a Light
A master director shining his light on the best rock band on the planet.
2008 · 2h 2m · PG-13
Documentary, Music
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
Free account saves your watchlist and ratings.
Shine a Light
Overview
Martin Scorsese’s electrifying concert documentary captures The Rolling Stones live at New York’s Beacon Theatre during their A Bigger Bang tour. Filmed over two nights in 2006 with an all-star team of cinematographers, the film combines dynamic performances with archival footage and rare glimpses behind the scenes, offering a vibrant portrait of the band’s enduring energy and legacy.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
At times, the cutting shifts from the hasty to the impatient to the borderline epileptic, and, while never doubting Scorsese's ardor for the Stones, I got the distinct impression of a style in search of a subject.
The genius of Scorsese's film, which is being shown in IMAX in 93 theaters, is that it reveals the Stones' mortality while celebrating all that makes them more than mere mortals.
It's showbiz, after all. And the band still rocks like none other, true to their creed that if their adored blues masters can play into their dotage, then so can they.
Close-ups detail the etched faces of the Stones, but they've never seemed more ageless. Their music and spirit are still brash and youthful.
More films
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Documentary · Music · PG
A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.
- Runtime
- 1h 28m
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)
Documentary · Music · N/A
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the ...
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
- Cast
- Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain
Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025)
Documentary · Music · PG-13
The individual journeys of the four members of the band, as they move through the music scene of the 1960s, playing small clubs throughout Britain and performing some of the biggest hits of the era, until their meeting in the summer of 1968 for a rehearsal that changes their lives forever.
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
- Director
- Bernard MacMahon
- Cast
- Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
Gimme Shelter (1970)
Documentary · Music · GP
A detailed chronicle of the famous 1969 tour of the United States by the British rock band The Rolling Stones, which culminated with the disastrous and tragic concert held on December 6 at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, an event of historical significance, as it marked the end of an era: the generation of peace and love suddenly ...
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Director
- Albert Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
- Cast
- Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts
Snow (1963)
Documentary · N/A
Comprising train and track footage quickly shot just before a heavy winter's snowfall was melting, the multi-award-winning classic that emerged from the cutting-room compresses British Rail's dedication to blizzard-battling into a thrilling eight-minute montage cut to music. Tough-as-boots workers struggling to keep the line clear are ...
- Runtime
- 8m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones
Rail (1967)
Documentary · N/A
"Rail" captures British Railways at a major turning-point in its history. In certain respects, this was a period of considerable upheaval and loss. There was a facing-up to the increasing need for a big modernisation drive. Full and speedy electrification, or the wider promotion of diesel-power on remaining lines, became a matter of to...
- Runtime
- 14m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones









Comments
Talk about the film with other members