Robert Frank and The Stones - Rocks Off

[mto'brien]

I ran across this on youtube and thought I'd share it with y'all. Great song + awesome footage shot by Robert Frank. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lNP-x94-SE&feature=player_embedded#!

 

[mto'brien]

figured this would get at least a couple of comments. i think it is interesting to see frank shoot movies on the street. the energetic quality of his still photography translates quite well in motion. each frame could be a still and it would look like a robert frank image. one of my favorite stones songs as well.

 

[Stelios]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTfwGTqYzw

this is a documentary Frank shot of the Rolling Stones, which the Stones didn't quite like so they banned it's release. thanks to the internet though it's now out there! really raw stuff, if you watch you realise why they didn't want it released. Weird film anyway...

 

[nimcod]

He filmed an entire documentary called "c**ksucker blues" about the stones which i have not yet seen, but is meant to be very good.

/edit/ ha beaten to the punch

 

[kbg32]

"The film itself is under a court order which forbids it from being shown unless director Robert Frank is physically present.[2] This ruling stems from the conflict that arose when the band, who had commissioned the film, decided that its content was inappropriate and potentially embarrassing, and didn't want it shown. Frank felt otherwise — hence the ruling. However, bootleg copies of the film are available."

 

[mto'brien]

thanks for the comments. i saw c***sucker blues some time ago. i can understand why the stones didn't want it released. at that point, the band was having a serious problem with their, er, 'image'. as far as being able to tour freely and cross international boarders, they were already being limited because of what the authorities thought of them. the film would have been the 'proof' that would have effectively shut the touring machine down on them. too raw. The film is mostly for hardcore stones fans only anyway, i can't see it keeping the attention of a non-fan for more than a few minutes.

as for the clip i posted, i think someone edited it together from some footage and set it to the song. and i think they did a great job. to me, it is what i like about street photography (and frank's attention to, and treatment of, certain subjects) in a short film.

 

[Steve M.]

Great clip of the tightest rock and roll band that ever was. I never saw them, but the wife did about 20 years ago, so I was there by proxy 🙂

It's funny, I'm nearly 60 years old and I can listen to the Stones all day long. But put that Taylor Swift stuff on and I fall asleep. Things just ain't what they used to be in music, but then nothing else is either. Thanks for posting this.

 

[cosmonaut]

C'blues was the last album the Stones was under contract to deliver to a record company they were mad at. It was never intended to be good enough for release. The film is something else though. I saw many bands in my life and the Stones put on the two best shows I ever attended. Steel Wheels and Bridges to Babylon. I can't afford to see them anymore. Anyway their shows are getting shorter as time goes on.

 

[robert blu]

mto'brien thanks for the link. TRhe clips has a lot of energy, and I like the connection between the windshield washers and the Stones images. Music is great, unfortunatelu it reminds me how much time has gone...
robert
PS Robert Frank is one of my favorite photographers...

 

[RayPA]

"The film itself is under a court order which forbids it from being shown unless director Robert Frank is physically present.[2] This ruling stems from the conflict that arose when the band, who had commissioned the film, decided that its content was inappropriate and potentially embarrassing, and didn't want it shown. Frank felt otherwise — hence the ruling. However, bootleg copies of the film are available."

I *think* there are also restrictions on the type of venue in which it he can show it. My GF saw it. She actually met Frank, who was outside of the venue (museum/university theater). The show was sold out, but he got her and her friends in to see it. According to her, it was just OK. It's more the notoriety. I saw a bunch of the Frank films that accompanied the Americans exhibit, and this clip is pretty typical of his cinematic style. He has a very 'low-fi' approach. I've always thought that images on the 'Exile' album cover (some of which are in this clip) were great. Cool to see some images from 'The Americans' in there too.


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[porktaco]

that's an awesome clip. taxi f-ng driver.