Product description

The Rolling Stones - Rock And Roll Circus

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Average customer rating: 3.5

Binding : DVD
EAN : 0602498248997
Label : Universal Island
Manufacturer : Universal Island
Publisher : Universal Island
Release date : 2004-10-25
Title : The Rolling Stones - Rock And Roll Circus
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Exempt
Format : PAL
Languages : Array
Number of items : 1
Region code : 0
Running time : 65
Studio : Universal Island
Theatrical releaseDate : 1995-09-24
Number of discs : 1

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Unavailable at all for nearly three decades, then issued in a VHS edition in 1996, the Rolling Stones' legendary Rock and Roll Circus finally gets the full treatment with this DVD release documenting the 1968 event. The Stones were reportedly unhappy with their performance (hence the long delay), and it isn't their finest moment; performing "Jumping Jack Flash" and a variety of songs from their then-new Beggars Banquet album, Keith Richards is game, but Jagger's preening (especially on "Sympathy for the Devil") is over the top, and guitarist Brian Jones looks dissolute and well on his way to his death the following year. A certain weirdness permeates some of the other musical acts as well: Jethro Tull lip-syncs unconvincingly, Taj Mahal and band were obliged to perform before the circus set was completed and the audience had arrived, and John Lennon's outing with impromptu supergroup the Dirty Mac (with Richards, Eric Clapton, and drummer Mitch Mitchell) is hampered by Yoko Ono's caterwauling, although their version of the Beatles' "Yer Blues" is cool. Still, the Who are brilliant, Marianne Faithfull is beautiful, the various circus acts are fun, and the crowd clearly loves it.

The DVD comes with some fascinating bonus features, including three extra songs by Mahal, some lovely classical piano by Julius Katchen, and a "quad split-screen" version of "Yer Blues". Best of all are a new interview with the Who's Pete Townshend and the various commentary tracks added for the DVD--especially those by Tull's Ian Anderson, director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Stones Jagger, Richards, and Bill Wyman (who dryly attributes Jagger's reluctance to issue the show to his dissatisfaction with his own performance, not the band's). Flaws notwithstanding, this is a treat. --Sam Graham

Customer reviews

review by: brendoclarke date: 2008-08-04 rating:

THE WHO
Good Lord! What a mess! No wonder the Stones suppressed this for almost 30 years . Forget being "upstaged" by the Who, this was a classic waste of money and is mainly interesting as a sort of unintentional comedy.The Who certainly ripped things up and proved themselves to be the best live performers in the world (like we needed any more evidence after Live at Leeds and Isle of Wight '71), but Jethro Tull are simply awful- they honestly look like circus performers,and one wonders how on earth they made the cut.

Taj Mahal steals the show with authentic Chicago style blues, but the rest of the performers, including the Stones,appear bored and confused. Special note should be made of the lackluster performance by John Lennon fronting what should be a dream band-and then Yoko Ono gets the microphone! The "real" circus perrformers seem to be imposters. The Pete Townsend interview is interesting, but this is really just a footnote. Jagger & Co showed good sense in putting this in the vault. Too bad as it could have been great.

review by: date: 2008-07-15 rating:

A Time Capsule
Ignore the negative reviews about this film.Admittedly the trapeze artists and fire eater are a pointless waste of time and The Rolling Stones may have been unhappy with their own performance but 'Rock 'n' Roll Circus' is actually quite good and captures an interesting period in British Rock music (1968).Of the acts appearing here Jethro Tull were beginning their recording career,The Beatles(John Lennon appears) were ending theirs,The Who and Rolling Stones were reaching their peak.
As for the performances Jethro Tull (with Toni Iommi on guitar!) kick off the show with the brilliant 'Song For Jeffery' with Ian Anderson standing stork-like on one leg and pulling numerous faces,The Who are up next with a blistering performance of the mini-opera-'A Quick One'.This is the best performance of the whole film,every member of the band is top form but keep your eye on the lunatic that is Keith Moon,his drumming is like a firework display.
Taj Mahal puts in a great appearance and so do John Lennon,Eric Clapton,Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell as 'The Dirty Mac' with a gritty version of The Beatles 'Yer Blues'.Unfortunately they are joined by Yoko Ono who screeches her way through four and a half minutes of jamming called 'A Whole Lotta Yoko'.Marianne Faithful on the other hand is elegant and beautiful.
The Rolling Stones are the final act and perform six tracks,four of these from their most recent album at the time 'Beggars Banquet'.Mick Jagger controls the show,he's simply engaging and easily the most focused of the five members.The rhythym section of Watts and Wyman are quite solid but Keith Richards although keeping things together is compelled to make up for the struggling Brian Jones.Jones was to die a few months after this performance and he's a pitiful sight during 'Sympathy For The Devil' as he wobbles back and forth on his heels while occasionally shaking maraccas(sorry for any spelling mistake!) and stares blankly into space.
'The Rolling Stones' Rock 'n' Roll Circus' is well worth a look and is probably the only recorded performance that members of The Beatles,Stones and Cream performed on the same stage.There are also some good extras on the DVD including an excellent interview with Pete Townsend.

review by: date: 2007-07-31 rating:

rock and roll at its best
the 60's and 70's as know is the best era for rock! this dvd is awesum and brings u into it. get a bottle of jack daniels and some coke and put this on very very loud. then go out. you'll have an incredible night. jethro tull is immense u got john lennon and eric clapton in the same band. the stones are at there peak... yes wow! buy this dvd

review by: ivon_ritzcovitz date: 2006-11-01 rating:

Documentary rather than entertainment
I have liked the Stones music since the 60's and recently have been completing my collection of their studio recordings. I was therefore intrigued by the varied reviews of 'Rock and Roll Circus' and put this on my DVD rental list to find out for myself.

Having watched it, I can understand why it was never released. Like other reviewers, I find that the Who's short performance was good. Taj Mahal also put in a good performance - also on the extra material. The Stones performance is not one of there best, but here the documentary background has to be taken into account: this was the last time Brian Jones performed with the Stones and Keith Richard(s) was reputedly on 'various substances'. Nevertheless, the 65 minutes of the main video did not have an exciting feel for me.

In my opinion the circus acts and the circus scenario were a waste of time. If I had not watched the Pete Townshend interview, I would have thought the whole DVD really disappointing as it lacked the buzz I was expecting. The interview (obviously recorded about the time the DVD was released) put the whole project into perspective and the comments made by PT are very perceptive. I might have re-watched the main video after watching the interview, but it was not that good - so I just put the DVD back in the envelope ready to post off to get my next DVD.

review by: date: 2006-04-23 rating:

Sesame Street rules!
Sesame Street at its best!
A serious message delivered with lots of fun and humour (and a great 'Number Rumba'!) - my grandchildren took everything on board about what to do if they get lost...
The Rock and Roll section is great fun - high quality toe tapping music performed by first class singers and bands - and educational to boot!

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