Standard-Examiner
A decade or so ago, a documentary titled "The Kids are Alright" debuted in theaters across America. I don't recall whether it earned a dime or if anyone besides me went to see it, but I'll never forget the feeling I had when I emerged from the theater afterward.
The film chronicled the history of The Who, a British rock band I quite liked. And the film -- for me, anyway -- was transcendent. Directed by a guy who had also been a fan for some 15 years, the movie was like a love letter. As a Rolling Stone magazine writer quipped at the time, and I'm paraphrasing here: "The Kids are Alright" will not only leave you feeling as if The Who did it best, but first. That's precisely how that movie made me feel.
But, frankly, I'm a sucker for rock 'n' roll documentaries -- or rockumentaries, if you prefer. When they're done well, they're a blast because they blend the two entertainments I love most: movies and rock 'n' roll.
So it was with great expectations that I rented "25 x 5: The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones" last weekend. Essentially, "25 , x 5" is the product of what originally had been intended as a broadcast TV documentary to coincide with the Stones' "Steel Wheels" tour. And, like so many documentaries on The Rolling Stones, this film is a mixed bag. Great music and rare performance footage is undercut by wimpy interviews and an odd fascination with the financial history of the band.
