SoftInloveRox Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Christopher Culver Has a film ever combined one theme of such wide popular appeal with another that will interest only a small crowd and simply baffle that big popular audience? Jean-Luc Godard's SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL would delight one set of viewers and infuriate another. How does one even give a star rating to this? In May 1968, Jean-Luc Godard was permitted to film the Rolling Stones over several days in a London studio as they gradually fleshed out their now classic song "Sympathy for the Devil", and so one might expect simply a documentary about a rock band's creative process. However, over the last year Godard had broken ties with conventional cinema (even in its zany French New Wave form) and was now interested in using film to agitate for the Maoist philosophy that he had latched onto as the Zeitgeist for this era. Consequently, hardly have we seen the Stones at work before Godard cuts to completely different footage centered around the reading of strident political texts. Over the course of the film we repeatedly go back and forth between the Rolling Stones in the studio and political shots: Black Panthers sitting around a junkyard and advocating revolution, a woman spraypainting Maoist slogans over London walls, a comic book shop as a metaphor for American imperialism, etc.Even if the juxtaposition is jarring and indeed rather silly, the Rolling Stones portion of the film is satisfying for fans of this music. The viewer gets a sense of how the song "Sympathy for the Devil" went from merely a product of Jagger's imagination that he has to teach Keith Richards to ultimately the ample rendition with conga and backing-vocals that was finally released. Probably unbeknownst to Godard himself at the time, the film also serves as a portrait of Brian Jones' breakdown only about a year before his death: he's sometimes present in the studio, but he just sits in the corner, neglected by his bandmates and strumming a guitar that isn't even miked.The rest of the Stones, however, are clearly enjoying themselves. It's amusing how Jagger's English working-class accent, itself quite fake, immediately shifts to an imitation of some old American bluesman as soon as the recording of each take starts; rarely have I got such a vivid sense of how much blues meant to this generation of English youth. The last shot of the band in the film, presumably after recording wrapped on "Sympathy of the Devil", is a longish jam session. Another delight of this film for music lovers is that we can see in full colour how recording studios looked in the 1960s with the technology and sound insulation strategies of that era. (Everyone's smoking constantly, too. The place must have smelled like an ashtray).What, then, of the political bits? These would weird out anyone not familiar with Godard's earlier work of the late 1960s, but if one watches his films chronologically, then there is a clear progression from WEEKEND, his last relatively conventional film: again we see a breakdown of 1960s consumerist society depicted through militants holding guns versus prostrate figures red with (intentionally very fake) blood. Anne Wiazemsky, who had acted in Godard's immediately preceding films as a symbol of rebellious youth and now the director's second wife, appears as the personification "Eve Democracy". Unable to answer anything to her interlocutor's questions but "Yes" or "No", she mocks what Godard saw as the impotency of bourgeois representative democracy, where the people have no other way to effect political change except to vote for or against a candidate, a process that happens only every few years even as the nation is confronted by pressing challenges.Godard's politics during this time were wonky and it's hard to tell just how seriously he believed in Maoism, or whether the 38-year-old director was just trying on a fad to be closer to the youth. And yet, for viewers interested in history and especially this turbulent decade, the political scenes too hold a lot of interest. In the comic book shop segment, the camera pans slowly across the shelves, presenting a variety of pulp literature and pornography that is utterly forgotten today. Didactic as the scenes of the Black Panthers and Eve Democracy might be, even they can be appreciated as a time capsule of 1960s fashion thanks to their colourfully dressed characters.

thos173 Don't expect this film to reveal its charms on first viewing. It is akin to a difficult piece of classical music. The first view is strictly baffling. The juxtaposition of elements is absurd, the characterisations fantastical. It marches on. You don't know where it is going. To Godard's chagrin no doubt, he creates beautiful scenes, amongst them Anne Wiazemsky's disappearance into the green wood. He provides an uninterrupted view. Historically fascinating - London with its rough edges. And the Stones at work and play with Nicky Hopkins pulling it together on the keyboards. A must see for Stonesologists and rock specialists. Political fire in the belly. Not time wasted. A sharpening experience.

Jaimey Perham I wasn't going to write a review, but when I I saw the low rating for the film I thought I should give it some much needed justice.First off the I won't summarize the film, but it covers the Rolling Stones performing their classic song until they get it right in the studio, "Sympathy For The Devil" with a Black Panther montage to keep the plot moving forward.The film was written and directed by legendary New Wave French film director Jean-Luc Godard most known for the 1960 film "Breathless." Godard with his artistic style helped pave the way for some of the great directors of today.The reason this film deserves a second look is not because of Godard or the musical progression of the song, but in light of the recent memoir Life by Keith Richards the classic character gestures of Keith Richards, and the subtle interactions of the band members at the pinnacle height of their success.You won't come away from this film with a new profound understanding of The Rolling Stones, but if you recently read Life by Keith Richards you might just understand after watching "Symphony For The Devil" why this band are true rock and roll musical legends...

andrabem "Sympathy for the Devil" is an excellent time capsule of the late 60s, and it's also a little cinematic gem. It's still actual today and the questions it poses were still not answered.The Stones are filmed rehearsing "Sympathy for the Devil" - the song is shown evolving from the raw draft to the accomplished end. Godard manages to show the Stones and their crew very much at ease. It's fascinating! Mick Jagger can be said to be the master of ceremonies that leads the show. Even for those that don't like the Rolling Stones it is very interesting to see how, slowly, the song becomes richer in sounds and nuances, till the band have managed to achieve what they wanted - the Stones are very satisfied and they groove."Sympathy for the Devil" is a song suited for what Godard wants to say - it tells the story of a gentleman (let me introduce myself. Im a man of wealth and taste). He has seen it all (I was around when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain), lived it all, understood it all. Crucifixion, revolution, war, prison etc.. Now he's singing this song to say something to the world. Maybe the Devil is God in exile (or the other way round).Godard mixes the Stones rehearsing "Sympathy for the Devil" with other episodes.1) A black revolutionary group in a car cemetery planning the revolution, checking their guns. Three white women wearing white dresses are led in at gunpoint (vestal virgins?) to be sacrificed for the revolution. Philosophy, revolutionary goals, anger, desires and hope. This is one of the episodes. One of the many faces of revolution.2) Anne Wiazemsky, wearing a light yellow dress, is interviewed in a kind of forest park. All she answers is Yes or No (the interviewer himself answers all the questions he asks). Through one of her answers we learn that her Name is Eve. All About Eve - another symbol.3) A magazine stand that sells magazines and pocket-books with lurid covers, where the owner delivers a very weird fascist speech. All the customers that buy something have still the right to slap two hippies that shout progressive slogans. The customers before leaving the store give the fascist salute.Sometimes there's also a voice in off making the silliest comments about world political leaders, describing their sexual romps etc..Take the Stones rehearsing again and again "Sympathy for the Devil" (the song's words serving as a commentary on the other episodes, and the other way round); mix it all together and you'll get an interesting portrait of the spirit of 68 . The times were changing fast, the hopes were high, and fear was present too. You can't take Godard completely seriously (he likes to make fun of everything, even the things he believes in), but he shows himself in "Sympathy for the Devil" as a sensitive and open-minded intellectual, conscious of his own limitations but in harmony with the times. He saw what was happening around him and wanted to take part in it. How? Simple! The only way he knew. To make a film. Sympathy for the Devil.The end of the film is an allegory. Revolution on the beach, shots, blood, his film crew.... A red and a black flag - both waving in the wind. Where is the yellow submarine?