When Martin Scorsese announced that his follow up film to his Oscar winning best picture The Departed would be a little documentary about a Rolling Stones concert, some thought, who needs yet another Stones film, especially when there is such a good one - the Maysles’ Gimme Shelter (1970) - and such an awful one - Hal Ashby’s Let Spend the Night Together (1982)? But Scorsese uses his visual prowess to make Shine a Light one of the most energetically dynamic and entertaining concert films in decades.

Around all those gritty DeNiro/Pesci/Keitel crime films, Scorsese’s connection to concert documentaries seems unnoticed. He was one of several editors of the ’60’s classic Woodstock and his direction of the Band’s final concert, The Last Waltz (1978) created two of the finest in this genre. What makes Shine a Light so special is that Scorsese makes a group of 60-something wrinkled rock and roll legends still vibrant and exciting to watch and listen to.

Shot in New York City’s Beacon Theatre in the fall of 2006, Scorsese mixes artsy black and white footage, interesting past interviews, and color stock of the Stones preparing, rehearsing and playing their hearts out to adoring fans (including ex-President Bill Clinton and his wife). The central focus is mostly on Mick, but even at then 63 the camera captures the spunk and joy a guy half his age. Cinematographer Robert Richardson’s camera, shooting in nearly 360-degree space, smoothly captures all the classic Jagger prancing, struts and hip gyrations. As for music, the band plays several rhythm and blues tunes, one with legend Buddy Guy, a country song and many of their standards from “Sympathy for the Devil”, “Shattered”, “Brown Sugar” and a rousing finale of “I Can’t Get no Satisfaction”.

A couple of years ago when Mick Jagger appeared on the cover of an AARP magazine in polyester pants and a bland colored Mr. Roger’s sweater, I thought this for sure is the end of the rock and roll era. Thanks to Scorsese, Shine a Light proves, despite some wrinkles, that the Stones’ music is alive and still a whole lot of fun.