The man who brought the world the iconic Rolling Stones film Gimme Shelter back in 1970 has passed away, as documentarian Albert Maysles died on Thursday (March 5) at the age of 88.
Maysles died in his home in Manhattan. He had been battling pancreatic cancer, and the Criterion Collection confirmed the news of his passing on Facebook. Maysles had reportedly been quite ill in the past month.
Maysles was known for making films with his younger bother David, who died of a stroke in 1987 at the age of 55.
Their greatest contribution to the world of music was Gimme Shelter, which they made along with their frequent collaborator Charlotte Zwerin. The film chronicled part of the Rolling Stones' U.S. tour in 1969, which included the notorious Altamont Free Concert. The film captured the death of Altamont audience member Meredith Hunter, who drew a gun before being stabbed by a security guard from the Hells Angels.
The Maysles brothers also directed What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A., which documented the Beatles' first U.S. visit and has since been re-edited as The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit. In 2009, Albert helmed the film portion of Rufus Wainwright's Milwaukee at Last!!! concert release.
Maysles also co-directed 1968's Salesman (about door-to-door salesmen) and 1976 cult classic Grey Gardens (about two reclusive relatives of Jackie Onassis). The latter movie was turned into a musical decades later.
Maysles died in his home in Manhattan. He had been battling pancreatic cancer, and the Criterion Collection confirmed the news of his passing on Facebook. Maysles had reportedly been quite ill in the past month.
Maysles was known for making films with his younger bother David, who died of a stroke in 1987 at the age of 55.
Their greatest contribution to the world of music was Gimme Shelter, which they made along with their frequent collaborator Charlotte Zwerin. The film chronicled part of the Rolling Stones' U.S. tour in 1969, which included the notorious Altamont Free Concert. The film captured the death of Altamont audience member Meredith Hunter, who drew a gun before being stabbed by a security guard from the Hells Angels.
The Maysles brothers also directed What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A., which documented the Beatles' first U.S. visit and has since been re-edited as The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit. In 2009, Albert helmed the film portion of Rufus Wainwright's Milwaukee at Last!!! concert release.
Maysles also co-directed 1968's Salesman (about door-to-door salesmen) and 1976 cult classic Grey Gardens (about two reclusive relatives of Jackie Onassis). The latter movie was turned into a musical decades later.
