Netflix’s “Shades of Black”: Illuminating the Dark Heart of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black”
In a move that electrifies the worlds of music and cinema, Netflix has unveiled its latest foray into rock royalty with *Shades of Black: The Untold Story of Paint It Black*, a gripping documentary chronicling the genesis and enduring shadow of the Rolling Stones’ 1966 masterpiece. Set for a global premiere before the close of 2025, this film promises to peel back the layers of one of rock’s most haunting anthems, transforming a three-minute sonic grenade into a profound exploration of grief, innovation, and cultural upheaval. Directed by the Oscar-nominated maestro Asif Kapadia—whose previous works like *Amy* and *Senna* dissected icons with unflinching intimacy—the project arrives as Netflix doubles down on its music documentary empire, following hits like *Miss Americana* and *Homecoming*.
At its core, *Shades of Black* dives into the alchemy that birthed “Paint It Black.” Released amid the psychedelic dawn of the Stones’ *Aftermath* album, the track shattered their bad-boy blueprint. Gone were the bluesy snarls of earlier singles; in their place, a brooding tapestry woven from Mick Jagger’s raw lyrics of loss—”I see a red door and I must have it painted black”—and Keith Richards’ brooding riff. But the true spark? Brian Jones, the band’s enigmatic multi-instrumentalist, whose sitar drone—borrowed from George Harrison’s *Norwegian Wood*—infused Eastern mysticism into Western grit. Kapadia’s lens will unearth never-before-seen archival footage from those feverish Los Angeles sessions in early 1966, where Jones, fresh from an Australian tour, improvised melodies that evolved into this dark jewel. Rare interviews with surviving Stones—Jagger, Richards, Charlie Watts’ archival echoes, and Ronnie Wood—will reveal the song’s origins in personal turmoil: Jagger’s reflections on a lover’s death, layered over Richards’ late-night chord scribbles.
What elevates *Shades of Black* beyond mere nostalgia is its unflinching gaze at the era’s undercurrents. The song’s morbid pulse—punctuated by Jack Nitzsche’s brooding piano and castanets—mirrored the Vietnam War’s creeping dread, becoming an unwitting soundtrack for a generation’s disillusionment. Featured in Stanley Kubrick’s *Full Metal Jacket*, it underscored the absurdity of conflict; echoed in *Stir of Echoes* for supernatural chills; and reimagined in Netflix’s *Wednesday* as Jenna Ortega’s cello wail. The documentary teases bombshells: original studio notes from RCA, alternate takes with a stripped-down acoustic edge, and a lost demo boasting a radically jazzier arrangement. Cultural heavyweights like Jack White, Billie Eilish, and Trent Reznor lend their voices, dissecting how “Paint It Black” prefigured grunge’s gloom and indie rock’s introspection. White, a Stones devotee, calls it “the blueprint for weaponizing melancholy,” while Eilish nods to its influence on her whispery despair anthems.
Yet, Kapadia doesn’t shy from the shadows. Jones’ sitar epiphany, born of fascination with Ravi Shankar, masked his spiraling addictions, foreshadowing his tragic 1969 drowning. The film probes this “untold story,” framing the song as both triumph and harbinger— a radical pivot that solidified the Stones’ evolution from Beatles rivals to counterculture provocateurs. Remastered performances, including a hypothetical 2025 live rendition with the band’s current lineup, will bridge past and present, reminding viewers why this track endures on playlists from war docs to goth TikToks.
As Netflix cements its role as rock’s archivist, *Shades of Black* arrives not just as a tribute, but a resurrection. In an age of fleeting virality, it honors “Paint It Black” as a timeless void—inviting us to stare into the abyss and emerge humming its siren call. For Stones faithful and curious newcomers alike, this is essential viewing: a raw elegy to the color we all crave to erase.
