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End of the Century – The Story of the Ramones
Throughout their career, most people viewed the Ramones as a cartoon, something that provided entertainment but could not be taken seriously. It was an impression the band fought against for two decades of hard touring and continuous recording, but only their friends and true fans saw them as three dimensional characters with real lives and personalities. This documentary should forever put that impression to rest.
Without hesitation, I believe this to be one of the most ruthlessly honest documentaries of a band that I have ever seen. Interspersed with phenomenal live footage and interview sequences, “End of the Century” does a fabulous job of bringing the band to life, which is terribly sad and ironic because it was constructed after the death of lead singer Joey, and bassist Dee Dee died while the film was in post-production. Soon after its release, Johnny also died, leaving us with the hollow feeling that we only got to really know the bandmembers after they had been taken from us.
“End of the Century” is that unique gift of a film that captures everything great about its subject, but never flinches from the brutal truth. The fact is that the Ramones were one of the most dysfunctional bands of all time, but they were also one of the most loyal. True to their own ethic of hard work, the band rolled through two decades of music and over two thousand live shows, yet never achieved the acclaim that is usually bestowed upon leaders, and the Ramones were definitely leaders. The film features interview footage of Joe Strummer (The Clash) as he recollects standing outside the stage door for the Ramone’s first appearance in England with members of the Sex Pistols. Classic footage from the CBGB era in New York’s Bowery provides further evidence that the Ramones were virtually responsible for cutting a path through the mid-seventies slog of supergroups that were beginning to weaken the simple strength of true rock and roll music.
“End of the Century” is a fan’s dream, providing endlessly awesome footage and remarkable storytelling, but the people who would benefit most from this film are the people who never truly understood the band. Like any good film should, it brings its subjects to life, and makes you understand their motivations, their strengths, and their foibles. If you never took the band seriously, or never really listened to the Ramones, then you are in for a shock. “End of the Century” simply tells the truth, and the truth provides the bandmembers with the immortality that they deserve, which is reason enough for me to say that this is one of the best documentaries of its kind ever made.
CLICK HERE to buy this DVD on Amazon.
 
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