END OF THE CENTURY: THE STORY OF THE RAMONES
**** out of *****

Genres
Documentary

2003
Directed by
Jim Fields
Michael Gramaglia

Ask anyone to name some of the most influential punk bands ever and I’ll bet The Ramones come up on their list. In an era when disco and pop were popular The Ramones were a stark contrast, you’d be subjected to songs of teenage frustration and angst played loud and fast. That was their thing and they did it well. The funny thing is that the band was never really that big in their own time, never had a top 40 hit or a solid mainstream fan base to call their own. But they rocked hard at little clubs putting out record after record. They never really hit it big until the later years, when other bands started singing their praises (plus induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame didn’t hurt either).

The Ramones were four kids from New York, all very different. In fact, the term ‘opposites attract’ has a whole lot of meaning here. They where bored and loved rocking out, what better excuse to start a band, and over 30 years later they’d get the love, admiration and respect they deserved. End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones is the true story of this band, the story of how they came together, their struggles, fights, break-ups, reunions, and more fights. At the centre was their ability to write songs that connect with people, that moved people, that got them up and freaking out out of their chairs, singing along to the catchy lyrics. Along this journey we also hear from other musicians that took inspiration from The Ramones and industry insiders who try to give reasons why they were never big at home in the US, but could sell out a stadium in England.

This documentary feels like it was made by fans. Filmmakers Jim Fields and Michael Gramaglia pull the lid off the world of punk rock and The Ramones for the general public. The film is filled to the brim with interesting trivia: what it was like touring and playing gigs with these guys, writing music (especially the recording of the Phil Spector produced End of the Century album), and we also learn about what each member was up to post-Ramones. There is also footage following the band from concert to radio station to one-one-one interviews, and archive footage and concert footage are also included. It’s an all-access pass into the lives of the Ramones and their contribution to the genre and music in general. Every member of the band is featured in this film, their friends, collaborators and even fans that are in high profile musical groups now.

This film is a definite must see and must own for any self confessed Ramones fan, and also a nice introduction for any newcomers. If you love Green Day, Blink 182 or any one of the current punk bands then do your homework and meet the godfathers of the genre, End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones is essential viewing. Gabba Gabba Hey!

Finger_Of_DOOM's reviews also appear on DVD Compare, where they include details of the DVD release. For this review click here.

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