Ramones: End of the Century 2003

A must for Ramones fans and pretty damned compulsive for anyone remotely drawn to punk, End of the Century proves that being seminal isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. The film was a seven-year labour of love for the filmmakers and their long-term proximity to the band pays dividends in the blunt testimony sent their way by Johnny Ramone and the late Dee Dee. Insider insights are balanced by a clear account of the band’s 20 years on the cusp of fame and obscurity. The catalogue of lineup changes, addictions, betrayals and intense personal hatreds is mind-boggling, but it also becomes indistinguishable from the explosive nihilism of their live shows, shown here in rare am-cam and bootleg clips as well as in more hi-tech footage.

“It’s a very dark movie. It’s accurate… I’m basically portrayed as a tyrannical monster, Dee Dee is on drugs, Mark is an alcoholic and Joey is an alcoholic and drug addict at various times.” — Johnny Ramone, interviewed by Colin Devenish and Christina Saraceno in Rolling Stone