Ramones - Raw (2004)

Just curious?

A dvd for all Ramones Fans and anyone who's just curious. Home video on tour. 1980 Concert in Italy outside the Vatican. and a load of other rare 8mm live video + early tv Video. Every bit of video is extremely watchable. Optional Commentary by Johnny Ramone, Marky Ramone and the film maker........ November 14, 2008

For real Ramones fans only.

I love the Ramones. That being said I found this to be a lot of fun at times and tedious at others. There is no context to what you are watching and it is often left to the viewer to try to figure out where a segment is taking place and when it is happening. It is a bit of a jumbled mess. Some of the live segments are very good quality while others are poorly recorded hand held video cameras with poor sound quality. This video also gives you an idea that the Ramones had become fairly bored with each other (though they did come alive on stage). As mentioned by other reviewers this is a collection Marky's video and he does seem to annoy the other Ramones with his constant filming.
If you are a big Ramones fan you will love it. If you are a casual Ramones fan you will have trouble staying with it. If this is your first experience with the legenday Ramones, don't start with this video. You will get the wrong impression about this truly awesome band. September 3, 2007

i like it better than "end of the century" myself

to me, end of the century was good, but it lacked a lot when someone like myself was dying to know more about the years after the "end of the century" album.

that is where ramones raw kicks in. first, i will say, this for someone who is definately a Ramones fanatic. someone who is fascinated, loves, or wants to know more about the deceased members of the Ramones. if the Ramones, to you, are just "the band that made blitzkrieg bop and i wanna be sedated," you may want to just rent end of the century or read facts and bios about them on websites. however, if you live and breath ramones, are sick of hearing about the formation of the band and the early years for the 20,000th time, listen to multiple albums of theirs daily, and love every album ramones-adios amigos, then this is a must have! also, there is some nice commentary from johnny ramone on this!

if you have seen/own end of the century, but felt it lacked too much coverage of the band's later years, this is the dvd for you. yes, this dvd is more of a slice of life compilation of video goof-offs, commercials, and other interesting things the Ramones encountered while on the road(mostly during the brain drain and mondo bizarro eras.), but it does do its job in revealing those relatively unknown years of the band to some youngster like myself. my only gripe is that it weren't longer! it made me want to see more Ramone antics. January 27, 2007

Spectacularly funny footage of New York's greatest band

"Ramones Raw" is a documentary that a combination of live performances through out the years, a very good range of various years, and the band members filming each other...which is hilarious now and then. Marky is usually the one filming, but it's really great to see the LEGENDS, like JOHNNY, JOEY, and DEE DEE just being themselves.

A couple highlights of the film include a true vintage performance in Italy...a really beautiful setting combined with the Ramones' performance of one of their hit songs (can't think of it right now, sorry). There is also a comical segment with Gilbert Godfrey trying to get into the Ramones, claiming he is one of them. It's hilarious really-they go golfing and lock him in a closet...good times.

Even the littler scenes with Dee Dee begging for someone's credit card (ah what a journey) and him drinking coffee in Valencia are just really heartwarming, because that was Dee Dee just doing what he does.

Joey and Johnny of course, were more on the quiet side, but Marky does get some pretty good shots of them eating or joking around...this movie is really the Ramones "raw."

I recommend it to even the slightest fans, for you will see what that band really was, during their candid moments of course. It is enjoyable for all ages of all types of people that have a place in their hearts for the Ramones. Long live the Ramones! July 26, 2006

Candid and Chaotic Glimpse Behind the Scenes

Ironically, since the premature passing of Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee, Tommy and Marky Ramone have been busy keeping the Ramones name more relevant than ever- Tommy producing a Ramones-themed musical à la the current trend of Mamma Mia, We Are the Champions, etc, and Marky with, among other projects, the release of this DVD. The band's image can be found on diverse merchandise, from t-shirts to comic books.

As opposed to the more somber, parochial and straight-forward End of the Century doc, Raw is non-linear and has a more behind-the-scenes, hang with the band feel, with quick, random edits and wipes of (mostly) Marky's video diary footage interspersed with various concert highlights. We get to see first hand what it was like to be a Ramone, especially during the final 10 years of the band.

Whether escaping hordes of manic fans by claustrophobic van in South America (where they were superstars), visiting a local zoo in Australia, signing autographs in Japan or early morning chain smoking at some hotel breakfast joint in Spain, the footage gives a very intimate feel of the band.

Raw shows lots of private joking, internal catch-phrasing, practical joke pulling, and various clowning around. What it does not show is a lot of interaction between other members of the band. Whether by design or default, you will be hard pressed to see Joey, Johnny, CJ and Dee Dee doing much verbal interacting. Nor does it show band members engaging in serious fighting, which surely must have happened on occasion.

The emphasis is on Marky and his camera interacting with the individual members. And each member brings his personality to the lens. Marky's position as a member of the band makes it easy to get the others to be themselves. Thus we get Marky himself as the talkative clown who keeps the vibe loose with good-natured ribbing; Johnny as the sarcastic curmudgeon with a glint of humor in his eye- who Mark refers to as the "Sloth"; Joey as the sensitive, soft-spoken, humorous lug; Dee Dee as the self-absorbed, slightly effeminate raconteur and observationalist, who even in his last days with the band, was appreciative of the fans and of the band's legacy; and CJ as the little brother from the Grunge era, who adds Gen X spark and cred to the band in their final phase. Tommy and Richie are all but invisible.

After watching Raw, some lingering questions remain. The main "tragedy" of the Ramones' story, besides members' premature deaths, is often "why didn't they become superstar rich and famous like they deserved" This theme is central to the End of the Century doc. But the thing is this: Many bands have made zillions without platinum records. The Grateful Dead, Phish, and others have become mega-rich through touring successes and especially merchandising. If the Ramones could fill a 50,000+ stadium in diverse corners of the world, why couldn't they take advantage of that fanbase and get filthy rich doing it?

The Ramones' legendary reputation is etched in stone and their iconic imagery is a natural for merchandise. As Tommy and Marky make money off of the Ramones' legacy today (and I am not here to judge their right to do that), I wonder if it was a question of underdeveloped use of the Ramones name. Richie Ramone left the band over t-shirt profits, which the band refused to share with him. This must have been a major source of income.

Was it simply a question of too little too late? Of undermerchandising? Would it have gone against the punk ethic to overexpose the Ramones trademark? Would a major advertising/promotions/PR firm been able to increase the band's income?

Either way, the Ramones rightfully deserve a place on the pedestal of rock legends. Their fun, energetic no-nonsense punk take on early-60s pop and their dedication to the DIY ethic have inspired millions and will continue to do so.

Raw is a must-have, for it takes you on a fun ride into the inner circle of a great band that will never return. And that is definitly worth the price of admission.


July 12, 2005

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