Synopsis: Drama-documentary of a punk becoming a roadie for The Clash
Director: Jack Hazan, David Mingay
Actors: Ray Gange, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
Date: 1980
How viewed: Bought (£1.49) via Amazon
Rating: 3/5
David Meyer says:
The most compelling moments are those spent hanging with The Clash, eavesdropping on their rehearsals, their squabbles, and most strikingly, their absolute and unhesitating morality..
I say:
The film scores 5/5 for the documentary part, especially the concert footage (even though the sound is clearly overdubbed), which superbly captures The Clash performing in a variety of settings, particularly at the Victoria Park Anti-Nazi League rally, but scores 1/5 for the ill-conceived idea to interweave a fictional story of a punk (Gange, sort of playing himself) who's a friend of Strummers, looking to get out of his dead-end job and become a roadie for the band. He's also there to contrast with (and highlight) the bands political views but it all comes across as totally false. The band and their real-life roadies are relaxed, confident, focused, and have a swagger about them, whereas Gange (or rather the character Gange plays) is the opposite - nervous, stilted, lost. The film tries to depict the era (late 1970's) with intercut shots of the discontent that led to riots, and the rise of Margaret Thatcher, but it's all very messy, especially another poorly scripted fictional interlude of the police picking up and charging a couple of black men. It's extraordinary how grey and dated England looks - the hotels, the cars, the police - so much has changed in 30 years, but the music remains powerful - there's an option on the DVD to just watch The Clash portions - a highly recommended option!
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