Director – Lech Kowalski (Story of a Junkie, Born to Lose: The Last Rock and Roll Movie)
Starring – Stiv Bators (Tapeheads, The Lords of the New Church: Dance with Me), Terry Chimes (Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Saturday Night Live), and Paul Cook (Sex Pistols: God Save the Queen, The Great Rock N’ Roll Swindle)
Release Date – 1980
Rating – 3.5/5
Blu Release – 4.5/5
I’ve been writing for Horror Society now for over five years. I started out reviewing no budget flicks and forgotten cult action and exploitation movies but I soon found myself getting requests by indie directors to check out their hard work. Before long I found myself checking out releases from indie labels and distribution companies. One of the first of the distribution companies to work with me was MVD.
I’ve now been working with them for half a decade reviewing their indie releases but they recently changed the blu game when they announced their MVD Rewind Collection series. These releases are top notch and put several of the other blu labels in their place when they released their first blu. This 1980 rockumentary D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage was an amazing release from this newly formed label. Thank you MVD for sending this one my way!
**Spoiler Alert**This documentary follows The Sex Pistols and several other punk acts throughout the U.S. The documentary goes further into the punk movement and we get interviews with the bands, fans, conservatives fighting the movements, critics, others associated with the music acts. **Spoiler Alert**
I get the occasional documentary in to review but It’s not that often that I do and it’s even rarer that I get one in outside of horror and cryptozoology. Though I was a little confused at first how I would approach this. I’m typically not a punk fan. I mostly listen to metal but I do have a soft spot for Celtic punk. Either way this was a fantastic doc and an amazing release.
The interviews in this one are very diverse which is something I truly enjoy with a documentary. We have a great assortment of interviews from the punk bands, people living the punk lifestyle, and fans before moving to those that believe that punk is another gimmick for bands to make money, those that hate the musical style, and people who want to stop punk completely. This shows the viewer both sides of the argument and I enjoy that.
The topics with the documentary flow very well ranging from the music and the genres of rock and how they feel about the punk movement to political and religious takes on it. I loved how it was approached and how they have different people from the community to interview for the topics.
Finally, the editing in this one is smooth but some of the footage is a little rougher than others even after the restoration. The editing goes from topic to topic which moves this doc along. Overall, D.O.A is a fantastic release from MVD Rewind. This new label started with a bang and they really set the bar for future releases from blu companies. Check it out
Speial Features:
Dead on Arrival Documentary
12 Page Booklet
Reversible Artwork
Photo Gallery
2-Sided Poster
Theatrical Trailer
