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All Dolled Up – The New York Dolls DVD Review

March 1, 2009


Hair spray, go-go boots, glitter, make-up, lights, camera, ACTION! All Dolled Up: The New York Dolls, is a documentary that follows The Dolls through New York and the West Coast, and shows an intimate glimpse at the lifestyle that The New York Dolls led during the 1970s. Bob Gruen, a Rock Music Photographer, bought a video recorder in the early 70s, and he and his wife Nadya Beck went along with The New York Dolls on a tour documenting the off-stage and on-stage shenanigans of the band. Gruen and his wife shot over 40 hours of footage, but were kind enough to edit the best into 95 minutes of documentation. The entire documentary is black and white, and though shot during the 1970s, the quality of the film is really clean and almost flawless. The entire film maintains more of the reality of the road and off-stage events than the actual performances, all of which makes the DVD much more compelling and captivating.

The documentary starts off with the band mimicking a 1920s vintage styled intoduction that has the band members dressed up like mob gangsters, fleeing from the police. Each band member is introduced in a mug shot-like manner, and their names and alias' are given. It is a short but clever introduction, leading up to a viewing of the band performing on stage. The documentary frequently alternates from clips of The Dolls' performances, to clips of news anchors issuing segments on the band and the hype they have created, to personal and brief interviews with the band members throughout the tour. The topics of the interviews range from how the band members met one another, to how the use of make-up was introduced to them, and whether they believe they'll always remain close. Every interview is short and usually shot randomly, never really professionally and isolated from the chaos, but that's exactly what makes the interviews much more honest and intimate.

The performances go from Max's Kansas City venue in New York, to the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, to The Matrix in San Francisco, back to Los Angeles for the Real Don Steele Show, and once again back to their native New York for additional performances at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom and The Little Hippodrome. Each trip to each venue features the same types of things: groupies, crowds of people outside or inside trying to talk to the band, and alcohol. Perhaps the most interesting trip was to Hollywood for the Whisky A Go Go show, because it features the band going through the strip, shopping in a lingerie store, and hanging out backstage in their normal environment. The intimacy of the shot almost makes you feel like you're actually there with the band, which makes the DVD all the more credible and fun. The finale of the documentary features the ending to the intro, showing The New York Dolls back again in their 1920s mob gangster scene, fleeing the police in their getaway vehicle.

The DVD has such a personal and raw quality to it, that it brings fond and tender feelings upon seeing a young New York Dolls running all over the place, showing their love for Rock-N-Roll, and conveying it for all sorts of crowds. The band shows a lot of sass and personality, and captures what we all knew all along about The Dolls: that they were great, they were groundbreakers, and they rightfully share a place with all those before them who today continue to influence so many bands and musicians. The DVD is a must have, and a better look at the often misunderstood, New York Dolls.


Get it here: New York Dolls - All Dolled Up


-Stephanie M.-

 

 

 

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