Photo: Marcela McGreal Creative Commons License via Flickr https://flic.kr/p/BjG2PV
There is a scene in the Ramones film We’re Outta Here! in which the Ramones are stuck in a van in Italy surrounded by a crazy mob of rock fans. Filmed with a cheap hand-held camera, the viewer catches a glimpse of the Ramones reacting to the crazed mob. The band seems angry at their management for putting them in a critical situation. As the band reacts, you can hear their fear and anger while at the same time, recognize they are also laughing and cracking jokes. That’s the Ramones.
The Ramones documentary We’re Outta Here! was originally released in 1997 on VHS tape.The VHS tape was accompanied by a CD of their final concert which is also featured in the film. It is perhaps the most candid and enjoyable documentary ever made of the Ramones. And sadly, it is extremely rare. We don’t belive it has ever been officially released on dvd. The copy we have is on VHS tape. If you’re a Ramones fan, this is a documentary that needs to be seen.
The Ramones We’re Outta Here video open’s with an interview with Karen Kristal of CBGB’s on a park bench in New York City. She says she used to argue with the Ramones while they were playing at the club because she claimed they were the loudest of all the bands that ever played at CBGB’s. The film then turns to an interview with Johnny Ramone who had just announced the ending of the Ramones. And there you have it; the point of the video is a farewell and a retrospective at a time when the Ramones were all still living and able to walk away. Released in 1997, almost twenty years ago, no one would have ever expected to lose virtually every member of the Ramones since then. But their music lives on, and their legacy has inspired countless bands and performers. The interviews that are conducted throughout the film focus on each of the individual band members reminiscing over the formation of the band and various concerts and tour experiences.
The video also features incredible rare footage. Many of the interviews are shot through a fish eye lens. One of the highlights has to be a scene in which Joey and Johnny are feeding kangaroos in what appears to be a petting zoo. It’s very grainy as it seems to be shot on a handheld 8mm film camera. The quality of the footage throughout the film ranges from very grainy to quite good at times. Our favorite scene of the film was the point in time when the band were viewing the ancient Roman relics and buildings in Italy. Listening to the Ramones commenting on the Roman Coliseum in their deep New York City rock and roll accents is simply hilarious.
Throughout the video, there are numerous performances shown from their final concert. The concert had featured many special guest, but that was probably a mistake because it should have been just about the Ramones.
This was an official video released on VHS tape by Radioactive Records by way of Universal Music and Video Distribution Inc. The video was Executive Produced by Gary Kurfist. It was produced by Tina Silvey and Silvey and Company. The film was directed by Kevin Kerstake.
