The rise and fall of the apartheid-era band is unspooled in this occasionally dazzling but often lacklustre documentary
This documentary charting the rise and fall of the only multiracial punk rock band in apartheid-era South Africa will please fans but, lacking scale and access, may leave the rest of us disappointed. Told largely through archive footage shot on Super 8 and audio-only interviews, the film recounts the short life of National Wake. Friends and family of the punk rockers feature, and former member Ivan Kadey narrates most of the film.
Eschewing talking heads for invisible ones, the bright start suggests this gambit might pay off; but soon the recollections become bit of a drone, and who exactly is speaking becomes unclear. The film opens strong with the band members covered in paint and playing around, but the truly marvellous moments captured are undermined by filler. Much of this footage doesn’t include sound,...
This documentary charting the rise and fall of the only multiracial punk rock band in apartheid-era South Africa will please fans but, lacking scale and access, may leave the rest of us disappointed. Told largely through archive footage shot on Super 8 and audio-only interviews, the film recounts the short life of National Wake. Friends and family of the punk rockers feature, and former member Ivan Kadey narrates most of the film.
Eschewing talking heads for invisible ones, the bright start suggests this gambit might pay off; but soon the recollections become bit of a drone, and who exactly is speaking becomes unclear. The film opens strong with the band members covered in paint and playing around, but the truly marvellous moments captured are undermined by filler. Much of this footage doesn’t include sound,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Sammy Gecsoyler
- The Guardian - Film News
Punk music has always been about individuality. Although skinheads and fascists have periodically tried to co-opt and homogenize the genre over its 50-year history, they have always failed, because the true spirit of punk begins with an original thought, a unique life story, and the poetic philosophies that truth is beauty and that the pomp and artifice of pop music are a distraction from expressing something deeper.
At its core, punk is the people’s rock & roll. Perhaps that’s one reason why the genre appeals more broadly than some...
At its core, punk is the people’s rock & roll. Perhaps that’s one reason why the genre appeals more broadly than some...
- 2/26/2021
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.