101, 1989 - Depeche Mode

101, 1989 (Depeche Mode, documentary)
Director: David Dawkins, Chris Hegedus
Cast: Depeche Mode (Martin Gore, David Gahan, Andrew Fletcher, Alan Wilder)



Stage: Kino Šiška, once a theatre, now a culture place for concerts, projections, etc. Can't believe the entrance fee is only 3 EUR.


101 in short: Depeche Mode prepares for the 101st and final concert of its massive world tour at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, while a group of fans who won a contest travel to the concert through the United States on a bus.


Preps: Well, I am a huge fan of Depeche Mode, yet I haven't seen this documentary. I saw the news ad about this event one day prior to the screening. Heck, I need to see it. Every person that claims to be a fan, should see documentaries about the band. Plus, some unseen footage, I expect, and some great music and shots from concerts. Not a brainer, obviously I expect to have fun.



Reality: Hm. You really need to be a fan of this group to like this movie. Not that it is something I didn't predict. But either it has been 50 miles of steps made in advanced direction, as far as the documentaries are concerned, or I have missed something. Without a doubt, it is a documentary, made on an interesting piece. However, it could have been done so much better. I mean, I would love to see a documentary with a real narrator, a flowing story, some facts you cannot hear otherwise. Maybe subtitles would be something really useful, as the camera and the tone is awful and in many cases you cannot hear what they are saying. Plus, the visual images aren't as great as they could have been.
The flow of the story.. well, it's something vague and dissappears in the mist. I believe that as a fan of the group I am more inclined to like this piece and am not really objective. Because I am satisfied, when I see footage from the tour, of the groupies, of their private parties, of the feeling at the concerts, and last but not least, my mind blows away, when I hear the music. Anyhow, this is not an average view, therefore I would expect someone that isn't really a fan, to be asking himself, why in the world is he spending time for shitty footage like this. With all the respect, I would love to hear some stories from the band members, rather than groupies. And yes, I get it, they get wasted, it is all a big party and after a tour, they are practicaly a big family. Still, they auditioned for a movie, not really a home footage of a home party. In this sense, I expected so much more, I cannot find the proper words.
I am not a director, nor a scriptwriter, however, I could come up with many ideas how to make this documentary a live, vivid one, filled with good details and mixed variety of music/stage action/behind the scenes action.
As it is, the movie has low value to all that are not huge fans of the group. Obviously, all the rest, like me, are going to enjoy the music and the feeling. I am dissappointed that the movie seems more dedicated to the groupies and their action rather than group itself. Anyhow, I don't recommend it if you really don't like DM songs. Otherwise, you are going to get adrenalin each time they appear on stage and sing something. Maybe, for the sake of this footage, worth seeing. You will get into the fashion of that time, hair figures, style they wore and amazing earrings. You will taste how it feels like to travel with a music group and survive :)


My personal rating: 3,0 (but from a fan's perspective you could rate it differently. If you are a fan, you namely want to chew every little bit of your honey - which means you can be easily satisfied, as long as you can observe the beloved quartet in action).


101 on IMDB



Preps