Waking Up Dead (2004)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Documentary: B
Phil
Varone is a drummer who thought he was on his way when he joined the band
Saigon Kick. Love Is On The Way was a big hit for the band in 1992, but they
would be a one hit wonder and Varone would crash and burn more than once. He even became a member of Skid Row, but he
was broke, had nothing to show for all his hard work and became addicted to
drugs. Fabio Jafet’s Waking Up Dead (2004) is a surprisingly
good documentary on how Varone lived the Rock lifestyle, still alive and well
despite Hip Hop, and the toll it took on his marriage and life.
Saigon
Kick’s record label was a division of Warner Music that handling a new
sub-label founded by actor/producer Michael Douglas, who was a big man at Time
Warner with hits and series films (like Falling
Down) when the film and record companies were at the same company. With all of his respectable commercial and
critical success, why not a record label?
Well, the label did not work out either, which is brushed upon during
the intriguing 90 minutes here.
We see
plenty of stock footage and other interesting items as Jafet is surprisingly
thorough and detailed in a short time period about Varone’s life and makes this
as much an expose of the music business today (including labels in a tailspin,
not knowing how to find new talent, let alone support and develop them) as well
as Varone’s own troubles. These are
troubles he would have had, even if the band and label were still around in
full swing, non-stop since their debut.
However, it was worse for him as the band imploded and things in the
industry are even worse now, which if you know that, makes this all the more
ironic.
The 1.33
X 1 image is nicely edited by Jafet and despite the various quality of the
footage used, flows well. The Dolby
Digital 5.1 mix spreads out the various audio quality, which ranges from mono
and badly recorded location taping to simple stereo. Extras include extended interview, extended
“drug zone” footage of Varone watching TV under the influence, rehearsal
footage, extended EPK, two drum sessions and an alternate opening to the
documentary.
- Nicholas Sheffo
