The Ramones 'End of the Century' album

On March 15th, Magnolia Pictures and Rhino Home Video will release END OF THE CENTURY: THE STORY OF THE RAMONES on DVD, a portrait of the seminal New York punk rock band.

Considered by many the gods of rock 'n' roll's fundamentalist fringe, the Ramones are a band whose influence reaches over several generations of musicians and fans alike. END OF THE CENTURY is both a celebration of their music and a mesmerizing document of the group's road to near success, pitted with emotional power struggles and substance abuse. The film debuted in New York on Friday August 20th, 2004 followed by a national rollout in theaters around the country.

New York City was caught off guard in 1974 by the angry scream of punk. Raw and unrestrained, it was a sharp contrast to the banality of soft rock and disco. At the forefront of the scene were the Ramones, headed by Joey; who was often accused of geekiness but later on went on to redeem countless others from that agony, troubled bassist Dee Dee; burdened by the weight of his own genius, guitarist and master drill sergeant Johnny; and drummer Tommy (who was followed by a parade of other drummers, including Marky and Richie Ramone). Looking like extras from THE WILD ONES with their black leather jackets, bowl haircuts and Converse sneakers, they ripped through three-chord songs about sniffing glue, the neighborhood, teenage sex and angst. They were a gang of misfits from Forest Hills, Queens, united in the belief in salvation and deliverance through the power of rock 'n' roll.

It was a rocky road for the pseudo-brothers: the success that always seemed around the corner continually faded in the distance, as British bands they inspired were crowned the “originators of punk” by the mainstream music press. The film's title refers to their 1980 album of the same name, produced by the infamous, gun-toting, hit song guru Phil Spector, an endeavor that strained the already tenuous relation between band members. Poor record sales turned dreams of rock glory into gigging as a means of employment. All the frustration they felt against an industry that gave up on them and abandoned their cause divided them further as they seemingly turned their anger against each other.

New York-based filmmakers Michael Gramaglia and Jim Fields share a life-long love of punk music and their passion is evident in this candid portrait of a band torn by internal struggles and consequences of the lifestyle. END OF THE CENTURY moves from the band's CBGB and London heydays, the decade-long silence between Joey and Johnny caused by a dispute over a girl, through to the deaths of Joey and Dee Dee Ramone and their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2002. Together with unseen live and studio footage, extensive interviews with ex-band mates, family, friends and figures from New York City's punk scene, END OF THE CENTURY not only documents an important chapter in music history, but also chronicles the bonds of childhood friendship and their gradual breakdown.

“AN ABSORBING DOCUMENTARY. The seminal punk band’s history is traced in exhaustive detail. The claim that the Ramones saved rock and roll may finally not be far off the mark.” - Stephen Holden, NY Times

“A TRUE FAN’S NIRVANA.” - Megan Lehmann, NY Post

"VOLCANIC! PROVOCATIVE! MARVELOUSLY PROPULSIVE! EXHILARATING! The filmmakers have achieved something singularly rich.” - Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York

“How good is this film? We guarantee you won’t be able to control your fingers or your toes.” - Time Out New York

“AMAZING! A seismic snapshot of the early days of punk.” - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

“Fans of punk are well-advised not to miss this.” - New York Magazine

“A thorough, moving, long-awaited documentary with miraculous archival clips.” - Robert Christgau, Village Voice

“For the unfortunates who aren’t already in love with the Ramones, this film should give them a better understanding of what they’ve been missing, and leave them wondering why they’ve missed out on it for so long.” - Keith Phipps, The Onion

“The film clarifies the band’s place in history - the Ramones saved rock ‘n roll.” - Warren Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

“HEY, HO, LET’S GO SEE IT AGAIN! FASCINATING! Best of all, the filmmakers don’t shortchange the Ramones’ music or cultural significance.” - Kimberly Chun. SF Bay Guardian

“The movie reveals and revels in those brilliant, backbreakingly fast anthems and adds some astonishing audio and video.” - Robert Wilonsky, SF Weekly

“ESSENTIAL AND REVELATORY.” - Ty Burr, Boston Globe

“HEY HO, LET”S GO SEE THE RAMONES MOVIE. The definitive doc about the prototypical punk band.” - Paul Sherman, Boston Herald

“Paces the emotional blows with the nonstop intensity of a Ramones concert.” - Falling James, LA Weekly

“THIS IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO HAVING SEEN THEM LIVE! The filmmakers do a terrific, entertaining jog with this incredible tale.” Bill Holdship, LA City Beat

“RAMONES FANS AND MUSIC FANS ALIKE MUST SEE THIS ONE. A fine, heartfelt testament to the group.” - Aaron M. Fontana, Entertainment Today

“THE RAMONES FINALLY GET THEIR DUE IN ‘END OF THE CENTURY’. Emotional and engaging, it lets us marvel at how much personal chaos and global influence a few guys from Queens could create.” - Kenneth Turan, LA Times

“FANS COULDN’T FIND A MORE APPROPRIATE TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY THAN THIS FILM.” - Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

“It captures the band in all its paradoxical glory.” - Mark Jenkins, Washington City Paper

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The Ramones - End of the Century