Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12006 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2008-07-08
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Explicit Lyrics, HiFi Sound, Surround Sound, THX, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 120 minutes

Album Description
As the frontman of The Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In acclaimed filmmaker Julien Temple's 'The Future Is Unwritten', Joe Strummer is revealed not just as a legend or a musician, but as a true communicator of our times. Drawing on both a shared punk history and the close personal friendship that developed during the last years of Joe Strummer's life, Julien Temple's film is a celebration of Joe Strummer--before, during, and after The Clash.

Amazon.com
Julien Temple, one of the early documentarians of the London punk scene and director of the 2000 Sex Pistols film The Filth and the Fury, turns his attention now to that other seminal British band: The Clash--or more accurately, to the band's co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer, Joe Strummer. The Future is Unwritten is more than just a biography of Strummer; it is a tribute and exploration of a musician, artist and devoted humanist. Though Temple respects and admires Strummer (his influence is exalted by close friends, peers and fans like Bono and John Cusack), he doesn't romanticize this larger-than-life personality and presents Strummer honestly and not always in flattering light, though the director's fondness for his subject is constant. Most movingly, Strummer himself provides the narration via reassembled excerpts from a variety of interviews and the BBC radio show he hosted during the nineties. In the wrong hands, this could be contrived, but in this masterful documentary it serves as a testament to not just Joe Strummer the myth, but Joe Strummer the man, telling us his story in vivid detail. The Future is Unwritten is a moving and personal portrait of a musician who helped shaped not just punk, but modern music as a whole. --Kira Canny

Customer Reviews

Amazing movie about a rock legend
There have been several movies made about Joe Strummer but Julien Temple's is unique in its personal touch. Temple was a friend of Strummer's for many years and so had insight into the man behind the music that many people did not have. The movie consists of Joe's life story as told by many friends, acquaintances, fellow artists and others who knew him or were influenced by him over the years. Amazing music, very well put-together, and just a great story about a man who was a huge influence on rock & roll and politics during his time on this earth. Joe was taken from the world too early when he died unexpectedly in December 2002 and after watching this movie one can only wonder what more he would have accomplished. The opening scene of Joe singing "White Riot" a capella in the studio is complemented by the closing scene of Joe and Mick Jones reuniting on stage 20+ years later to perform the same song...even though they were old (and Mick a little bald!) they still ROCKED. If you like the Clash, you must see this movie!!

the Joe documentary we've been waiting for
Amazing that it's been almost 6 years since his death. We all have our memories of Joe, and that collective, communal spirit is a major point in Julien Temple's documentary. You'll see dozens of folks interspersed throughout the piece, each giving remembrances around campfires. Interestingly, no one is identified via subtitle on screen, so you'll see everyone from Zander Schloss to Johnny Depp if you pay attention (doubtlessly part of the 1-world, human feeling the movie goes to great lengths to portray, from the best of us to the least of us we are all in this together.) The haunting quality of Joe's voice doing the primary voice-over narration for the entirety of the film is palpable. And fortunately Temple has unearthed scads of rare, quality footage including home movies, TV interviews, and even reel-to-reel from Joe's squatting days, which means we're not dealing with the same warmed-over Westway footage for the umpteenth time. The whole film is tremendously rich, crackling with energy & vitality, but also comfortable. This is the remembrance we've wanted (needed?) since the night he left, and for me it erases the bad taste of a dozen soulless cash-in "documentaries" that have been forced upon us over the intervening years. It's a fitting coda to Joe's life: not maudlin, not excessively mournful, not ridiculously celebratory. Just a bunch of folks sitting around relating what he meant to them, replete with ample historical context, with the man himself emceeing the procession. Joe meant a lot to a lot of people, he deserves this fitting (and very human) tribute.

The Future Is Unwritten - A Peek Into The Life And Music of Joe Strummer
The Future Is Unwritten is easily one of the best music documentaries and bio-pictures I have seen over the past year. In fact, this might be one of the best such productions ever made. I only hesitate to make that claim because, being rather detail oriented, I want to research more of the information included as well as see this film a few more times before putting it on that kind of pedestal. Still, this film humanizes Joe and his work in a way that is both respectful and honest. It gives us a valid picture of who Joe was, and yet somehow manages to not fall into the hole of idol-worship that most music documentaries succumb to. On all counts, those are significant accomplishments indeed.

Like most musician bio-pictures, this one is comprised in large part of interviews and commentaries about Joe and by Joe. We get to see clips of him speaking and reflecting in his own words on the success of The Clash as well as the ups and downs he experienced since the group broke up, both in and out of music. You can't help but feel a certain closeness to Joe's life that was not easily obtained from the books and movies that were made before this one. And you can't help but feel happy for Joe that he was able to get back out of the shadows and start performing live again after all those years. After all, if it weren't for Joe bands like Green Day probably would have never existed if not for him and The Clash.

One key difference however, is that some of the stylized narration that is normal for such features has been intelligently pared down to a minimum. They also seem to have done an excellent job in choosing great clips and editing them in such a way that even the random thoughts and opinions of the many interviewees flow extremely well. So not only is this watchable, but you are bound to gain at least some small insight you didn't have before watching. And that applies to the general music fan just as much as it does to the hardcore fan of Joe and his work.

Definitely give this documentary top billing and rent it or buy it soon. This is a work of story telling that any music lover can appreciate.

Enjoy.