Search - Music Box Biographical Collection: The Sex Pistols on DVD

Craig S. (InnerMacro) from WAUSAU, WI
Reviewed on 7/7/2022...

This Music Box documentary bills itself as an "unauthorized documentary" - but this means they didn't pay any royalties to use actual Sex Pistols music. The "exclusive interviews" are not with the band, but with relatively unknown figures in the music industry. The "rare archival" photos are played over top of the interviews to make them seem exciting, but they are on repeat and the same images are recycled throughout. The synth music that is played over the audio is not the Pistols, and it can make the interviewees hard to understand at times. It reminded me of being in a club while some band plays and trying to focus on a conversation with someone in a booth. Overall, a pretty bad combination for a documentary. I will say that some of the commentary provided about the impact of the band is relatively well-argued and defended, which is at least food for thought about the Pistols, punk in general, and the socio-political ramifications of what McLaren and the Pistols accomplished in a very short time. If you are a completist, you could toss this into your collection, but I wouldn't recommend it if this is your first exposure to the band.

Waste of money

Bernard Mcmahon | Gold Coast, Australia | 09/05/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!! It contains NO Sex Pistols music only pathetic synth elevator music. it has an old music journalist who obviously doesn't like the Sex Pistols & belittles their music & place in music history. It also has interviews with 2 fans who were too young to even see them play live - they say interesting things but nothing new or essential. The Sex Pistols footage that plays (without the sound!) can be seen on the DVDs that you MUST buy -Filth & The Fury, Never Mind the Bollocks (Classic Albums) & Great Rocknroll Swindle. Ignore this atrocious overpriced cringe-inducing waste of time."

A complete waste of time

Chris Bojanower | West Haven, UT | 10/28/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Don't buy, rent or even steal this DVD. It's a terrible waste of time and money. No Sex Pistols music, interviews or even new footage. Get the Great Rock and Roll Swindle or the Filth and the Fury instead"

One star is actually too kind

Jim Beam | Wayward, Connecticut | 11/02/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The graphic design of the cover is several million times more professional than what's on the DVD, which really is just two British guys with no real connection to the Sex Pistols telling you random anecdotes about the sex pistols. Seems like just a cynical attempt to get fans to buy or rent the DVD- they needed to stuff something in the case and this is what they came up with. Looks like they shot it in the morning, edited it at lunchtime, and shipped it in time for an early afternoon nap. Sid Vicious could have done better work in a heroin-induced haze. I made it about five minutes before nausea made me stop and stare at the wall (the white paint was more interesting)."