User Reviews

I saw this film at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. I'm kinda of 50/50 on this one. And I'm a big fan of Dee Dee's. But I can't help but think Lech dug this up after Dee Dee's death just to capitalize on it. There are great moments in the film that certainly were what Lech was looking for when he shot this for his Johnny Thunders movie. But since he rarely let's Dee Dee talk about anything else other than Thunders you can't help but think what this film could've been had the true intentions when it was shot been to let Dee Dee tell the tales (although they were often embellished) about his life. Every so often in the film, Dee Dee brings up something about his childhood or the Ramones but he quickly gets back to what he's there to talk about. Johnny Thunders. You can literally see Dee Dee reminding himself, "Oh, yeah. I'm hear to talk about Thunders. Never mind that last story I was about to tell.") Anyway, it's better than nothing. But, like I said, it leaves you with a bummer as to what might have been...

For someone who is so enamored of punk rock, Lech Kowalski sure didn't care about p***ing off the punk community when he made "Hey, is Dee Dee Home?" His portrait of Dee Dee Ramone is only worth seeing because Dee Dee is worth seeing. And hearing. Unfortunately, Kowalski was apparently less interested in what Dee Dee had to say and more interested in trying to make him look like some kind of name-dropping junkie moron. Thank god he failed. Dee Dee came off as sweet, charming, intelligent and self-effacing. So much so that it makes one wonder what kind of manipulation Kowalski performed to get him to submit to such interrogation, which was performed in the requisite bare surroundings under bright lights.

Dee Dee, who was clearly sober during the interview, talked at length about his almost life-long struggle with heroin addiction. It seemed especially difficult for him to talk about Johnny Thunders, Gerry Nolan and his girlfriend Connie, all of whom died as a result of their drug problems. But he did talk about it, probably to please Kowalski who is clearly obsessed with Johnny Thunders. Dee Dee also talked about being alive. He sounded hopeful for himself. He sounded content. He said he had been clean for six months.

It was at this point that Kowalski decided to end the film with a written epilogue that Dee Dee died from a heroin overdose. It was disrespectful to turn this film into some kind of anti-drug advertisement. All of us who went to see the film thought it was really inappropriate.

Shame on you Lech Kowalski.

Dee Dee we love you!

The Ramones' legendary bassist is interviewed and filmed mostly in '92. Stories deal with his drug buddies Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan, Richard Hell, 'who wrote Chinese Rocks?' and why Johnny Ramone didnt want it as a Ramones song, gettin' beat up by Debbie Harry (horse shoe in a handbag, haha), selling Joey Ramone's TV for dope, tattoos, heroine, cats, NYC cops, rehab, recording with Stiv Bators in Paris in '88 etc. All pretty sad (but fascinating) since Dee Dee talks as a 'survivor' but was stupid enough to die of an overdose June 5th last year.

At 64 mins its too long and only for diehard fans of 70s NYC glam/punk scene. You might wanna read "Please Kill Me" before watchin' this namedroppin' fest. Incl. neat but way too short footage of the glorious Heartbreakers.

6/10

Some people who have done reviews of this are mistaken, this footage was shot in 92', almost 10 years before DeeDee's death. Lech Kowalski filmed this interview while making his Thunders movie (a rare gem to find on bootleg) so most of the interview revolves around Thunders.. no surprise since it was for a Thunders movie. It's no secret that rock stars have more appeal to the public after their death, sadly.. so that would have been a perfect time to release this footage. In my opinion, this is great addition to my collection of Ramones footage, interviews, etc.. I'm a die hard Thunders and Ramones fan, so I really enjoyed this. (Even though most of what DeeDee talks about, you can read in Please Kill Me) It's got a nice little clip of the Heartbreakers doing Chinese Rocks, another rare find. I think I paid 10 bucks for this, and it was totally worth it. Now if I can just get my hands on all that Thunders footage *rubs hands together*

The film takes its title from a line from the song Chinese Rocks written by Dee Dee Ramone. Originally rejected by Johnny Ramone due to its blatant drug content, Dee Dee then passed it on to the Heartbreakers who recorded a rollicking version of it; only later did the Ramones do their own (somewhat halfhearted) take on it.

Much of the footage in this film was taken from a Johnny Thunders documentary shot by Lech Kowalski shortly after Thunder's death. Which explains its focus on the rivalry between the two musicians. However I actually prefer this movie over Born To Lose.

Colorful anecdotes abound and Dee Dee, while from time to time saying that maybe he shouldn't be completely honest, still comes off as a fairly reliable narrator. He mentions a telling interaction between himself and Thunders in which the Heartbreakers guitarist instructs him to go out and get some heroin for him. Dee Dee asks why he should do so and Thunders responds "so you can have the privilege of being around a big rock star like me". Dee Dee says that at least in his own mind he was on par with if not above the spectacular but difficult Dolls/Heartbreaker's guitarist.

The cinematography of this film is excellent. looks easy enough with almost only "interview" pictures, but brings Dee Dee´s story to life by juxtaposing the beta shots, with clean sound, with some excellent hand held "shaky" shots, accompanied with only camera microphones. great film.

This was a great documentary although for some reason it took a minute for me to settle into it. By the end, I was left wanting more. Some quality stories from Dee Dee and he tells them with humour and pain the same time. I think I'll end up watching this again but for anyone looking for another 'End of the Century', it isn't that. The stories are a lot darker.

Caught the 'interview' cum documentary "Hey! is Dee Dee home?" the other night and was sorely disappointed.

Shot on Beta SP, this docu's only merit is that it depicts Dee Dee Ramone's final interview a few years before his death (by drug overdose). At the time of the interview Dee Dee was happily 'clean & sober' but due to his extensive drug use he doesn't make a very reliable story teller.

A few of his anecdotes were amusing just because it was obvious that what he was telling was more paranoid flashback than a truthful recounting of past events in his life. He also tended to end stories abruptly by refusing to 'go there' so to speak.

Ramones-lovers will be sorely disappointed as the interview focuses primarily on Dee Dee's relationship with punker Johnny Thunders and their creation of one particular drug song.

Wait for the video on this one - rental only for diehard DD fans and drug users wanting to get a glimpse of one possible future (death after rehab)!

Final note: Besides being a heroin-user and punk guitarist, Dee Dee Ramone was an engaging 'New York' personality. Sadly, he just couldn't remember enough to make him worth listening to for an hour (and 3 minutes), IMHO.

Caught the 'interview' cum documentary "Hey! is Dee Dee home?" the other night and was sorely disappointed.

Shot on Beta SP, this docu's only merit is that it depicts Dee Dee Ramone's final interview a few years before his death (by drug overdose). At the time of the interview Dee Dee was happily 'clean & sober' but due to his extensive drug use he doesn't make a very reliable story teller.

A few of his anecdotes were amusing just because it was obvious that what he was telling was more paranoid flashback than a truthful recounting of past events in his life. He also tended to end stories abruptly by refusing to 'go there' so to speak.

Ramones-lovers will be sorely disappointed as the interview focuses primarily on Dee Dee's relationship with punker Johnny Thunders and their creation of one particular drug song (Kowalski's Johnny Thunders docu "Born to Lose: The Last Rock 'N' Roll Movie" also covers this area).

Wait for the video on this one - rental only for diehard DD fans and drug users wanting to get a glimpse of one possible future (death after rehab)!

Final note: Besides being a heroin-user and punk guitarist, Dee Dee Ramone was an engaging 'New York' personality. Sadly, he just couldn't remember enough to make him worth listening to for an hour (and 3 minutes), IMHO.