Customer Reviews

Waking Up Dead

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Waking Up Dead is not exactly what I was expecting. Based on the reviews I'd read prior to the film's release in theaters, I thought this would be a wild ride with an out-of-control junkie b-level rocker desperate for success. Instead, it's pretty tame. Varone clearly has (had) a cocaine problem, but he wasn't the crazed drug addict I expected. So in that regard, this documentary wasn't as wild as I thought it might be.

On the other hand, I was impressed by how honest Varone was about his finances (or lack thereof). At one point, the camera zooms in on the computer screen to show his bank account of $1.57. It is amazing that a musician can sell as many records as Varone has and have so little. The evil recording industry takes another victim...right?

That's certainly what Varone thinks. He blames his every problem on the industry. Sure he should have more in his pocket after all these years, but shouldn't at least some of the blame fall on Varone himself? Let's face it: he would have more money if he hadn't spent $1000 a week on coke. But the industry was to blame there, too...right?

Not once in this entire film does he take any responsibility for his actions. He says people were always around, offering drugs & alcohol & anything he wanted, and now he's broke & hooked on drugs. He had plenty of enablers around him, and that's gotta be tough, but at the end of the day, he did what he did to himself.

I met Phil Varone after a show in Baltimore a few years ago. He was really friendly, cracked some jokes, signed my CD & let me get a photo with him. I left that show thinking he was a cool guy. After 90 minutes of hearing him refer to women as b*#ches over & over and how everyone on the planet has wronged him, I feel bad for the guy & I liked him a little less. Bitter is probably the best word to describe him. Hopefully the guy is on a better path now.

One of the grittiest and hardest hitting films I have ever seen about rock & roll. It is a reminder that fame and fortune doesn't come easy and often there is collateral damage to family and friends. The movie was riveting from start to finish. Warning: This film is extremely graphic and disturbing, no one under 17 should be able to see this. 5 stars!

This movie should be required viewing for all aspiring rock stars! (you know who you are) Although at times difficult to watch, it provides a glimpse into the sex, drugs and rock 'n roll life that we all fantasize about living. WUD squelches that fantasy by revealing the harsh, often unpleasant, consequences of life in the *very* fast lane. Whether you're just a curious voyeur, or a lover of great films, this is a MUST see!

Yeah, it's reality. But I'm sort of a documentary junky and this one was just depressing. I feel sorry for the guy and his family. Yes, I'm a drummer (though no fan of Varone's) and used to have "the dream", but there's really not a lot to say positive about this video. I own it now, but I doubt I'd watch it again. Ever. <shrug>

I was waiting for this to come out. I was impressed. Skid Row ns Saigon Kick are my 2 favoite bands so I was clearly interested in what happened in Phil Varone's life. They did a really good job of showing the whole story. Any fan of music in general would love this film. I like how they put Matt Kramer's music in it too. Totally worth buying. I wonder if Fabio Jafet has any more movies like this or will make more.

I really liked the "pull no punches" attitude Phil has about everything, it's probably why he managed to pull himself out of the troubles he was going through. I would recommend this for any upstart musician who is thinking about becoming a "rock star". Not that Phil's case represents all of us that may have had those types of dreams but it's nice to see the hard facts of life sometimes and hopefully his problems will help a few along the way

after watching the film it really brought the demons to the surface and in your face. knowing phil and hear the story(the real story). it opens your eyes to the reallity of the business. they did a great job of capturing that.

chilling! crazy how drugs can take control of someone
great story
a must see for all aspiring musicians on how what NOT to do

I was a little worried this movie would glamorize drug addiction, and be somewhat pretentious, but it was just the opposite. The footage was raw, Phil is incredibly open, honest, and true. No holds barred. Really good stuff. Sad and inspiring at the same time.

As a thirty-something rocker wannabe who never mustered up the nuts to follow his rock and roll dream, I feel somewhat vindicated after watching this movie. The fact that you can sell a million records, tour the world several times over, and basically make no money doing it is just mind-boggling. I guess the megastars like the Bon Jovi's and the Def Leppard's are the only ones who make the real money.

That being said, the drug-induced downfall of Phil Varone was very sad to watch. He's just an average guy that everyone can relate to, but he became so jaded by the business side of music that he went after an escape into drugs and ultimately found addiction and pain instead. As a drummer for hire picked up by Skid Row, he got to live out his dream by touring for 4 years but made very little money doing it and spent whatever he had on cocaine. All the while his wife and two children are at home wondering what he is doing. Very sad indeed.

Even the groupies and the sex part of it is portrayed to be empty and unsatisfying, leading to the question of why it is even worth it to go into music in the first place. Which is ultimately Varone's point, as he tells you at the end to get an education and do something else and that anyone who takes that advice will thank him later.

What about the passion for the music itself and the love of the craft of drumming? Although Varone started out with that as the main focus, the joy of it quickly got squelched by the business side of music and seemingly never returned. Then it became all about escaping into drugs and sex.

Again, a very depressing film about one man's journey. Hopefully not all rocker stories are this depressing, and maybe someday we'll get a chance to see another take of somebody else in a different light.