Personality Crisis: One Night Only

OK, I really enjoyed this film. It was definitely different than what I had expected it to be; rather than just being a straightforward, linear biography, the format here has David Johansen performing on his birthday before a crowd of friends in a small, swanky New York lounge with a great backup band, all while recounting stories from his varied musical career in between numbers.

I've been a fan of The New York Dolls since the 70s. I admit that I did not follow David Johansen's solo career, as I was way too deeply immersed in punk rock at the time to appreciate him as Buster Poindexter and his hit song, "Hot, Hot, Hot." But one thing for sure, David has always been the epitome of New York cool.

This movie may not be for everyone, but then again, the New York Dolls were never for the general public, either.

As "Personality Crisis: One Night Only" (2022 release; 127 min) opens, ex-New York Dolls lead singer David Johansen is getting ready to hit the stage at the Cafe Carlyle in NYC, in January of 2020 (yup, only weeks before COVID hit New York, and hard). After the first song, we then go back in time to some clips featuring the New York Dolls back in the day. At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from frequent collaborators Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi. Here they get unfettered access to Johansen's one night only performance at the Carlyle. This is NOT a bio-doc but instead a performance film which goes back and forth between the live performance footage of 2020, and the archival footage of the 70s and 80s (mostly). Watch Johansen tell the tale of getting arrested in Memphis in 1973, "for dressing like Lisa Minelli". It's priceless, frankly.

"Personality Crisis: One Night Only" was shown on multiple film festivals last year, and finally started streaming on Showtime in April. I just now caught up with it. Better late than never, I suppose. If you are in the mood for a great performance documentary featuring one of rock's truly originals, I'd readily suggest you check it out and draw your own conclusion.

This film only confirmed feelings about Johansen I've had for decades. He's a cultural phenomenon and vocalist-not a singer-couldn't carry a tune in a Dolls handbag. Don't get me wrong. I like Dylan. I like Beefheart. I like plenty of vocalists. Might even prefer them to singers. But Johansen was smart to go Poindexter and get into films where his over the top persona could play to his strengths as a vaudevillian.

The movie itself should've given more (any?) screen time to Iggy, surviving regulars at Max's KC, John Cale, the Dolls-influenced such as Debbie Harry (shown in the Carlyle crowd), John Lydon, Mike Ness, Billie Joe Armstrong anyone but the insufferable Morrissey (ancient footage, at that).

Having Johansen's daughter handle the offscreen interviews is a tad soft. Scorcese seemingly phoned this one in or Covid put it on a ventilator.

Unless your a fan of Johansen's "singing." Lot's soft easy listening performances from a guy lionized as a punk rock pioneer.

Check out the doc/bio of Arthur Kane for some engrossing viewing.