All Dolled Up: A New York Dolls Story

If you're a fan of the New York Dolls, and even if you aren't, this film is a gem. For younger people it is a time capsule of how things used to be, when bands played "live" without audio enhancers and without lip syncing and without a bevy of backup dancers. Very often the "liveZ" version of a song did not sound like the recorded version. For older people, the film is like taking a trip down memory lane to a more innocent time. The documentary does a good job of catching the NY Dolls at their best and worst. It captures their energy and their driving sound that made them a memorable band, and it also hints at the excesses that led to their breakup.

My favorite part was when the band left to go to Los Angeles, from Johnny Thunders' wife reminding him to "take his vitamins" to the outrageous get-up that Sylvain wore on the plane. The Dolls were not poseurs, they dressed in real life the same way that they did on stage.

This is a must-see documentary for anyone who cares about the history of rock music.