Lech Kowalski?s 2003 documentary feature about the life and times of Ramones bassist and all-star burnout Dee Dee Ramone (1952-2002) is a fascinating character study of a punk rock legend who never grew up. In 1992, Dee Dee Ramone met with director Lech Kowalski to discuss Johnny Thunders for the film Born to Lose (the last rock and roll movie). The session took on a life of its own as Dee Dee transformed into a punk Lenny Bruce and recounted his most poignant memories of copping drugs, forming bands, losing friends and lovers and getting tattoos. Relive the battlefield history of rock n?roll through the memories of this ordinary yet extraordinary guy from Queens whose songs distilled frustration, humor and pleasure into the energetic melodies that made the Ramones a worldwide influence.

When I filmed Dee Dee Ramone I had no idea what to expect other than wanting to be playful with what I was doing. I took this cue from Dee Dee. It felt to me more like a fashion shoot than a film set. I prepared questions and a film approach. And then I simply concentrated as much as I could on the moment. After we started shooting I realized I was filming a performance. An act. And a journey, not really back in time but in Dee Dee?s mind. He was the road and the map at the same time. Time is so utterly unforgiving and this footage stands the test well. It is not history that interested me with this film, it is what history does to a person, that I find amazing. But it takes courage to live it in the first place. I filmed this scene with Dee Dee in 1992. This is what my camera saw. The objective with the editing style is to simply keep out of the way of what is on celluloid.