NOFX

NOFX: Backstage Passport [DVD]Backstage Passport [DVD] (2009)
Fat Wreck Chords

Reviewer Rating: 4.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: sickboiChris
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Published on March 31st 2009Normally, I'm not the person to review a DVD, of any genre. I'm that annoying consumer that requires a high "replay value" in order to purchase a DVD. My collection includes your standard male selections: seasons of The Simpsons, Family Guy and Chappelle's Show. I also hold in high regard movies lik.

Normally, I'm not the person to review a DVD, of any genre. I'm that annoying consumer that requires a high "replay value" in order to purchase a DVD. My collection includes your standard male selections: seasons of The Simpsons, Family Guy and Chappelle's Show. I also hold in high regard movies like "The Toy" (arguably Richard Pryor's best work), "Goodfellas," "The Big Lebowski," "Menace II Society," "American History X," the original Star Wars Trilogy and a few other selections. That said, my selection of music DVDs is rather limited. "Do You Remember: 15 Years of the Bouncing Souls" is essential, and Bad Religion's "Live at the Palladium" is the textbook example of how to release a concert/documentary DVD. Though I really enjoyed the NOFX series on FUSE, "Backstage Passport," I was tentative about a DVD for it. Well, you know what they say about "assumptions"...

For those unfamiliar with the show, NOFX basically traveled the world, playing unusual spots like Moscow, Israel, China, South Africa and the Philippines, and filmed it all. The episodes are a pleasure to watch again, and again, and again. Moments such as the crew being trapped at the facility in Lima, Peru and sneaking out in a worktruck are priceless. Fat Mike performing outside their hotel acoustically to briefly entertain thousands of fans bummed on a show fucked by a shady promoter is an amazing moment in the band's history. The drunken overnight trainride to Moscow is hilarious. Then, there is the story of the green powder snorted in the Philippines. You're gonna have to just watch that one if you haven't seen it.

However, the best part of the DVD is the separate bonus disc, which includes much, much, more footage from the previously mentioned incidents, and others. I honestly enjoyed it more than the actual episodes, but understand why much of the content wasn't included on the television show. Included is a lot more footage from Peru, more debauchery, much more from the overnight train to Russia, and other leftover footage from the entire excursion. Additionally, a video montage is pieced together for the song "Cool and Unusual Punishment" from the band's last LP, Wolves in Wolves Clothing, filmed at the Japanese S&M club it references.

On the technical side, the edits and compression on the disc are top notch. I viewed it using the upconversion option on my DVD player, which basically attempts to increase the resolution of the disc on a HD television. This only works for some movies, often causing glitches and other annoyances, but "Backstage Passport" played flawlessly. Also, the menus incorporated are awesome; using various band members passports as the selection for various countries.

To end this review on my initial point, "replay value," I see "Backstage Passport" as that DVD that you break out from the shelf whenever friends come over that have never seen it. It's fun, entertaining and crude...just what I expect from any NOFX release. Highly recommended.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

10feettall (December 18, 2011)

this was really good. i enjoyed it

crayZsaaron (August 7, 2009)

Score is for American History X... The only movie I have ever cried at.

fattony (May 16, 2009)

Just finished watching this yesterday afternoon and started again from the beginning with friends last night. Great series, though from poking through the extra footage and seeing all the places they played but didn't show, they could have easily squeezed another 4-6 episodes out of this. As it is, most of the episodes feel kinda rushed.

Also, the "green dragon" stuff happened in Singapore, not the Philippines.

eazyd2 (April 2, 2009)

i like

timahelm (April 2, 2009)

great DVD!!! i really liked it!

bhotep (April 2, 2009)

This is a great DVD set. Literally hours of fun for all the family... well, maybe not ALL the family. The episode on the Russian train with Kent is hilarious, as is Kent through the whole series actually!

They reckon you should never meet your idols (in case you are disappointed because they turn out to be a-holes, but on this showing I wouldn't hesitate to meet them if I had a chance!

chipsahoycookie (April 1, 2009)

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GarrettIrish (April 1, 2009)

I'm really curious to see this now,it sounds interesting at least.

I'm gonna jump the orgcore bandwagon and say I still think "We're Never Going Home" is a great music DVD.

wtfkc (April 1, 2009)

Richard Pryor's best work definitely was not The Toy. You need to see Stir Crazy.

Ravnos (April 1, 2009)

@xote: The review you're thinking of was posted almost a year ago and it was for the series as televised. If there's enough extra shit on the DVD release, it probably warrants a separate review.

S_Banana (April 1, 2009)

I enjoyed it a lot. I think the best thing with Backstage passport is Kent. I'm pretty familiar with the characters in the NOFX family but I didn't know that Kent was so cool! It's really informative as well to see what kinds of problem a road manager has to deal with.

crackpotdemagogue (April 1, 2009)

did anyone else think that nofx's crew seemed like total knuckleheads? that limo guy in particular.. he specifically came across as a violent moron.

xote (April 1, 2009)

Wasn't this reviewed just like a few updates ago?

I just think one was enough for this specificaly... but I guess if people are really that into it...

FuckYouOiOiOi (April 1, 2009)

such a great show. my one problem with the dvd is that they didn't edit out the "coming up on backstage passport" stuff.

great series and bonus features is hilarious.

Sliced-T (April 1, 2009)

Feh. It was kind of weak.

whoostin (April 1, 2009)

Series was cool, but there's a serious lack of live performance footage on this dvd.

ricomedy (March 31, 2009)

Agreed on the Souls 'Do You Remember' DVD - that is one awesome disc that I could watch a million times.

ChadReligion (March 31, 2009)

Saw most of this series, and thought it most entertaining except for the scenes they would replay over and over going to and from commercial. I am thinking to pick this up for the extra footage, but I'm a little perturbed about the censorship which I am surprised they couldn't get a hold of.... that's the only bad point I see.

Score is for Mike finally putting this out.... everytime I would run into him, he would tell me about something else that fuse had fucked up for it, and that eventually it would be on DVD.

consider_the_ravens (March 31, 2009)

i need to get this

telegraphrocks (March 31, 2009)

Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Totally renewed my love for Nofx.

hayman (March 31, 2009)

Good times, loved it. The S&M part was hilarious!

misterspike (March 31, 2009)

You need to add the Minutemen doc We Jam Econo as well as End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones to must-haves.

And yeah, I fuckin' love that Souls' doc.

I'm hesitant on the purchase of this DVD, to be honest. I saw all the episodes (coughcoughyoutubecoughcough), but the extra disc could be worth the value.

Score is for the review.