A Band Called Death (2013)
91%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 3 nominations
A Band Called Death is not only a fascinating portrait of a pioneering rock group, but also a tribute to family ties and perseverance in the face of hardship.
A Band Called Death is the ultimate underdog story that will make you want to start your own band, even if you have no musical talent. The documentary tells the tale of three brothers who formed a punk band in the 70s, before punk was even a thing. They were ahead of their time, but unfortunately, no one was ready for their music. Fast forward to today, and Death has finally received the recognition they deserve. This film is a must-watch for anyone who loves music, and for those who need a little inspiration to keep chasing their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Production Company(ies)
Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Highlook Communications, Group Rotana Film Production
Distributor
Drafthouse Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2013
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 38m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 12, 2013
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, music, Hackney brothers, demo tape, rock group, family ties, perseverance, Mark Christopher Covino, Jeff Howlett, directed by, Mark Christopher Covino, Jerry Ferrara, Jeff Howlett, Kevin Mann, Scott Mosier, Matthew Perniciaro, produced by, Alice Cooper, Kid Rock, Henry Rollins, Elijah Wood, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Vernon Reid, starring, critic reviews, reviewed by, Fresh Kernels, Tomatometer, audience score, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, Drafthouse Films, English, limited release, streaming, runtime, cast and crew, filmmaker, producer, distributor, genre, documentary, music, biography, original language, release date, theaters, streaming, runtime, distributor, critic consensus, fresh, rotten, featured audience reviews, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV shows, renewed, cancelled, horror movies, TV premiere dates, worst horror movies, verified purchase, Fresh Kernels logo, search movies, TV, actors, more, trending on RT, Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Movies in Order, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Sea Beast, Black Bird, in theaters, streaming movies, TV shows, most popular, Neptune Frost, 18 1/2, H.P Lovecraft’s Witch House, 11th Hour Cleaning, Sh*t Saves the World, Stay Prayed Up, Final Caller, Girl in the Picture, Hello, Goodbye, Everything in Between, Confessions from the Hart, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, Moon, 66 Questions, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, The Road to Galena, Incantation, Dangerous Liaisons, Jewel, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play
Worldwide gross: $127,257
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $161,661
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,965
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 17,629
US/Canada gross: $127,257
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $161,661
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,580
US/Canada opening weekend: $34,839
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $44,258
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,252
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Kid Rock – Self
Henry Rollins – Self
Elijah Wood – Self
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Self
Vernon Reid – Self
Mark Christopher Covino – Director, Producer
Jeff Howlett – Director, Producer
Jerry Ferrara – Producer
Kevin Mann – Producer
Scott Mosier – Producer
Matthew Perniciaro – Producer
Director(s)
Mark Christopher Covino, Jeff Howlett
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Mark Christopher Covino, Jerry Ferrara, Jeff Howlett, Kevin Mann, Scott Mosier, Matthew Perniciaro
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (3)
An especially pointed variation on one of music’s most oft-told tales: A band formed ahead of its time sits in muffled obscurity while others reap the harvest of what it first planted.
August 16, 2013
Geoff Pevere
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Fortunately, Bobby and Dannis, the surviving brothers, prove genial company.
July 12, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Peter Keough
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
If the brothers seem a little drunk on their own myth, they’re also genuinely humbled by the band’s rediscovery and warmed by the fact that their kids have carried on the family tradition.
July 3, 2013
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A Band Called Death shines the light on a previously unexplored corner of musical history and does it in an accessible, straightforward manner.
July 3, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Cary Darling
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
Death never got very far, and their story is a fascinating one, told beautifully by Jeff Howlett and Mark Christopher Covino.
July 1, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sheila O’Malley
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
Their story can feel almost too ready-made for the telling, but it’s well worth a listen.
June 28, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nicolas Rapold
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
This is a great doco for anyone who cares about rock and punk, and a brilliant primer on just how conservative, biased and cautious even the most seemingly rebellious of cultural movements can be.
May 24, 2021
Graeme Tuckett
Stuff.co.nz
There are laughs, tears, and most of all, a success story so unique and interesting that if you tried to pitch it as fiction, no one would believe you.
July 9, 2020 | Rating: A
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See
This is one of the best rockumentary documentaries you will ever see.
November 26, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens
More than a rock-doc, though it sure does rock.
April 12, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
A great untold story.
August 14, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
Mae Abdulbaki
Punch Drunk Critics
Death lives!
February 4, 2014
Jonathan Kiefer
SF Weekly…
Plot
A Band Called Death is a documentary about the Hackney brothers and their pioneering rock group, Death, and how the discovery of their long-lost demo tape led to their newfound popularity.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Alice Cooper, Kid Rock, Henry Rollins, Elijah Wood, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, and Vernon Reid.
Mark-Christopher-Covino.jpg
