Burning
Down The House: The Story of CBGB
TO ROCK THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
Plain
Jane Productions’ feature documentary details the
history of the Home of Underground Rock, and it’s
founder Hilly Krystal.
Los
Angeles, CA March 6, 2009 – Plain Jane Productions
will screen the much-anticipated CBGB at the Tribeca Film
Festival in New York on April 24th, 2009. The film documents
the rise and fall of the legendary and infamous rock club
that made it’s home in a seedy strip of neighborhood
in New York’s Lower East Side “The Bowery.”
From its first rock show in 1973 until it closed the doors
over a rent dispute in 2006. “The film is an emotional
journey…” says director Mandy Stein.
The
film combines archival footage and photographs with contemporary
interviews to re-construct the rich history of the club
and its evolution as one of the premiere venues in the world
of rock. Pioneers like Television, The Ramones, Blondie
and Talking Heads, and Patti Smith comprised a fledging
scene that would later give rise to the music phenomena
know as ‘punk’ and ‘new wave’ making
CB’s home sweet home for next generation The Police,
Guns-n-Roses and Beastie Boys, to name only a few.
These
iconic performances are punctuated with poignant scenes
of an ailing Hilly (who died in 2007) and a team of dedicated
staff members advocates fighting to keep CB’s alive.
By 2001 Hilly had accumulated $300,000 in back rent and
was facing eviction. He managed to catch up with the bulk
of his debt only to be confronted with continued rent increases
as multi-million dollar condos transformed the Bowery.
Director's Statement
From
an early age Mandy Stein had a strong connection with CBGB.
Her mother, Linda Stein, managed The Ramones and Mandy was
at her heels for sound checks from the age of three. Her
father, Seymour Stein, went to CB’s to sign the likes
of Talking Heads, The Ramones, and Dead Boys to his label
Sire Records. When Mandy heard the club was in a precarious
situation she jumped on a plane from Los Angeles and went
back to her roots.
Filmmaker’s
Bio
Mandy Stein is both a producer and director. After graduating
Occidental College with degrees in Art History and Visual
Arts, she was associate producer on the 1999 Devil's
Playground, an HBO/Channel 4 Films documentary about
Amish youth. Other producer credits include: Crossover,
an IFC Films documentary on musicians who transition to
acting; Slasher, John Landis' documentary on a
used car salesman (for which Stein also supervised music);
and What Remains, a documentary on acclaimed photographer
Sally Mann that premiered at Sundance and will air on HBO
and the BBC.
Her
directorial debut You See Me Laughin', aired on
IFC and stories the “hill-country bluesmen”
keeping music pure in juke joints along the Mississippi.
She was at Tribeca in 2006 with Too Tough To Die: A
Tribute To Johnny Ramone which was picked up by both
Starz and King. Stein’s current projects include a
documentary on legendary hardcore band The Bad Brains, as
well as a documentary on “Crazy Eddie” Antar.
