Recalling a 'punk-rock warlord'

As front man for the Clash, Joe Strummer was one of the most compelling and charismatic figures in rock.

The Clash sprang from London's punk scene in the mid-'70s, but the band's monumental legacy stems from the way it transcended those origins, spurning nihilism for idealism and embracing a broad array of musical styles. And Strummer, the self-styled "punk-rock warlord," was the driving force behind it all.

Julien Temple's The Future Is Unwritten is a moving portrait of the man born John Graham Mellor, who died at 50 in 2002 of an undetected heart defect. The film has plenty of archival footage, including home movies from childhood, and Strummer himself is a presence mainly in voice-over narration taken from his BBC radio show.

Mostly, however, the film is built on reminiscences and commentary from dozens of family members, band mates, business associates and fellow artists. They include Strummer's wife, Lucinda; Clash members Mick Jones and Topper Headon (but, curiously, not Paul Simonon); U2's Bono; country-rocker Joe Ely; actors Steve Buscemi and Johnny Depp; and director Martin Scorsese.

Most of the interviews take place at various bonfire sites, reflecting the love Strummer came to have for this form of outdoor bonding. One annoyance - the speakers are not identified, and even the biggest Clash fan might have trouble figuring out who some of them are. (This is rectified in the interviews in the extras.)

The film doesn't gloss over Strummer's faults, but it's an ultimately inspiring portrait of a man who found great success while sticking to his principles, lost his way a bit, but then seemed to have regained his artistic footing.

One of the most poignant scenes, also seen in the excellent 2006 documentary Let's Rock Again, shows Strummer on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, in the year before his death, handing out flyers and urging passers-by to come to his show that night with his new band, the Mescaleros. That he remained such a down-to-earth guy, one who was not bitter or content to rest on his laurels, but to keep pushing ahead, makes his loss all the more tragic.

*

The Future Is Unwritten contains footage of the Clash in performance, but for an undiluted blast of the band in action, check out The Clash Live: Revolution Rock. The DVD contains 22 clips of the band from 1977 to 1983, with minimal narration (which can be skipped), and it shows the Clash in all its incendiary glory.

Contact staff writer Nick Cristiano at 215-854-4641 or ncristiano@phillynews.com.

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten

Sony Legacy, 1 disc, $19.98.

Extras: *** 100 minutes of interviews with those featured in the film.

The Clash Live:

Revolution Rock

Sony Legacy, 1 disc, $14.98.

Extras: *** Two TV interviews with the band, one from the Tomorrow show with Tom Snyder and one on local New York TV.