I admit I didnt know too much about The Pogues or Shane other than the fairytale of New York song. I found this a really interesting look at someone who likes to do things his way and a true Irish singer songwriter. I may now be converted to listen to more of their music.
Of course I had to watch this again after the recent death of this punk rock, London-Irish, songwriting legend. Parts of it were painful. To see how much MacGowan’s health had declined a few years before his death was surely a warning against excess. However Julien Temple (who also directed a similarly energetic doc on the Sex Pistols) tells MacGowan’s crazy story in such a fascinating, exhilarating manner, allowing the man to speak for himself on all his musical and life influences; from Irish history to punk rock. Archive footage and animation are combined to dazzling effect and we are left in no doubt that Macgowan was a unique, imaginative artist; an articulate intellectual who defied his legacy as a mere drunkard. Just be glad this film comes with subtitles! Do yourself a favour and listen to some Pogues albums.