BRUCE DICKINSON
Scream For Me Sarajevo
Eagle Vision
From 1992 – 1995 there was a major conflict going on in the world. In fact it was the first case of genocide in Europe since World War II. I am of course talking about the Bosnian War. This battle was part of the breakup of Yugoslavia. As in all combat areas there was bloodshed and unnecessary slaughter of innocent men, women and children. However, as always in warfare, there is a glimmer of hope no matter how small. This sparkle or should I say savior of hope was looked upon to Bruce Dickinson, the former lead singer of IRON MAIDEN at the time.
This documentary takes place in 1994 and is told through the survivors who fought to stay alive and also keep an inner peace to themselves. The first part of this film shows clips and pictures of what was going on and besiege the city of Sarajevo endured. At times the images can be violent and disturbing, but they truly show that this was serious and horrendous.
The second act of this documentary brings us to how Bruce Dickinson came into this violent situation. A United Nations Commander contacted Bruce to see if he would like to put on a show for the town of Sarajevo. Being a true humanitarian, Bruce accepts the offer unaware that this is more dangerous then he and the concert organizers believe. The concert had to be kept entirely under wraps with word of mouth being the one and only way the citizens would find out about this concert. They had to keep this a secret so opposing forces would not discover this gathering and decide to bomb the building. Once Bruce and his band SKUNKWORKS arrive they find out their helicopter ride into the city has to be taken out of the equation. It is too dangerous to fly in. So they decided to take a truck and drive in. Be that as it may be, these were not United Nations trucks or even trucks that could blend in. They were bright yellow with the cartoon character Roadrunner on the side of it, hence a crate full of beer and a bottle of whiskey would be needed to calm the nerves and also arrive safely to the gig.
The third and final act of the film brings Bruce back to Sarajevo some twenty-one years later. He revisits the sites and people that he interacted with during his earlier adventures there. A very emotional reunion with some of the concert goers and a few stories will leave you smiling but at the same time crying.
This is a documentary of the life and times of the citizens during the Bosnian War. If you are picking this up to see a live concert please take note, there is some live footage but it is minimal from the night but mostly there are a lot of photographs. The film's soundtrack of course is Bruce and his solo career with one IRON MAIDEN song present. Do not, and I stress, do not let that stop you from getting this DVD. I was amazed not only of the stories told but also of Bruce and his band and the road trip from the airport to the venue. This is a very entertaining and educational documentary that will leave you with a smile and have you listening to some great music. Go order this DVD and also make sure to get the soundtrack also. This is not just for IRON MAIDEN/Bruce Dickinson fans but also for people who enjoy history.
5.0 Out 5.0
