DIO – Dreamers Never Die

at Lloyd Cinemas, Portland, OR, USA, October 2, 2022

Movie poster for: Dio - Dreamers Never Die
  • 8.6/10
    DIO - Dreamers Never Die - 8.6/10
8.6/10

Summary

Label: BMG & TRAFALGAR RELEASING
Performances: September 28 & October 2, 2022

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Giant Voice – Giant Heart

Few musical artists have touched more hearts through their music, and shared more kindness through their generous actions than one of our lost icons and heroes: Ronnie James Dio. When Dio passed away from stomach cancer in 2010, the world lost one of the most influential figures in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. While working with Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio co-created a genre that combined heavy music with fantasy themes, and classical music as it’s foundation as opposed to the blues. Dio may be gone, but he is far from forgotten, and with the release of DIO – Dreamers Never Die we are given a chance to look through the eyes of friends, family and colleagues to get to know him a little bit better.

About the Film

The film was shown in theaters for 2 days only on on Wed., Sept. 28th and Sun., Oct. 2nd . Hopefully it will come out on Blu-ray for those of us who might have missed it, or those of us like this reviewer that wants to see it again and own it.

The film was executive produced by Dio’s widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio, and fully authorized by the artist’s estate. DIO: Dreamers Never Die delves deep into the singer’s incredible rise from a ‘50s doo-wop crooner to his early rock days in Elf and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, to replacing Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, and finally cementing his rock star status with his own band, DIO.

The film incorporates never-before-seen footage and personal photos, as well as offering intimate scenes with his closest peers, family, and friends. Among the people interviewed are Wendy Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Glenn Hughes, Vinny Appice, Lita Ford, Rob Halford, Sebastian Bach, Eddie Trunk, and Jack Black. Through their stories, they bring viewers inside the life of one of rock and roll’s true heroes.

Ronnie James Dio- Rainbow Era

Final Notes

The directors have woven all of these bits and pieces into a heart rending story that by film’s end had the audience in tears. For this reviewer, a film telling Ronnie James Dio’s story was long overdue, and they did it right. Tough the movie might have been improved with a few more interviews with Dio, overall it worked well in telling his story in a very personal way. After seeing the movie, the viewer is left a little sadder, but at the same time more inspired.

Ronnie James Dio always believed in being a positive influence to those around him, and he was the kind of person who spent a lot of time talking to, and sharing with his fans. This film reminds us of what we have gained by his example, and what we have lost by his absence. The world is a richer place because of Dio, and while he’s no longer with us in body, his spirit and music will always live on.

Author

  • Bryce Van Patten

    Bryce is an audio engineer and a graphic designer here at Metal Express Radio. From the day he purchased his first album (Machine Head by Deep Purple), he has had a passion for heavy music, which has influenced his whole life. Bryce is from the great Pacific Northwest in USA, and has played in metal bands like Babylon, Holy Terror, The Wild Dogs, Warhead and Egypt through the 80s. He had his first interview for the Portland, Oregon publication The Rock Rag with guitarist Paul Gilbert in his Racer X days. Then he was honored to get to have drinks, and talk for an hour with the legendary Dan McCafferty of Nazareth for his second interview. In 2013, he spent an amazing hour talking to Andi Deris of Helloween, which was the high point of his heavy metal journalism.   In the year 2001, he formed Man in Black Music Publishing. They released recordings by several local bands, and in the spirit of the old Metal Massacre compilations, he created a 2-album series called The Defenders of Metal. The albums featured classic styled Metal bands from all around the world, with bands from Australia to England, and from Argentina to Russia. Currently, he is the producer/creator/vocalist of the Metal band The Black Tuesdays.

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