About 20 minutes into watching Scab Vendor you just realise how gritty and unapologetic it is as this give no f**ks documentary tells the story of this rebellious tattoo artist.
Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop, Jim Jarmusch, Eugene Hutz (frontman of Gogol Bordello), Joe Coleman (world-renowned painter), and Kelly Cutrone (TV personality/fashion publicist) are among those sharing memories about legendary tattoo artist Jonathan Shaw in the documentary feature Scab Vendor: Confessions of a Tattoo Artist.
Whilst Johnny is highlighted as one of the main interview pieces in the documentary he rarely makes an appearance other than in archive photos so I did think this was a cheeky little stretch popping his name on there but the story is more than intriguing enough without popping a celebrity name or two in the mix.
Tattoos aren’t my thing whatsoever so watching a documentary about them is certainly preaching to the wrong audience but do you know what? I rather enjoyed it, I just thought it went on far too long.
The synopsis for the documentary reads as follows:
A look at the life of Jonathan Shaw, the son of bandleader Artie Shaw and Hollywood starlet Doris Dowling. After overdosing in his 20s, Jonathan learned from the best American tattoo artists and quickly became the go-to tattoo artist in NYC. His Fun City Tattoo Studio opened before tattooing was legal in Manhattan and was frequented by his friends, Johnny Depp and punk legend Iggy Pop. Scab Vendor explores how a man, at the height of his career, chose to give up on his celebrity lifestyle to escape from his own vicious cycle.
What was once an underground art Jonathan recollects a variety of stories which are quite astounding including his connection to Charles Manson during a variety of whirlwind drug trips, to inspiring Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack persona on top of all sorts of underground shenanigans that are just fun to listen to.
Diving into family history and the cost of fame we get a good low down on Jonathans career and personal life and having the first-hand account makes it all the more raw and interesting.
Scab Vendor is a brutally honest documentary told in a brutally honest way and whilst not entirely my cup of tea it does have a raw edgy quality to it that is undeniably endearing, interesting and intriguing I just wish it was around 30 minutes shorter as some of the filler distracts from the main badassery of the story.
Our Rating
Summary
Gritty and unapologetic, if a documentary about tattoos can keep someone who has zero interest in the subject watching from start to finish well, they’re certainly onto something here aren’t they?
