Nick Broomfield calls this film "a voyage into Hell" in his contemporary commentary on "Tattooed Tears"--and that it is. Seemingly straight out of the gate, he (and his partner, Joan Churchill) really "got it". Their "fly on the wall" style kept me asking, while watching this searing documentary, "How did they ever get THAT shot?".
Echoing the comments of the other reviewers here before me, it's a pity that Nick Broomfield is now very much the co-star of his documentaries these days, whereas in this 1978 film, there's no commentary whatever, and he certainly doesn't insinuate himself into the story as he does now. For my taste, he had it right early on. I found this film far more affecting than, say, "Kurt & Courtney". The claustrophobic realism of "Tattooed Tears" is unlike any other documentary on this subject that I've ever seen. I found myself 'feeling for' these poor, lost boys. I found myself wishing fervently that somehow, beyond hope, these tormented souls could have turned their lives around and found a little peace.
In short, this is a must-see for documentary fans--and certainly, for fans of Nick Broomfield's other work. What DID ever happen to this style of documentary filmmaking--this heroic, shoot-at-all- costs style that seems to have disappeared almost completely? I've seen most of Broomfield's films and this one stands above and beyond any of his other work. A truly shattering film. (This comment may 'date' my review, but it's currently available on Amazon Prime, free to Amazon Prime members--and highly worth seeking out elsewhere, too!).