The Decline of Western Civilization

1 Review

Long before WAYNE’S WORLD, Penelope Spheeris made her mark with the first of three now-iconic documentaries that took viewers inside rock ‘n’ roll subcultures. Spheeris juxtaposes blistering, outrageous performances from bands like X and Black Flag with sometimes disturbing offstage moments involving band members and fans. Though the film ultimately celebrates the visionary artists who created the music, Spheeris wisely takes a critical look at the violent, misogynist, racist, and homophobic undercurrents which frequently pop up at the raucous shows, and challenges both the band members and the young punks who flock to the shows with probing, pointed questions.

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Release Date:	Jul 1, 1981
Running Time:	100 minutes
Country:	United States
Language:	English

synopsis

Though most people associate the punk rock scene with New York, where artists like The Ramones, Patti Smith, and the New York Dolls became legends, there was a West Coast punk scene that was equally explosive and fascinating, as Penelope Spheeris’ iconic 1981 rock doc reveals. Featuring performances and interviews with the bands that defined the West Coast punk sound including Black Flag, The Germs, X, Circle Jerks, Fear, and The Bags, along with the club owners and punks who flocked to the shows, Spheeris’ film is a snarling, spitting, screaming slice of music history. Only two years later, Spheeris would use her knowledge of punk culture to craft one of the great punk narrative films of all time: 1983’s SUBURBIA.