SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

David G I am an enormous fan of hardcore, particularly the first wave of bands in the 80s, so I was obviously excited about watching this movie. Unfortunately, I found it to be an enormous let-down. It seems to focus a little too much on anecdotes and overblown comments on 'youthful rebellion' than on the anger, incentive and pragmatism of the scene, which I think it far more admirable and interesting. The comment on the front page before I wrote this said (Iparaphrase): "If you know hardcore you won't learn anything and if you don't know about hardcore you won't lean much". I completely agree. There were some nice moments in this, particularly Mike Watt and Greg Ginn's interviews and some of Ian Mackaye's comments. Of course, a few nice moments (which will only be nice for people interested in hardcore) can't save a documentary like this. I was very disappointed.

londonscalling-1 This movie depicted the American hardcore punk scene from 79 to 86, where people rebelled from the system, and had a great time doing it. a common misconception was that these hardcore punks were completely criminals, so they got used to the label and stuck with it. band like circle jerks, cro mags, and others would talk about the drug use in punk music, with the exception of minor threat, it was controlled, but it was an important aspect. bands like black flag, seven seconds, and the numerous bands from dischord were mentioned, and i bow down to these hardcore gods. understand this movie is not about the dead kennedy's or any of those 70's punk bands, this movie was strictly about the hardcore, in your face bands.

deathpunk This is by far the best movie about the HC scene ever produced. It's extremely definitive for a 90-minute movie, has some great insights into the fury of the scene from the people who helped create it, and is an overall joy to experience. I recommend picking up the book in addition to the DVD, as it has way more info on the bands in the movie as well as many more... can't fit 'em all into a 90 minute movie! My only gripe (and this goes for the book too) is that probably one of the most influential HC bands of the LA scene, FEAR, didn't receive nearly the recognition they deserve as pioneers of the genre. Nevertheless, it's a great pick for fans of the genre or those who want to get into it. Definitely rent before you buy (the special features on the DVD leave a bit to be desired... I picked up We Jam Econo a few weeks back and it has three full concerts on the second disc! Sets the standard a bit high, I suppose).

D A A blistering, frothing era of misfits and outcasts venting their collective frustrations into a punk hardcore genre feels underwhelming here in it's attempt to reminisce about being a part of that anti-musical scene. Interviews with many of the underground's more respected (something I would not have any knowledge to debate) original hardcore members consume the majority of this basically constructed mass recollection, and while the punk attitude (with a side of bitter old geezer) flies fast, proud, and hard in the varied lineup of interviewees, little insight is gleamed during the repetitious bickering- largely made up of many of these "real punks" insisting that they have rocked harder then you ever will. A healthy contempt for mainstream normalcy would obviously be a precursor to any working punk band's ethic, but constant negativity and elitism masking for edgy commentary proves that time has not been kind to many of these rock warriors. Proving the exception to this stereotypically shallow attitude, the filmmakers do manage to find a few contrasting punks who offer to take powerful themes these raw, unbridled, often violent bursts of creative energy they helped pioneer and contextualize it in a way that is actually inspiring to someone who wasn't directly involved in this scene that supposedly died in 1986. Amongst a dazzling (though certainly dizzying as well) wealth of never before seen low quality footage showing these erratic outbursts of sound from numerous bands documented here, an initial grip this music may have around your adrenal gland will slowly become as repetitious as their interview counterparts. An interesting glimpse into a radical time for young American music, but lacking most of the depth to make this truly relevant to all but hardcore Hardcore fans.