March 20, 2007
AMERICAN HARDCORE: THE MOVIE
This ain't your little sister's punk rock.
Starring: Lots of punks!
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Paul Rachman
Runtime: 100 minutes
Starring: Lots of punks!
Rating: 9/10
Directed By: Paul Rachman
Runtime: 100 minutes
I initially started this review with a three-page rant about how hardcore is dead, how punk rock ceased to be after 1986, how all these shitty-ass new "punk" bands make me want to go on a chainsaw rampage or pull some exorcist head-spinning pea soup kinda shit. I decided to forego my angry loquacity for another time, getting straight to the point of the matter: the movie.
In 2001, writer/enthusiast/punk-rocker Steven Blush put out the book American Hardcore, penning the penultimate publication on the subject to the delight of hardcore fans worldwide. The newly-released DVD of the same title puts faces with names, sounds with songs, bringing Blush's book to life with images and editing fast enough to keep up with the music and just maybe send you into convulsions. A seasoned veteran of the scene may find some aspects a little cliché and average, but there are plenty of things to admire about this well-crafted documentary.
The movie does touch on your basic key points of the genre, a sort of "Hardcore 101". You get the political background and a decent summation of the events and attitudes leading up to harcore's conception. You'll hear quotes from penultimate Ian MacHaye and Henry Rollins, rambling non-sensical dissertations from Keith Morris, and quintessential ideas from countless other musicians, promoters, even roadies key to the scene. You'll see footage of Black Flag, Teen Idles, DOA, all things you'd find in almost any respectable hardcore documentary. What I did like about this one was their emphasis on a few finer points you don't always see; example: the role of Bad Brains and their influence on the early hardcore scene. This is a band that often gets overlooked or under-credited in the development of the genre. Another high point for me was the section dedicated to Texas Hardcore (yeah, so I'm biased). The Dicks, MDC, even Houston's Really Red, and a few props thrown in for the gaycore scene, which has always been a bit of an internal controversy. Some of the lesser known bands get some coverage, giving you a feel for the scene beyond just the major players.
Now for the cons. While I appreciate the overview nature and the complete implausibility of cramming six years worth of history into an hour-and-a-half, I felt a few essential aspects were left out. List of grievances: NO MISFITS! I think Doyle had maybe one line, and that was it. NO BAD RELIGION!! The most eloquent lyricist of the decade surprisingly had no representation. NO DEAD KENNEDYS! Wait, what? It's true! (There is speculation that both the Misfits and Dead Kennedys were omitted due to internal rights disputes. Can't say I'm surprised, coming from those two, but you gotta show em some love.)
As I mentioned before, taking the history of a movement and reducing it to feature film length is an impossible task, a struggle for documentarians of all kinds of eras and genres. The American Hardcore DVD does well to give a decent overview of the time, and I'd recommend it for people just getting into hardcore (or those who need reeducating). For those of us connoisseurs, I highly suggest the DVD as a companion to the book, which is the most complete and in-depth look at American hardcore that you'll ever find in one place; the two together make the perfect Hardcore Bible.
In 2001, writer/enthusiast/punk-rocker Steven Blush put out the book American Hardcore, penning the penultimate publication on the subject to the delight of hardcore fans worldwide. The newly-released DVD of the same title puts faces with names, sounds with songs, bringing Blush's book to life with images and editing fast enough to keep up with the music and just maybe send you into convulsions. A seasoned veteran of the scene may find some aspects a little cliché and average, but there are plenty of things to admire about this well-crafted documentary.
The movie does touch on your basic key points of the genre, a sort of "Hardcore 101". You get the political background and a decent summation of the events and attitudes leading up to harcore's conception. You'll hear quotes from penultimate Ian MacHaye and Henry Rollins, rambling non-sensical dissertations from Keith Morris, and quintessential ideas from countless other musicians, promoters, even roadies key to the scene. You'll see footage of Black Flag, Teen Idles, DOA, all things you'd find in almost any respectable hardcore documentary. What I did like about this one was their emphasis on a few finer points you don't always see; example: the role of Bad Brains and their influence on the early hardcore scene. This is a band that often gets overlooked or under-credited in the development of the genre. Another high point for me was the section dedicated to Texas Hardcore (yeah, so I'm biased). The Dicks, MDC, even Houston's Really Red, and a few props thrown in for the gaycore scene, which has always been a bit of an internal controversy. Some of the lesser known bands get some coverage, giving you a feel for the scene beyond just the major players.
Now for the cons. While I appreciate the overview nature and the complete implausibility of cramming six years worth of history into an hour-and-a-half, I felt a few essential aspects were left out. List of grievances: NO MISFITS! I think Doyle had maybe one line, and that was it. NO BAD RELIGION!! The most eloquent lyricist of the decade surprisingly had no representation. NO DEAD KENNEDYS! Wait, what? It's true! (There is speculation that both the Misfits and Dead Kennedys were omitted due to internal rights disputes. Can't say I'm surprised, coming from those two, but you gotta show em some love.)
As I mentioned before, taking the history of a movement and reducing it to feature film length is an impossible task, a struggle for documentarians of all kinds of eras and genres. The American Hardcore DVD does well to give a decent overview of the time, and I'd recommend it for people just getting into hardcore (or those who need reeducating). For those of us connoisseurs, I highly suggest the DVD as a companion to the book, which is the most complete and in-depth look at American hardcore that you'll ever find in one place; the two together make the perfect Hardcore Bible.