The Decline of Western Civilization

The Decline of Western Civilization

The Decline of Western Civilization

source: The Decline of Western Civilization

I LOVE this film. It was made JUST before the LA punk scene changed for the worse. It perfectly preserves the mood and attitude of that time and place. I feel really lucky to have been present at the filming of four of the bands at the Fleetwood that night. The only part that doesn't fit in too well is the sections with Catholic Disipline and their socio-political commentary. I didn't see too many people who were into that at all. The rest of the film shows attitudes that I witnessed a lot; people dealing with hard lives, or taking a swing at the music industry and/or lousy hippies. I don't think I've seen a documentary that captures so authentically and personally the subject matter being covered.

Penelope Spheeris may be best known for Wayne's World, but her life and films are more than just one movie. Until the age of seven, Spheeris grew up in a traveling carnival until her father was stabbed after intervening in a racial dispute. After his death, she grew up in California trailer parks with a succession of stepfathers, yet still graduated high school voted "most likely to succeed." Working at Denny's and IHOP in Los Angeles - one wonders if she even encountered David Lynch - she put herself through UCLA and started her career producing short films with Albert Brooks, several of which aired during the first few seasons of Saturday Night Live. Between Dudes, Suburbia and two of the Decline films, Spheeris has shown her understanding of punk even as she lays bare some of the sillier moments of the kids caught up in its wake. The decline of Western civilization could mean many things here. It could be a reference to Lester Bangs' review of The Stooges' Fun House, where a friend remarked that this album had to be the signal of the end of it all. Or it could be a reference to Germs singer Darby Crash Darby reading Oswald Spengler's Der Untergang des Abendlandes (The Decline of the West). The bands within this movie - as well as the punk rock fans - gave Spheeris some amazing access to their lives, warts and all. While some bands like Alice Bag Band and Catholic Discipline may not be well known, X, the aforementioned Germs, Fear, the Circle Jerks and Black Flag should be recognized by anyone, not just punk fans. After the film was screened in Los Angeles, punk music fans got into so many fights and caused so much chaos that L.A. Police Chief Daryl Gates wrote the filmmakers a letter asking them not to screen the film again. This series of movies was only available in bootleg form for years. This was because of licensing issues for all the songs and Spheeris not wanting to go back and relive them. She didn't need the money, but then she decide dthat she'd rather be remembered for these films than her more commerical work.

Decline is an excellent movie, but we must keep in mind that it only showcases one of the many sub-cultures of punk rock in LA at the time. the Germs and Fear etc are all great bands and the shots of them don't do them justice. but the shots of the fans cast an almost negative light on punk rockers. this movie was made at a time when angry youth from orange county found their way into the LA punk scene. they made it violent, (it always sort of was, but it was never meant to take away from the music) they are shown moshing for the sake of hurting each other not for celebrating the music; like the punkers before them. Decline is an excellent glimpse into the punk scene of the 70s and 80s, but be wary when showing it to someone who only has this to base their opinions of Punk rock on.

Director Penelope Spheeris captures the incredibly infectious filth and howling savage fury that fueled the Los Angeles punk music scene of the late 1970's and early 1980's with a bracing acuity that ensures that this documentary is both informative and entertaining in equal measure. Moreover, Spheeris neither glorifies nor vilifies the bands and fans featured herein; instead she wisely lets the punks speak for themselves so they can either slit their own throats or state a credible case on punk's behalf. It's also a hoot to see stoked audience members eagerly engage in stage diving and slam dancing. The groups who perform throughout certainly deliver the grungy goods: The Circle Jerks are dynamic and exciting, X seriously smoke, the lead singer of the Germs makes a hilarious clumsy fool of himself on stage by constantly dropping the microphone, Catholic Discipline are hysterically funny, and Black Flag put on a hell of an incendiary show, but it's Fear who clearly cop the top honors by whipping the audience up into a ferocious frenzy thanks to charismatic frontman Lee Ving's exceptional aptitude for pushing people's buttons. Super raw and wild, it's far better and more fun than jabbing needles in your eyes.

The decline series is amazing and director PS can't get enough credit for making these movies. I'm slightly surprised to see that not very many people have seen this one, or the other two, but their worth unearthing if you want the picture of punk in the trans-formative years between the late seventies and early eighties. The film starts out with a blistering collection of clips played over music from the band X. Many interviews with bands and punker's that offer an enlightening perspective as to what surviving was like on the low rung of the mainstream rock ladder. No internet, crappy jobs, and all out hostility collide in this genre. At some point later in the decade the emphatic singer from the drumside Phil Collins recorded a song that may have been written about Germs singer Darby Crash, the hook of the song goes "I cant dance, i cant talk, the only thing about me is the way i walk" which sums up Crash's performance here and on into infinitum perfectly. Forget about Keith Richards and f#*k AXL, Darby was for real and lived every moment like he was falling down an elevator shaft drunk. He really cant "dance" or talk or walk or fry an egg, he, in my mind is the perennial rock god, not afraid of what happens later, only thoroughly confused at the now. For new kids who haven't heard of these bands or are just starting one themselves this movie is a true lesson in how to rock. All the band performances (and there are many) are awesome, especially FEAR who never cease to amaze me. This and the second installment are amazing time capsules offering those who care a rare glimpse into the lives of these crazy people. It's true punk, like in the interview with Darby Crash's girlfriend when their recalling a painter who mysteriously/suddenly died outside their house and it took a week or so for them to figure it out, they take pictures next to the guy and everyone including the EMT's had a chuckle on this one, and in true form the interviewer asks the girlfriend if she was sad or upset that this guy had died while painting their house, the response "no i hate painters". How about Black Flag renting their apartment/rehearsal space for 16 dollars a month! My jaw almost fell off at that moment seeing as i'm renting a ten by ten closet to practice in for 400. Between watching this and Deadwood i feel like i was born in the wrong time period, just missing those cowboy days and nights of the old way. The people and bands associated with the movie paved the way for what harder music today is, and they did it in their own unique way. Brilliant film, ten stars, see part 2 as well its equally awesome, part 3 though, i don't know what to say about.

Penelope Spheeris (of "Wayne's World" fame) made her mark with the documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization", about the LA punk scene in the late '70s and early '80s. Most of the documentary features interviews with the punks and footage of concerts (which often turn violent). Overall, we get to see how the punk movement was a reaction to the hippies: whereas the hippies were into being natural, the punks wanted to have themselves as altered as possible, what with spiked hair and all. But also, we see how they're really disaffected and sometimes becoming skinheads. Anyway, this is a really great time capsule. We're not really sure whether we want to long for that era or feel repulsed by it. But this is definitely not a documentary that will leave you neutral. Truly worth seeing.

First off, let it be known that I came into this movie not for the music; actually I find it repugnant. Really, I was interested in the psychology of the punk subculture. On this point, the documentary did fairly well. One disagreeable aspect was the numerous scenes in which songs are played and the hyped-up band and belligerent crowd are shown running amok. If you've seen the first such scene, you've seen them all. This superfluity is party made up for by printing lyrics for some of the songs. With these, the audience is able to somewhat connect mentally with the band. The lyrics are of far more interest than the jumble of sounds projecting from the speakers. I don't know why all the lyrics were not printed. Scenes without lyrics slow (ironic eh?, given the many references to the speed of the music) the flow of the movie. Also insightful were the interviews with fans and bands, though there is a letdown when the latter band's interviews prove to be not nearly as enthralling or humorous as the first two. Overall, a good movie that I'm glad I saw. I'll check out the follow-ups if I ever get a chance. Favorite quote: He tried to hide the fact that he couldn't play by rubbing peanut butter over himself and breaking glass. Broad punk generalization: Though their disgracefulness, lack of vocabulary and hygiene, and drug-induced obliviousness is often hilarious, in the end it is understood that punks are just pathetic juveniles who rebel just for the sake of rebellion as seen through sophomoric lyrics and naive attempts to philosophize and politicize (disregarding Black Flag, who are slightly less misguided than their peers).