The Decline of Western Civilization
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Director(s)
Penelope Spheeris
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Cast & crew
Eugene Tatu
Self
Alice Bag
Self
Claude Bessy
Self
Dinah Cancer
Self
Exene Cervenka
Self
Lorna Doom
Self
Darby Crash
Self
Don Bolles
Self
Philo Cramer
Self
John Doe
Self
Lee Ving
Self
Greg Ginn
Self
Chuck Dukowski
Self
Ron Reyes
Self
Pat Smear
Self
Greg Hetson
Self
Keith Morris
Self
Nicole Panter
Self
Penelope Spheeris
Self
D.J. Bonebrake
Self
Rick Schmidlin
Self
Spit Stix
Self
Derf Scratch
Self
Mac Neely
Self - Manager - Club 88
Rob Ritter
Self - Alice Bag Band (Guitar)
Terry Graham
Self - Alice Bag Band (Drums)
Kenny DaSilva
Self - Light Bulb Kid
Malissa Hutton
Self - Light Bulb Kid
Roger Rogerson
Self - Circle Jerks (Bass)
Lucky Lehrer
Self - Circle Jerks (Drums)
Dutch Michaels
Self - Bouncer
Milt Wilson
Self - Concert Promoter
Gary Hirstius
Self - Sound Man
Billy Zoom
Self - X (Guitar)
Top Jimmy
Self
Rick Brodey
Self - Catholic Discipline (Bass)
Craig Lee
Self - Catholic Discipline (Drums) / Alice Bag Band (Guitar)
Phranc
Self - Catholic Discipline (Guitar)
Robert 'El Vez' Lopez
Self - Catholic Discipline (Keyboards)
Steve Samiof
Self - Publisher - Slash Magazine
Chris D.
Self - Contributing Writer - Slash Magazine
Philomena Winstanley
Self - Editor - Slash Magazine
Bob Biggs
Self - Publisher - Slash Magazine
Michelle Baer Ghaffari
Self - Darby Crash's Roommate
Robo
Self - Black Flag (Drums)
Brendan Mullen
Self - Owner - Masque
Wayne Mayotte
Self - Owner - Club 88
Details
Reviews
talisencrw
Though I both am neither a punk aficionado (I have seen X live in Detroit in 2008) nor an expert on Spheeris' films (I have seen and enjoyed both 'Wayne's World' and 'Little Rascals'), this was very satisfying. The energy and spirit of these rebellious youths really comes across well, and the clever assertion from one of the interviewees that punk is simply another form of folk and protest music, albeit with different instruments and at a faster speed, rings true. Though I'm not privy to the Los Angeles scene (I'm from Windsor, Ontario, for crying out loud), it appears to be quite an accurate depiction, although it doesn't seem to grab hold, perhaps, of the underground movement. Seeing this, I look forward to the latter two parts of the trilogy, and only wish over the years that Spheeris had expanded her sights, and made documentaries of other, vital, forms of music in L.A., such as folk, hip-hop, rap, jazz, classical, experimental, even soundtrack work for films, since Hollywood is right nearby, and as someone already part of the filmmaking scene, she would have had access to some of the greats of our time.
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