Centered on the early '80s punk movement, this remains the best of Penelope Spheeris's three attempts to chronicle the musical and angst-ridden subculture of urban Los Angeles. The film's style, like the music, is abrasive, frank, and packed with energy, as it moves swiftly from hilarious band and fan interviews to the loud, raucous shows inside seedy L.A. nightclubs. Despite its tongue-in-cheek title, Spheeris neither condemns, nor glamorizes, the movement, though she definitely has an eye for talent and thankfully plays favorites. Lesser acts like Alice Bag Band and Catholic Discipline are given minimal screen time (enough so we understand why they've been forgotten) in favor of bands that either possess off- stage charisma (Circle Jerks) or onstage potency (Fear's finale, winding their audience up with insults, is punk in its purest form). And, then there are X and Germs lead singer, Darby Crash. These two subjects comprise the majority of the film, as Spheeris hangs around their houses, captures numerous performances, and presents the movement's peak performers. While X does it mostly onstage--their mix of thrash and rockabilly are the most enjoyable of the live performances--Crash's stage is everywhere. A walking disaster, the singer candidly details--with simultaneously self-mocking humor and sadness--his drug abuse, miserable life, and the places that no longer let him play. The fact that he died shortly after production stamps Spheeris's brazen time capsule with a morbid, though appropriate, epitaph. --Dave McCoy
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Nothing matters--on Speed Comment: This film captures the high-energy nihilism of punk. One scene shows punkers joking about posing for photographs with a corpse. Life and death are meaningless, supposedly.
But we cannot live this out consistently. We know better in our better moments. Eternity is in our hearts.
That is the decline of western civilization. Can it ascend? Customer Rating: Summary: The Kids Are Alright Comment: Producer Penelope Spheeris ignores the pop culture sunglasses that obscured the true meaning of punk rock and showed the true grit from the bands and fans in this gritty 1981 documentary of the West Coast scene.
The performances and the interviews - with band members and fans - are powerful depictions of a subculture that meant so much to those involved on stage and those slam-dancing the night away.
The bands featured - including Black Flag, The Germs, X, Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline and Fear - are the standard bearers for a West Coast musical movement which soon branched out into thrash metal and gangsta rap, along with a swaggering style that has elements in today's subculture.
There was tragedy before the film was released; Germs singer Darby Crash died from a heroin-induced suicide. The movie promotional poster featuring Crash was designed before his death.
From the rubble left by the East Coast implosion of punk came the amazing California movement. And the documentary proves that the kids are alright. Customer Rating: Summary: the end of the beginning Comment: I showed my ancient VHS copy of this film to a [much] younger friend. in fact, she is- oh, dear god- 19 years younger than me. however, since I never grew up, nor had my own kids- and still love this music- she treats me like a peer. which is sort of nice.
she loves punk rock, which to her, is a much different thing from my reference to this music. I decided to show her Decline to see what she thought. she LOVED it. she was glued to the screen, and after the movie ended, she turned to me and said 'MORE! I WANT MORE!'
yes, more. we all want some more...
this film depicts the pivot point when first-era punk was fading out, and the skankers started taking over. Darby, Exene, many others have voiced their disgust and sadness over what punk had turned into. but in a way, that's how it has to be with forces of this nature. for a time, something amazing blossoms on the surface of the third planet. it explodes, it delights, it inspires; and then, it dies.
though the Screamers and the Weirdos- probably my favorite LA bands- were not filmed here, I still treasure my copy of Decline. I love, love love the Germs. I never got to see them, and then- RIP Darby Crash. we were going to see the Darby Crash Band at the Deaf Club- I think there were even flyers for the show- when we heard the news. ha! I was decorating the Xmas tree with my mom. we had our hands full of light strings when the TV announced that Darby was dead. we both looked at each other- she loved punk, too- with total disbelief. and yet, it was just another sign that what we had loved was DEAD. 1980. punk continued, of course, but sullied by testosterone idiocy and a lack of diversity that I mourned. when something goes over-ground- the virus is weakened, and new strains infect.
Decline makes me laugh at the memories of my own leather-jacketed idealism, of drunken nights, poring over albums with my buddies, trying to decipher hidden meaning in the lyrics, marveling at the music. and it makes me sad. to watch the death of something wonderful that changed my life.
still, I'm glad it's there, for young 'uns to marvel at, and for me, to smile again at that happy beast that gave me so much joy. Customer Rating: Summary: "i'm an X-head....get it?" Comment: love love love this movie... was living in or near LA during this era and it was alive! ..Billy Zoom looking like Mr. Clean or some guy from a larger than life 30's socialist propaganda poster come to life against the originally grungy background... the beauty of Darby Crash...even if he is the later-arriving, less talented poorer-man's Iggy Pop
you see the list of bands... it was amazing and is so well documented.. when it is out and legit i will pay... i have seen it 9 times... i showed it 8 times while in college and was lucky enough to be at a friend's friend's house once since.. i will be buying a few copies for some of my younger true punk friends too.. not the corporate punk numbskulls who dont even know what they dont know, but some young folks who want something genuine and with artistic integrity, even if that is all it has
this truly rocks... part of the history of the day the music undied... the zombie living dead rebirth (okay, Iggy and Ramones and NY Dolls,LA . et al maybe rebirth... this is the zombie toddler stage ;-D) of American Music... Customer Rating: Summary: Decline of Western Civilization is Crucial! Comment: I first saw the Decline of Western Civilization about a year or so ago and it was extremely hard to rent or buy in video stores around my area and still is. This video shows both the rough parts and more comedic parts of the early punk movement in the early 80's. It made me wish that I had lived through those days and I became very jealous of anyone who had. I think it's essential to watch this even if you really aren't very big into the punk scene. Music was about having fun and doing what you love back then and when you watch Darby Crash of The Germs or Greg Ginn of Black Flag or Exene Cervenka of X on stage you become amazed at their ability to totally imerse themselves in their own music and let themselves go into the loud and chaotic scene that was punk rock.
Though the performances are great to watch, it is almost more amusing to see how the mucisians interact while the camera is on them offstage. Seeing Black Flag's cramped living quarters and Darby Crash being unphased as a huge tarachala (sp?) walks up his arm helps you see how much of the musicians' efforts went into this lifestyle as well as the hairstyles, tattoos, and drugs that passed through along the way.
While watching this, it is hard not to be somewhat sad about the way the music industry seems to work these days. Yeah, money would have been nice but it is clearly evident that they weren't doing these gigs for the money.
Not only are the artists featured on the video classics, but the random bunch of kids that the director picks to interview are great. They say exactly what comes out of their head and exactly what they are feeling about politics, religion, their music, or their parents. It definately makes young and angry teens feel like they aren't alone... when I watched this for the first time I just wanted to jump in the pit and blow off my stress. I reccomend this video to any music conosuier. Have a good time!
