Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77738 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-03-21
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.com
More a curiosity than a meaningful artifact, Ulli Lommel's 1979 Blank Generation eschews pin-pierced cheeks and other mutilation clichés for a different look at New York's punk scene, one that more closely resembles, in all probability, the aspirations and mixed luck of a New York artist such as Richard Hell at the end of that decade. Hell (of Richard Hell and the Voidoids) plays an earnest and likable fellow named Billy, frontman for a band that's, hey, very much like the Voidoids and features the rudimentary sonic noodlings that got Hell kicked out of the now-legendary group he cofounded, Television.

A big draw at CBGB, Billy signs on with a manager to whom he eventually sells, in perpetuity, all rights to his songs and recordings for a measly $5,000. Why? Just to avoid a headache in the future, concentrate on his skills, and explore his mercurial relationship with a beautiful French journalist played by Carole Bouquet. The story has a meandering, unfocused, undisciplined movement to it, which actually furthers one's intuitive understanding of the manic-depressive cycle of Billy's romance, but finally makes Lommel look like he's squeezing out a movie instead of directing one. Hell has an unusually open aspect that runs contrary to his laconic character; it's a nice contrast, but he fares better with his ironic yelping on the title song, a punk classic. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

The Voidoids live!
Worth buying for the live performances alone. The only high quality video (or audio for that matter) footage of Richard Hell & the Voidoids available - outstanding! I only wish there was more band footage.

see it just to see
blank generation is a little quirky but quite good. There are a resonable amount of performance scenes which makes the film worthwhile. If you like punk music you should see this movie. There's some great footage and great sound quality. Andy Warhol's brief apperance is interesting and its just a good movie to see. Not outstanding, but good enough.

Boring stuff
Now this is really a bad movie. Ok I Like Richard Hell...and he does appear in this movie...Carole Bouquet is beautiful but this is one unnecessary pretentious movie. It is worth it for the live segments but otherwise...