Product Details

• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Format: NTSC
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.com
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

Customer Reviews

A Cure for Curiosity
I recently found a bootleg of this documentary, and right away I was drawn into it. This really shows us (rather than telling us) what the hardcore punk scene was like in L.A. in the late '70s- early '80s. We get to see live performances of The Germs, FEAR, Catholic Discipline, X, Alice Bag Band, Circle Jerks, and Black Flag. In addition, we see shots of the crowd, which is pretty cool. The parts that I found the most interesting were when Penelope Spheeris would talk to the kids individually.

If you can't find this anywhere, and don't want to pay $50+ for it, don't fret. Penelope Spheeris recently bought the rights back for all three Decline movies, and plans to release them as a DVD box set.

Who put the punk in the punk-a-punk-a-punk
In my high school days, a copy of "Decline of Western Civilization" was a treasure of purest gold. While the soundtrack was easily copied and traded, VHS to VHS copying was not so easy, and it was impossible to rent. These days, a copy may be rarer still.

"Decline of Western Civilization" is one of those "voice of a generation" type of videos, like footage of Woodstock might have been to the hippies. For many of us lonely punk rockers, in small towns throughout America, this video was one of the few places to actually watch bands like The Germs, X , Fear or Black Flag play live and to witness the energy that we listened to in our bedrooms. It let us know that we were part of a larger group.

As to the quality of the documentary, I am a little to colored by nostalgia. Of course, it is great. It is punk and has attitude, and that is what matters. I wish I had a copy.

Brilliant
Anyone who has any interest in Punk music will love this incredible film. For those who don't like punk but love hard, fast music, you will love this. And for the rest of you, it just rates as compelling viewing/social commentary. I've been trying to find a copy of this for a long time, I'm hoping it will be re-released soon. I watched this originally for the Black Flag and X footage. The several X songs that are shown played live in this are amazing!! If you are an X fan, this is something that you HAVE to watch.