Part II: The Metal Years - 3 Stars (out of four)
Part III - 3 Stas (out of four)
The Decline of Western Civilization is one of those documentaries that gets under your skin and confirms every parent's nightmare scenario for their children. I was so happy when I saw all 3 would be released on DVD and blu-Ray FINALLY. These films have attained a cult status of their own, and indeed, the third part has never been available in wide circulation before. The first two were extremely rare, and only available on VHS as originals. Shot by Penelope Spheeris (of Wayne's World fame, due primarily because of her work on Part II), at three different time periods in L.A. (1979-80, 1986-87, and 2006-07), chronicling three music movements at their respective times. Part I covers the burgeoning west coast punk movement that was beginning to take hold, Part II: The Metal Years covers the height of the "hair band" heavy metal scene when it was beginning to explode in an honest-to-God phenomena, and Part III, while talking to some of the new generations of punk bands, focuses more on the lifestyles of the homeless gutter punks prowling through L.A. Spheeris must be blessed with a perfect sense of timing as she caught all three movements at critical junctures.
Part I focuses more on the bands and the phenomena at the time. The punk movement on the west coast was radically different than the one from England led by bands like The Sex Pistols and Siouxie and the Banshees (more idealistic) and the east coast with bands like The Ramones (more violent). (Side Note: For an excellent documentary of the proto punk band The Sex Pistols, watch The Filth and the Fury) The west coast sort of blended the politics of England with the violence of the east coast and added a huge dose of nihilistic self-destruction. It pulls no punches in the hard drinking and drugs lifestyle, and in fact, many people in the film are no longer alive, most famously Darby Crash (on the poster below), the original lead singer for The Germs. Shortly before the movie came out, he OD'ed on heroin in a suicide. The movie shows some of the rawest, electrifying and in many cases terrifying footage of these bands playing live and the violent reactions in the audiences. In some cases it resembles a war zone. It features a Who's Who of punk greats, with performances from The Germs, The Circle Jerks, Catholic Discipline, Black Flag (pre- Henry Rollins who would come from Washington D.C. about six months later and form arguably one of the most influential punk ensemble ever save The Sex Pistols and The Ramones), X, and Fear. The movie discusses the band's lifestyles and world views and they are uncommonly candid once they get past the strutting. Probably one of the best rock documentaries ever done, it crackles with life, energy and urgency. Most of the kids you see died within five years of the film's release. Part I speaks to a misunderstood and disaffected group of kids who think they are adrift in a sea of chaos.
Part II takes up with the heavy metal time frame in L.A., the time when "cock rock" ruled and groupies drooled. While this doesn't focus much on the fans, it does examine the lifestyle, both real and imagined. It takes a unique view of looking at the bands trying to make it (London, Faster Pussycat, Megadeth, Odin) and the been-there-done-that metal gods like Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Aerosmith, just six months sober at the time), Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (Kiss), Lemmy (Mötorhead), Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath and solo-still lucid at the time), Chis Holmes (W.A.S.P.-VERY drunk in his pool with his mom sitting poolside), and the members of Poison. What's interesting about the young bands is their drive to succeed. Unlike the punkers from Part I who thought they would be dead in five years (some were, many still alive) and therefore don't want to be stars, everyone in Part II wants to be a rock star. And although members from the band Vixen are interviewed, all the rest are people you've never heard of. Another interesting point is the old guard's perspective. They say of course the life starts out fun, but it all come crashes down on you. Everyone besides Kiss, to a one, say that in the end, they hated the life and weren't happy at all. All in all, a fascinating look at the time of rockers and the strippers who want them.
Part III is the saddest of the series, as it focuses on the homeless gutter punks and the lives they lead. Every single one of them have depressingly similar stories, tales of horrifying physical, mental and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents, many leaving their homes for the streets around age 13. Hassled by Nazi skinheads and the police alike, every day is literally a war zone of constant struggle for survival. Some of the older punkers who did survive the early 80's speak about the horrific downward spiral of drugs and its toll on them. But this is primarily about the kids then and their lives from panhandling to squatting and all the danger that entails. Almost every one of them is convinced they will be dead in ten years or less, and in the case of two, they were correct. One was burned alive in a squat fire and the other was stabbed to death by his jealous girlfriend with scissors. The only one with a semblance of a normal life because he has a residence is there only because he was crippled in a drunk driving accident and lives on disability. The hell of their existence mixed with the community they share with each other is stark but touching. List souls that support each other when they can, but will all probably die as they predict.
So, what does this series give us, why does it matter? First, it's a fascinating look at lifestyles that most people want to have nothing to do with the children who live it. These are the disaffected youth at their most bare and vulnerable. It is a warning to all parents and guardians to love your kids and that your actions really do matter. But it is also a plea for us to understand them, to meet them on their turf and on their terms. We spend so much time supporting causes like PETA and Greenpeace, but we cannot muster that kind of compassion for people, children in this case. We give more respect to a dead body or lost puppy than an abused, frightened and homeless kid. It doesn't make sense. These movies, while quite disturbing at times to watch, do what great documentaries should do: shed light onto a perceived problem and asks you to consider it. Plus, they serve as a great, historical snapshot to catch a feeling of the time, the zeitgeist, if you will (sorry, I promised not to use that term, but it fits best here). These films are great, and should be seen.
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