Decline of Western Civilization Collection, The (Blu-ray)
Anthony Arrigo
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Starring Fear, Black Flag, X, Motorhead, Alice Cooper
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
Distributed by The Shout! Factory
When discussing the history of punk rock, most people would likely cite the groundbreaking acts coming out of England or New York City; the scene in Los Angeles has, historically, attracted far less attention from the media. And for that reason, director Penelope Spheeris embarked upon the making of her first true feature film, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). Shot in and around Los Angeles, from 1979-1980, the film chronicles a movement most in the media chose to avoid all together. Spheeris takes a ground-level approach to the material, capturing not only live performances from the bands that helped shape the sound of Los Angeles’ burgeoning punk rock scene but also the lifestyle punk kids who attend the shows, understanding club owners and misunderstood conceptions. Raw and unvarnished, Spheeris delves deep into the growing punk subculture, cajoling answers out of these spiky street urchins like a therapist earning her keep.
It isn’t enough to know they’re into such abrasive music, or what they like about it; part of the rubric here is to understand the deeper connection that has brought such varied youths together. The answers may be worded differently but they all share the same themes – physical abuse, verbal abuse, drug use at a young age, self-esteem problems. It becomes apparent early on that the offensive clothes they wear, Liberty spike hairdos & mohawks, and intimidating-to-the-average-person personas are really just a big cover up for insecurities. Obviously not everyone in the scene back then shared the same difficulties, and if I have any jab at Spheeris’ movie it’s that these kids are almost presented a little too sympathetic. It wouldn’t have seemed entirely out of place had Sally Struthers popped up after the credits to solicit donations so that “you, too, can help feed and clothe a homeless punk rock youth”. No documentary is without bias. It’s clear Spheeris has a real affection for these adolescents (some more than others – she wound up dating one of the guys from the third film for years) and so she presents them as being a misunderstood group that displays surprising amounts of heart, brains and comprehension.
But enough about the interviews! Many of you have likely come for the music… I have not. My bread-and-butter growing up was metal – thrash, death, black, heavy, and even a little hardcore – but I have never been a fan of punk rock. Except for The Misfits and The Ramones, and that’s it. Still, as a fan of music and creativity and all things fun & slightly dangerous, this movie had appeal in so far as it presented to me a world of which I knew very little. Those who do love them some old-school L.A. punk rock will find performances from Black Flag, The Germs, Catholic Discipline, X, Circle Jerks, Alice Bag Band, and FEAR. Each group performs two-to-three songs, while Circle Jerks and FEAR each get five. None of the songs here won me over, but having been to so many metal shows I understood the energy of the crowd – and those circle pits – and this film does a great job of getting across that intensity.
Additionally, many of the musicians in the featured bands, and many who were not, are interviewed about their respective roles in the scene. The most memorable scenes center on the late singer of The Germs, Darby Crash, who makes breakfast while discussing his pre-show pick-me-up requirements. Later, he shows off his pet tarantula. Second to this is a quick clip with Ron Reyes of Black Flag showing off the closet where he sleeps for $16 a month. To say none of these people live an extravagant lifestyle would be a massive understatement.
Extravagance is just the thing in Spheeris’ second entry in the series, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988). A number of notable and not-so-notable metal musicians are interviewed here, discussing the excessive lifestyles and debaucheries that are part-and-parcel of being in a metal band in Los Angeles circa the mid-80s. The subjects are portrayed in stark contrast to the mostly-homeless, unmaterialistic punks of the previous film. Here, we’re treated to the teased hair and made-up faces of Poison (who look just ridiculous), a dude who looks like a fat Trey Parker with a teased mullet, Ozzy Osbourne attempting to make himself breakfast (some of which was staged), W.A.S.P.’s Chris Holmes guzzling vodka in a pool float – fully clothed – as his mom sits nearby, Steven Tyler’s proclamation that he “snorted up Peru” and blew a fortune, and, maybe best of all, Paul Stanley conducting his interview from a bed filled with half-naked groupies. This is everything the last film wasn’t, and then some.
As a big fan of heavy metal from this era, I can say with certainty that Spheeris’ film manages to perfectly capture the “sex, drugs and rock & roll” ethos by which virtually everyone here lived. Every single musician interviewed here is convinced they’re going to hit it big or die trying, with the obvious exception of those who were already on top of the rock world; however, there isn’t much of a discernible difference in attitudes between the haves and have nots. Everyone is living like a rock star – booze flows freely and scantily-clad women are around every corner. Surprisingly, the rampant drug use many of the Sunset Strip acts were known for is only lightly touched upon. In fact, many of the groups interviewed say they don’t use drugs at all, and others don’t even drink. Perhaps this was Spheeris trying to clear up some misconceptions about the L.A. scene. The main thrust of the picture is success – whether working to keep it or working to achieve it.
Despite a number of big names being interviewed, the performances are mostly made up of bands that either had modest success or very little with only one act – Megadeth – achieving a worldwide following. Aside from Mustaine’s thrash metal headliner, acts shown here include London, Odin, Faster Pussycat and Seduce. Not exactly the most inspiring collection of bands from that era, although some of that may have to do with reluctance to participate from top acts. It seems unconscionable Spheeris wouldn’t try for groups like Guns ‘N Roses or Motley Crue, though the likely excuse is they were just too damn busy taking over the world.
The trilogy wraps up with The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998), a film that returns to the L.A. punk scene to show how much (or little) has changed. Instead of focusing on the music, this time around Spheeris dedicates most of the picture to the “gutter punk” kids. The results are not dissimilar to the first film; the main difference being instead of showing the squalid conditions in which bands members live, now we see how these street kids get by. Most come from an abusive home, most have issues fitting in, all have a major problem with authority in any form and all of them live either on the streets or they squat in abandoned units.
Spheeris continues her style of launching questions and direction from behind the camera, this time asking about racism, tolerance, upbringings, issues with law enforcement and where they’ll be in five years (most common answer: “dead”). A good chunk of the film is dedicated to squatters, who inform viewers about how to do so. I learned how to make a “squat candle”, a skill I will hopefully never have to use in the field. In many ways this is like a real-life version of Suburbia (1984), which is itself practically a documentary. Hearing about the plight of these “gutter punks” lacks some impact, since the material was also covered in the first film to a degree, but it is definitely clear not one of these kids had much of a chance growing up and they have less of one now. Be sure to stick around until the very end of the credits for a total downer!
The first Decline seems to be the most celebrated of the trilogy, though your enjoyment will almost entirely depend on your musical choices. As a metal fan, I had less interest in the first and third film yet still found both to be at least intriguing in the sense they captured a time and a place that doesn’t exist anymore and that’s always fascinating (to me). What I most enjoyed was Spheeris’ ability to ask hard, sometimes uncomfortable questions that make her subjects shift in their seats with uncertainty. This isn’t some surface “news/sports/weather” interview meant to offer up a crude overview of the movement; these films all dig deep into their subjects and get them to reveal what’s hidden just beneath unconventional exteriors.
Long unavailable on home video in any format – ever – Shout! Factory has brought the entire trilogy to Blu-ray with all-new 2K transfers and spectacular results. The first Decline sports a 1.33:1 1080p picture, while II and III are framed at 1.78:1. Although there are no previous versions to compare to this set, it’s very clear a great deal of work went into making sure this is the best all three films have ever looked. All of the prints used look to have been kept in good condition (even though no negative for the first film could be located), with very little dirt or scratches to be seen. Film grain is very evident on all three but not in excess, and in the case of the first film it really adds to the aesthetic. Of the three, II looks the most polished and cinematic, while the first and third films are fittingly “dirtier” in their appearance. Colors look accurate, contrast is solid and there are really no major issues worth discussing. Could these transfers be picked apart and scrutinized more closely? Sure, but why bother? These films were intended to look a little raw and rough and the presentations here nail that aesthetic.
All three features have two audio options – English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound (48kHz/24-bit) or 2.0 stereo. The live songs benefit the most from the multi-channel tracks, adding fullness to the tracks and expanding the thin soundfield. The first film is the only one that has any instances of hissing and pops, although again it seems fitting given the nature of the picture. Otherwise, the interviews all come across clean and level with no major issues. Subtitles are available on all three films in English SDH.
DISC ONE: The Decline of Western Civilization
Director Penelope Spheeris and box-set producer Anna Fox deliver an informative audio commentary that expands upon the many interviewees seen in the film, adding anecdotes and bits of trivia that allow a more complete picture of that time period to be painted.
Next up is an audio commentary from… Dave Grohl? Yep, the Foo Fighters frontman is a massive fan of this film and he’s here to tell you all about why he loves it and what it means to him.
“Never-Before-Seen Footage”:
– “X Signs Contract”
– “Tour of the Masque”
“Never-Before-Seen Performances”:
– “FEAR – We Destroy the Family/No More Nothing/Waiting for the Gas/Fresh Flesh”
– “Germs – Lexicon Devil/Let’s Pretend”
– “The Gears – Elk’s Lodge Blues”
“Additional Extras” include Henry Rollins Interviewing Spheeris, stage announcements and a theatrical trailer.
There are also “Extended Interviews” with Black Flag, Darby Crash at his apartment, X, Brendan Mullen, Nicole (Germs’ manager) and the Light Bulb Kids.
DISC TWO: The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
Director Penelope Spheeris delivers another audio commentary, this time joined by The Nadir D’Priest, lead singer for London. Once again, this is another must-listen track for those who want all the additional dirt on the who’s who of the film.
There are extended interviews with Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Chris Holmes (W.A.S.P.), Gene Simmons, Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne and Paul Stanley.
A theatrical trailer is also included.
DISC THREE: The Decline of Western Civilization Part III
“Extended Interviews” are included, featuring Flea, Keith Morris, Leonard Phillips (The Dickies), Rich Wilder (The Mau-Maus), and the Light Bulb Kids.
“Additional Extras”:
– “Behind the Scenes”, with commentary from Spheeris.
– “Gutterpunks”
– “LA County Museum of Art Panel – DECLINE I & II”
– “Premiere/Movie Introduction”
– “Sundance Interview with Spheeris”
– “Theatrical trailer”
DISC FOUR: Bonus Disc
“Decline II Extended Interviews – London/Megadeth/Odin/Poison/Gazzari/Mega Crowd” runs for over an hour.
“Decline I News Report”
“Decline II Cruising the Strip”
“Decline III Panel”
“Tawn Mastrey Interviews Spheeris”
“LA County Museum of Art Panel – Decline II”
“Mark Toscano Interviews Spheeris”
“Nadir & Lizzy”
“Theatrical trailer – SUBURBIA”
The four discs come housed in a sturdy, side-loading slipcover. The first three films come housed in standard Blu-ray keepcases, while the bonus disc comes in a slim case. There is also a thick booklet included, featuring lengthy essays and pictures related to each film.
Special Features:
THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
- Audio commentary with director Penelope Spheeris and box set producer Anna Fox
- Audio commentary by musician/filmmaker Dave Grohl
- Extended interviews with the bands – Black Flag, Germs, X
- Additional band performances – Fear, Germs, The Gears
- Additional interviews with the Light Bulb Kids
- Henry Rollins interviews Penelope Spheeris
- Extended interview Brendan Mullen, owner of The Masque
- Extended interview with Germs manager, Nicole
- Theatrical trailer
THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PART II: THE METAL YEARS
- Audio commentary with director Penelope Spheeris and Nadir D’Priest (London)
- Extended interviews – Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Lemmy, Chris Holmes, Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and more
- Theatrical trailer
THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PART III
- Extended interviews with Flea, Leonard Phillips (The Dickies), Keith Morris, Rick Wilder
- Additional interviews with the Light Bulb Kids
- Sundance Film Festival interview with Penelope Spheeris
- LA County Museum of Art Panel – DECLINE I and III
- Behind the Scenes
- Theatrical trailer
BONUS DISC
- Extended interviews with the bands from DECLINE II – Megadeth, London, Odin
- DECLINE I News Report
- DECLINE II Cruising the Strip
- DECLINE III Panel
- LA County Museum of Art Panel – DECLINE II
- Tawn Mastrey interviews Penelope Spheeris
- Nadir and Lizzie interview
- Theatrical trailer for Penelope Spheeris; SUBURBIA
- Mark Toscano interviews Penelope Spheeris
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The Decline of Western Civilization
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The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
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The Decline of Western Civilization Part III
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Special Features
Categorized:Reviews
