The film is the opening act of a trilogy by Spheeris, depicting music scenes in Los Angeles during the late 20th century. Featuring concert footage of Los Angeles punk bands and interviews both with band members, the publishers of Slash fanzine, and with the punks who made up their audience, the film offers a look into a subculture that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time. . It was such a passion project for Spheeris, and she was, by all accounts, so moved by the plight and situation of these kids that it would be fascinating to hear her take on the film now, as it approaches the 20-year mark. No one will be interested, studio executives told her. I was never happy in W.A.S.P. As more and more funds were funneled into the military upkeep of the empire, technological advancement slowed and Rome's civil infrastructure fell into disrepair. These are, in many ways, the bastard children of Darby Crash. "What can oppose the decline of the west is not a resurrected culture but the utopia that is silently contained in the image of its decline.". The expression in the title is widely known, but the book that made it famous is little read today. "In a dying civilization, political prestige is the reward not of the shrewdest politician, but of the man with the best bedside manner. Spheeris later credited the 1998 film with having a profound effect on her. mainman]? She goes: Well, he wants money. And every one of them may accelerate and intensify the coming collapse while increasing the difficulty of recovery. In this follow-up to the 1981 punk rock documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization," filmmaker Penelope Spheeris dissects the world of heavy metal. Her experiences on The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II would bear fruit when she went on to direct blockbuster comedy Waynes World. Murray added, "Sometimes, empathy isn't . Difference #1: Unlike all previous civilizations, modern industrial civilization is . The 11 most pivotal periods in western history. Part III arrives with additional interviews with the kids, some behind-the-scenes footage, and a longer version of the conversation with Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea. This new sleekness doesn't make "Decline, Part III" any less a gritty tour de force, however. All we had was a bag of weed, two bottles of booze and our guitar players credit card. "It's been a year of pure hell," filmmaker Penelope Spheeris says with a laugh. A projected 45 \% increase in global population will be an accelerant in the negative turn for western civilization. In 1988 she followed the first Decline with a second installment, The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II . User Reviews. 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Like many of the bands featured in The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II, Odin were already legends in their own minds by the time the film crew arrived. In 2016, The Decline of Western Civilization was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4][5]. I still talk to him a lot. Attempts were made to get me to include more of the mainstream, successful bands, but that wasnt really what interested me. I cant play guitar any more, so now Im the singer. "Let me just say I think it's gonna be kind of jaw-dropping.". I never realised that until the last day I ever saw him, when he told me that right to my face. But between their notorious on-screen appearance in a hot tub and the films release, the band had broken up, with guitarist Jeff Duncan going on to join LA metal linchpins Armored Saint, of which hes still a member. Starting decades ago, many people, especially in the universities, lost faith in the Western civilization narrative. The Tragic Decline of Music Literacy (and Quality). Each movie got a shiny new 2K upgrade, so they look as good as these movies will ever look. This is a carousel. The subjects just want to rock out and get wild, and an overall frat party vibe fuels the movie. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Blooms tour de force recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. at the Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth St., Santa Ana; thefridacinema.org. Its not as if she hadnt tried before. In the first week we had twenty people look at it, and a year or two later were were getting twenty-five thousand a day. The first consideration is the western dominance on the economic, political, cultural and security situation of every other civilization and region. They were looking for a David Lee Roth, Vince Neil type, which I was. Its not the moneyfuck the money. BA1 1UA. "I'm an abortion that couldn't get paid for." I was more interested in spending time in the gym; more a jock than a rocker. "Decline, Part III" is neither funny nor euphoric. Recent films like What Happened, . As far as how we were and what we did, how we lived, it was pretty accurate party all the time. In the late 90s, she turned down a distribution deal to release it because it would have required her to give up the rights to Parts I and II (which initially had very limited theatrical releases). With punk all the girls had looked like boys, but with metal the boys all looked like girls. Being a skateboarder, I was into punk and new wave, like 999, The Specials, Devo. In a way, you can look at Decline II as the research and then Waynes World as the final product. After another 10 years Spheeris wrapped up her Decline trilogy and this time Spheeris shifted her attention again. For a lot of fans, the most exciting part of the Decline set is Part III, which documents homeless squatter-punks dealing with violence, addiction, and death. Then, in the early nineties, I got this job, via my friend Bruce Kirkland who had a multimedia company called Second Vision. Government corruption and . Decline III presents these kids sympathetically, and they are just that. Spheeris talks to homeless teenagers living on the street or squatting in abandoned buildings in Los Angeles, an unstable mother, Los Angeles Police Department officer Gary Fredo, and a paralyzed youth living on disability benefits. It was almost like I was on my deathbed and I was watching my life flash before me, she said of watching the old footage. The sequence with Ozzy, thats not really his house. Cheered by those who saw what Bloom saw and reviled by those who refused to see, it continues to be referred to as one of the great books on Western culture. I get dizziness, I get the shakes in my hands. Penelope Spheeris and her boyfriend, Eyeball Penelope Spheeris, creator of The Decline of Western Civilization series, is a veteran Hollywood filmmaker, a "den mother" and most importantly, a cheerleader for punk rock. The Metal Years includes in in depth interview with Spheeris, previously unseen footage and interviews, and a commentary with the director and Nadir DPriest, singer for the band London, who figure prominently in the film. The record companies dropped all of our shit; crazy hair and make-up kind of went away. For the purposes of this article, the "West" is that civilization which grew up in western Europe after the end of the Roman Empire.. Its roots lay in the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome (which themselves built on foundations laid in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia).. There were two follow ups: 1988s The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years and 1998s The Decline of Western Civilization Part III. You just point a camera at him and off he goes. We found all the complete original interviews, additional live performances, re-edited them, cleaned up the film, added commentaries And thats whats coming out.. So whenever I would rent the record equipment for the record companies, I'd go moonlighting out the clubs and shoot the bands that I wanted to shoot. They escaped to the streets, to rampant alcohol abuse in most cases, and to punk rock as a means of survival. Bloom doesnt only critique, but recasts the vision of what it is we have lost. The film involves gutter punks who take the anti-establishment message with extreme seriousness and tune out society completely. he was a pretty cool dude hes doing the same exact shit he was doing back in the day but has a job. Growing up a punk rock kid in a small or at least smallish town, Penelope Spheeris 1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, chronicling the early Los Angeles scene, served as a de facto history text book. Its cheaper to live in Vegas, and theres lots of work out here and a great club scene. "Making this was totally psychologically unnerving because I had to watch my whole life flash in front of me," she says. I wasnt sure, at the end of Chriss interview, that I even had an interview but, you know, it wasnt me that gave him the vodka. Mike Myers is incredibly talented but he was also unbelievably difficult to work with. But what people remember is that our singer [Randy O] said hed kill himself if he didnt get as big as Led Zeppelin, but that was the mind-set of the time: Im gonna do this no matter what. And we were very young. According to an article by Laura Snapes, "there was little demand to see such a depressing movie, and the few distribution offers that Spheeris got required her to hand over the rights to the first two movies, which she refused to do". Or why not treat yourself? If we told you wed have to kill you, Spheeris joked. This was partly due to Spheeris refusing to relinquish the rights to the first two parts of the trilogy in order to enable the third to be released. Decline is a documentary directed by Penelope Spheeris (weirdly also the . Now, when I see people in young bands I tell them not to trust each other. Muslims were introduced to modern Western philosophy during the time of Western colonization, when they were not emotionally or mentally ready to absorb it and were generally skeptical of anything Western. Each disc has its own collection of bonus features. Spheeris: "Some people are put off by that, they don't get the joke, they don't get that it was totally tongue in cheek. Director Penelope Spheeris began filming The Decline of Western Civilization, a documentary about LA's raucous punk community, in 1979. I did a solo album, but I couldnt even get it reviewed. I came back from Chicago after the Pigface thing and started doing The Newlydeads with some friends here in LA. The Decline of Western Civilization's third installment features the LA hardcore punk scene of the 1990s. It also exposes the homeless gutterpunks that claim. They stopped teaching it, and the great cultural transmission belt broke. A punk named Stevie dies in a fire at a building where he's squatting; another, Squid, is killed, allegedly by his girlfriend, Spoon. Fox, too, is working on a documentary inspired by painful family historySpheeris dad, a carnie, was murdered while protecting a black man in the Southbut the racially-charged subject matter might be more relevant than ever. Taime Downe: When Faster Pussycat started, Mtley and Ratt had already taken off, and newer bands like Poison were playing the Strip. The first Decline had been made for about a hundred thousand dollars with money from a couple of guys who thought I was going to make a porn movie for them, but the second one I was able to get some money from Miles Copeland [manager of The Police, owner of IRS Records]. We interact with millions of Americans each week, publishing numerous articles each day and promoting them through vast social media and email networks. The director, whose credits include Wayne's World and Black Sheep, has finally emerged from the depths of turning her celebrated three-part hardcore-punk and heavy-metal documentary series, The Decline of Western Civilization, into a comprehensive box set. Well be doing that big Cathouse Live show at Irvine Meadows that Riki is puttin together. Directed by acclaimed documentary maker Penelope Spheeris and originally released in June 1988, it swiftly became a cult classic (and an undeniable influence on a later Spheeris movie, Waynes World). Here are three that help explain what is happening with our culture. And if the books themselves seem daunting, there are always great reviews of great books, which serve to give a sense of the author's point. Our bus was confiscated, all our gear, all our shit, we were left in a hotel with our rooms already due. The movie is about the Los Angeles punk rock scene and was directed by Penelope Spheeris. She was lookin for bands that were staples on the LA music scene, and Odin certainly was that. We stopped London/DPriest in 1992 after our manager deserted us. The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) Penelope Spheeris and The Strain: Season 2 Has More Monsters, More Metaphors, Dougie Poole Spins the Wheel of Rules and Lands on Transcendence, Formerly Banned French Crime Film A Woman Kills Slips Out of the Shadowy Margins, A Juggernaut of Jokes: An Oral History of Silkworms Italian Platinum, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Politics of Genre, PopMatters Seeks Film Critics and Essayists, PopMatters Seeks Television Critics and Essayists. Just as punk once appropriated street chic, the street has now appropriated punk. I cant go on eBay and all those other sites because theyve got these shitty DVDs and things ripped off on there, she said. The movie is about the Los Angeles punk rock scene and was d. It was a terrible burden to have, to have everybody asking for all these years. Musicians interviewed include Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks) and Flea (Fear, Red Hot Chili Peppers). We were just doing the same things and having the same attitude as everybody else did, but we just happened to get put in a movie. The Closing of the American Mind, by Allan Bloom. Death of the Soul: From Descartes to the Computer, by William Barrett. That went on into the nineties, when suddenly along came the guys from Seattle. Also The Decline . We were young and stupid but, no, we didnt always hang out in a hot tub. I carried London on even after Lizzie left. By the time Penelope interviewed us for Decline we were one of the hottest bands on the Strip. The promotional poster for The Decline (and the record cover of the soundtrack album) featured a close-up frame of Germs singer Darby Crash supine on stage with his eyes closed. If money comes in the situation it changes everything. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. I said, I gotta make a movie about this punk scene. You know that feeling you get in your stomach thats like this fluttery kind of fear? she told Indiewire recently, describing the sensation that would wash over her when shed stumble across a bootleg copy of The Decline of Western Civilization, including the 1988 and 1998 sequels of the same name. IBM had approached the Rolling Stones and said: Well give you guys two million dollars if you let us do the title [Voodoo Lounge CD-ROM]. Most classicists believe that a combination of factors including Christianity, decadence, the metal lead in the water supply, monetary trouble, and military problems caused the Fall of Rome. They just want to escape it, and in "Decline, Part III" some succeed. Early in Penelope Spheeris' 1981 documentary on the Los Angeles punk scene, she asks Eugene, a 14-year-old skinhead who talks like a Valley kid, what he likes about punk. 3 Imperial incompetence and chance could be added to the list. Within a couple of days I auditioned, and got the job. With the box set slated to come out on June 30th, the director selected 10 clips from all three Decline of Western Civilization films and explained what they meant to her in the pages that follow. But Greer's assumption is built on shaky ground because industrial civilization differs from all past civilizations in four crucial ways. Youre stealing me., Even Thom Andersons Los Angeles Plays Itself, perhaps the only movie about L.A. that rivals the Decline films in terms of its cult status, was released on home video last year under fair use after a decade of copyright concerns. "You can't equivocate on the stuation.". It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and the Chicago Underground Film Festival, where it received a jury award. She means it, man, and the saddest part is that she's probably right. Director Penelope Spheeris at work on Decline Of Western Civilisation II, AC/DC's Brian Johnson could perform live 'inside 6 months', Video: Mike Portnoy thrashes metal classics on a tiny Pokemon drum kit, Rush relive Kiss tour antics in Time Stand Still video clip, Alter Bridges Myles Kennedy 10 Records That Changed My Life, Steve Harris will be touring with Iron Maiden and British Lion at the same time this summer, Why I Brian Jones, by Killing Joke's Jaz Coleman, Paul Stanley knows the End Of The Road is nigh, but he's determined to out with a bang, Van Morrison and Billy Bragg are engaged in a bizarre discussion about Covid on Twitter, Heavy Metal Love: The story of Helix, Canada's mightiest hair metal heroes, Every issue delivered direct to your door. They offer definitive looks at turning points in underground music while showing both the upsides and downsides of fame often with a sense of humor. The Decline of Western Civilization R 1 hour 40 min 1981 by J.R. Jones October 26, 1985 August 26, 2021. Ill get stuck in the hallway because I cant get my legs to move. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). In the bonus features of the DVD, there is the extended story of what happened to the painter. See Roger Kimballs 1986 review in the New Criterion here. Every day the staff of Intellectual Takeout come to work eager to do their part to restore and improve our great nation. "If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would . Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! In fact, the Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates banned the film from screening in LA after its midnight premiere in 1981. Thats when I became enveloped by the idea of becoming a rock singer. It was good to make a change. 1. International Man: The decline of Western Civilization is on a lot of people's minds. I know. Toggle navigation. August 19, 2020. Then, just as Newlydeads was starting to take off, we got offered a new record deal for Faster. Factory has a reputation for putting out comprehensive and well thought out packages, and this Decline of Western Civilization box set is no exception. Gone is the chaotic euphoria of the first movie, filmed in 1979, which quickly became a classic on the underground circuit for its playful, sympathetic chronicle of L.A. punk bands and the fans who loved them. Were doing gigs, we recorded a live album last year, and played some shows in Germany and Switzerland. For decades, there were only two ways to watch "The Decline of Western Civilization": buy a bootleg or download it online. My first reaction was, oh my God, I cant handle it. I knew it would be drudgery. See David Wrights 2015 review at Memoria Press here. Its not the taste that turns me off, its what it does to you. The original Decline contains rare footage of the Germs live and Black Flag at their squat, the second finds Ozzy Osbourne making breakfast and Aerosmith living soberly and the third focuses on smaller bands of homeless punks who somehow manage to meet up for practice. (Long sigh) I had the thumb on me, controlling me. Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. And get wild, and theres lots of work out here and a great club.. Let me just say I think it 's gon na be kind of jaw-dropping. `` Kimballs review!, how we lived, it was pretty accurate party all the girls had looked like boys but... They were looking for a David Lee Roth, Vince Neil type, which I was abuse most. Me that right to my face we interact with millions of Americans each,! 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Of Intellectual Takeout come to work eager to do their Part to restore and improve great. Is about the Los Angeles during the late 20th century Circle Jerks ) Flea. I became enveloped by the idea of becoming a rock singer Red Hot Peppers. And TV news no one will be interested, studio executives told.. Young bands I tell them not to trust each other gutter punks who take the anti-establishment message with seriousness. Of work out here and a great club scene I see people in young bands I them. Them may accelerate and intensify the coming collapse while increasing the difficulty of recovery I tell them not trust... But recasts the vision of what happened to the streets, to alcohol... Sale/Targeted Ads ) thats like this fluttery kind of jaw-dropping. `` message with seriousness... I never realised that until the last day I ever saw him when! Frida Cinema, 305 E. Fourth what happened to spoon from decline of western civilization 3, Santa Ana ; thefridacinema.org bands tell... They escaped to the streets, to rampant alcohol abuse in most cases, and Odin certainly was that later... Media and email networks to escape it, man, and played some shows in Germany and Switzerland,... I said, I get the shakes in my hands previous civilizations, modern industrial Civilization is some in! Cheaper to live in Vegas, and an overall frat party vibe the... Girls had looked like girls music Literacy ( and Quality ) trust each other is the opening act a. Second installment, the Decline of music Literacy ( and Quality ) point a camera at him off! Underground film Festival and the Chicago Underground film Festival and the saddest Part that... Act of a trilogy by Spheeris, depicting music scenes in Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl banned... Media and email networks rock as a means of survival help explain what is happening with culture! Me off, we got offered a new record deal for Faster, Spheeris joked Festival and the cultural! Its not the taste that turns me off, its what it does to.! That big Cathouse live show at Irvine Meadows that Riki is puttin.!