Punk Documentaries
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- DirectorJulien TempleStarsJoe StrummerSteve JonesMick JonesAs the front man of the Clash from 1977, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before.
- DirectorTim IrwinStarsMilo AukermanJoe BaizaKevin BarrettA feature-length documentary chronicling early 80's punk rock band the Minutemen, from their beginnings in San Pedro, California, to their demise after the death of singer D. Boon in 1985.
- DirectorAdam SmallPeter StuartStarsM. Otis BeardDennis DanellBrent LilesA documentary following the 1982 tour of punk bands Youth Brigade and Social Distortion.
- DirectorAndrea Blaugrund NevinsStarsTony AdolescentArt AlexakisTony CadenaWhat happens when a generation's ultimate anti-authoritarians -- punk rockers-- become society's ultimate authorities -- dads? With a large chorus of Punk Rock's leading men - Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath - The Other F Word follow, Jim Lindberg, 20-year veteran of skate punk band Pennywise, on his hysterical and moving journey from belting his band's anthem, 'Fuck Authority', to embracing his ultimately pivotal authoritarian role in mid-life, fatherhood.
- DirectorPaul RachmanStarsGreg GinnIan MacKayeJames DrescherThe History of American Punk Rock 1980-1986
- DirectorJulien TempleStarsPaul CookSteve JonesJohn LydonA film about the career of the notorious punk rock band, the Sex Pistols.
- DirectorJulien TempleStarsMalcolm McLarenSid ViciousSteve JonesFilmmaker Julien Temple chronicles the Sex Pistols' tumultuous rise to fame, as told by their manager, Malcolm McLaren.
- DirectorJim FieldsMichael GramagliaStarsRick RubinTommy RamoneDee Dee RamoneThe story of the punk rock band The Ramones.
- DirectorJohn CafieroStarsJoey RamoneJohnny RamoneDee Dee RamoneClimb in the van, buckle your seat belt and hang on tight because you're about to experience life on the road with the founding fathers of punk rock, The Ramones! The band that started it all stars in this all encompassing video scrapbook spanning the Ramones history making career circa 1979-1996, most of which is seen here exclusively for the first time anywhere! Ramones Raw includes vintage concert footage professionally shot on film in 1980, archived and nearly forgotten for over 20 years, plus countless memorable moments from the band's illustrious career, rare TV appearances, backstage footage and LOTS more all set within the core; a plethora of home video from the Ramones personal archives. Armed with a Hi-8 camera on the road for the final 8 years of the band's world tours, Marky Ramone captured it all on tape; the good, the bad and the ugly, immortalized here your viewing pleasure. No. 1 selling Director and Ramones aficionado John Cafiero has culled the cream of the crop of "raw" footage from the Marky Ramone video library and then some, compiling and presenting it in a unique style that gives Pinheads and Ramoniacs everywhere an exclusive fly on the wall perspective that's the next best thing to actually being in the band! See Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, Marky and CJ prove why the Ramones have stood the test of time with their simplistic yet immortal brand of music that influenced generations the world over. Also featured is an eclectic mix of guest celebrity appearances from Drew Barrymore, Carly Simon, Gilbert Gottfried, "Grandpa" Al Lewis (of "the Munsters"), Bono & U2, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein of Blondie and many more noteworthy personalities including legendary guitarist Robbie Krieger of the Doors performing the classic "Take it as it comes" live with the Ramones at the Hollywood Palladium in October 1992, touted by Johnny Ramone as "one of the highlights of my career." From their humble NYC beginnings at CBGB'S to induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Ramones have done it all. With "Ramones Raw" you'll feel like you were right there with them the whole time, standing beside one of the most important bands to break ground since the Beatles led the British invasion.
- CreatorFat MikeStarsNOFXAaron AbeytaFat MikeThis is a must see for all rock n roll lovers, you don't have to like their music because the figures are so good and funny. They are a punk rolling stones band on the run for more than 20 years and they are having fun and a lots of fun.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsEugene TatuAlice Bag BandBlack FlagA look into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsFleaKeith MorrisEyeballThe Decline of Western Civilization III is a 1998 documentary film that follows the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers.
- DirectorDon LettsStarsTerry ChimesTerence DackombeTopper HeadonA career retrospective of British punk band The Clash, featuring exclusive interviews with the entire band.
- DirectorSini AndersonStarsKathleen HannaCarrie BrownsteinKim GordonA look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.
- DirectorDon LettsStarsSoo CatwomanSteve StrangeRobin BanksDocumentary on the London punk-rock scene, circa '78.
- DirectorDavid MarkeyStarsSonic YouthKim GordonLee RanaldoDavid Markey's documentary of life on the road with Sonic Youth and Nirvana during their tour of Europe in late 1991. Also featuring live performances by Dinosaur Jr, Babes In Toyland, The Ramones and Gumball.
- DirectorLech KowalskiStarsStiv BatorsTerry ChimesThe ClashDocumentary chronicaling the rise and fall of the punk movement with rare interview footage of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. Also concert and news footage.
- DirectorWolfgang BüldStarsGaye AdvertJack AirportArturo BassickA contemporary documentary covering the Great British punk rock explosion of 1977.
- DirectorDerek BurbidgeStarsWall of VoodooStan RidgwayMarc MorelandLive performances from dozens of leading early-1980s musical acts - rock, punk, ska, reggae - it's all here.
- DirectorScott CrawfordStarsFred ArmisenBrendan CantyDave Grohl"Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC (1980-90)" examines the early DIY punk scene in the Nation's Capital. It was a decade when seminal bands like Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Government Issue, Scream, Void, Faith, Rites of Spring, Marginal Man, Fugazi, and others released their own records and booked their own shows-without major record label constraints or mainstream media scrutiny. Contextually, it was a cultural watershed that predated the alternative music explosion of the 1990s (and the industry's subsequent implosion). Thirty years later, DC's original DIY punk spirit serves as a reminder of the hopefulness of youth, the power of community and the strength of conviction.
- DirectorDeedle LacourMatt RiggleStarsBill StevensonMilo AukermanKarl AlvarezLong before punk inflicted its puncture wound on the mainstream, the Descendents were in a van brewing a potent concoction of pop, angst, love and coffee.
- DirectorMark Christopher CovinoJeff HowlettStarsBobby HackneyDavid HackneyDannis HackneyA documentary on the 1970s punk trio Death, and their new-found popularity decades after they disbanded.
- DirectorSusan DynnerStarsCraig AaronsonColin AbrahallAdriOn the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive. Thirty years after bands like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols infamously shocked the system with their hard, fast, status-quo-killing rock, the longest-running punk band in history is drawing bigger crowds than ever, "pop-punk" bands have found success on MTV, and kids too young to drive are forming bands that carry the torch for punk's raw, immediate sound. Meanwhile, "punk" has become a marketing concept to sell everything from cars to vodka, and dyed hair and piercings mark a rite of passage for thousands of kids. Can the true, nonconformist punk spirit still exist in today's corporatized culture? Featuring interviews, performances, and behind-the-scenes journeys with the bands, labels, fans, and press who keep punk alive, Punk's Not Dead dares to juxtapose pop-punk's music and lifestyle against the roots in the 70s and 80s, resulting in unexpected revelations. A DIY search for the soul of a subculture and a celebration of all things loud, fast, and spiked, Punk's Not Dead shows punk is stronger and more relevant today than it's ever been.
- DirectorShaun Michael ColónStarsFat MikeErin BurkettJoey CapeThis feature length documentary film follows the early history of Fat Wreck Chords, from its founding by Fat Mike and his then wife Erin Burkett, through its cultural zenith in the late 1990's.
- DirectorJames LathosStarsMark AndersenYana ChupenkoAnthony Countey"Finding Joseph I" is a feature documentary chronicling the eccentric life and struggles of punk rock reggae singer, Paul "HR" Hudson, a.k.a. Joseph I, legendary lead singer from Bad Brains.
- DirectorJai Al-attasStarsTim ArmstrongJoey CapeTim CurranDocumenting the birth, growth and explosion of punk rock during the 90's.
- DirectorCorbett RedfordStarsMiranda JulyIggy PopBillie Joe ArmstrongA documentary spanning over 30 years of the California Bay Area's punk music history with a central focus on the emergence of Berkeley's inspiring 924 Gilman Street music collective.
- DirectorIan McFarlandStarsRoger MiretVinnie StigmaAgnostic FrontFollows the two of the most respected men in underground music, Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma of the band Agnostic Front.
- DirectorWes OrshoskiStarsGaye AdvertFred ArmisenRoger ArmstrongA history of the influential English punk band The Damned from their inception in 1976 through to 2015.
- DirectorDanny GarciaStarsRachel AmodeoNina AntoniaNite BobDocumentary about legendary rock n roll guitarist Johnny Thunders. The film looks at his time with the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers and also details his solo career and tragic life.
- DirectorDanny GarciaStarsSid ViciousNancy SpungenVictor ColicchioA new documentary about the painful and poignant final days of the tragic couple Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen
- DirectorAlan G. ParkerStarsAlan JonesSteve DiorGeorge SlatteryOn October 12th 1978 New York Police discovered the lifeless body of a 20 year-old woman, slumped under the bathroom sink in a hotel room. She was dressed in her underwear and had bled to death from a stab wound. The woman was Nancy Spungen, an ex-prostitute, sometimes stripper, heroin addict, and girlfriend of Sex Pistols' bassist Sid Vicious. In a trial by tabloid newspapers Vicious was pronounced guilty before noon the following day. But the case never had the chance to be brought to trial, and a number of New York cops weren't convinced. Less than six months later in a flat in New York's Greenwich Village, Sid, himself aged only 21, died of a heroin overdose. For the next 28 years the assumption was that Sid did it - case closed. Over time, the death of Sid and Nancy has passed into rock legend and has only added to the controversial and notorious image of the Sex Pistols and punk music. At the request of Sid's mother, who committed suicide in 1996, rock author and punk expert Alan Parker has devoted himself to discovering what really happened in room 100. Parker has re-interviewed 182 people, re-examined NYPD evidence, and gone back to his original interviews with Sid's mother.
- DirectorDanny GarciaStarsNina AntoniaDavid ArnoffStiv BatorsThe life and times of Stiv Bators, legendary frontman of the Dead Boys and The Lords of The New Church.
- DirectorWilliam E. BadgleyStarsTessa PollittSid ViciousBilly IdolThe tale of the formation, journey and end of the seminal Punk/Reggae band The Slits.
- DirectorJonathan W.C. MillsStarsRikk AgnewTony AlvaJello BiafraA Documentary about the rise of west coast punk rock in the 1970s featuring concert clips from Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Circle Jerks and more.
- DirectorBrendan TollerStarsMx Justin Vivian BondJohn CaleJudy CollinsThe life and times of music manager and publicist Danny Fields, who worked with some of the biggest acts of the '60s and '70s, including the Doors, Cream, Lou Reed, Nico, Judy Collins, the Stooges and the Ramones.
- DirectorJim JarmuschStarsIggy PopJim JarmuschBob WallerAn in-depth look at legendary punk band The Stooges.
- DirectorSarah PriceStarsL7Donita SparksDemetra PlakasA real time journey witnessing the rise, fall, and ultimate redemption of the fierce feminist pioneers of American grunge punk: L7.
- DirectorP. David EbersoleStarsPatty SchemelCourtney LoveEric ErlandsonA documentary that follows Hole drummer Patty Schemel as she struggles with fame and addiction during the band's 1994-1995 world tour and after.
- DirectorSteven SebringStarsPatti SmithLenny KayeOliver RayAn intimate portrait of poet, painter, musician and singer Patti Smith that mirrors the essence of the artist herself.
- DirectorLisa Barros D'SaGlenn LeyburnStarsCathal MaguirePeter KellyCharlie BerkeleyA chronicle of Terri Hooley's life, a record-store owner instrumental in developing Belfast's punk-rock scene.
- DirectorJem CohenStarsBrendan CantyJoe LallyIan MacKayeA collaboration between filmmaker Jem Cohen and the Washington D.C. band Fugazi, covering the 10 year period of 1987-1996. Far from a traditional documentary, this is a musical document; a portrait of musicians at work. The project mixes sync-sound, 16mm.
- DirectorDon LettsStarsK.K. BarrettRoberta BayleyJello BiafraA documentary on the music, performers, attitude and distinctive look that made up punk rock.
- DirectorGrant GeeStarsRichard BoonAnton CorbijnKevin CumminsA chronological account of the influential late 1970s English rock band.
- DirectorRichard LowensteinLynn-Maree MilburnStarsRowland S. HowardGenevieve McGuckinNick CaveFrom myth to legend Rowland Howard appeared on the early Melbourne punk scene like a phantom out of Kafkaesque Prague or Bram Stoker's Dracula. A beautifully gaunt and gothic aristocrat, the unique distinctive fury of his guitar style shot him directly into the imagination of a generation. He was impeccable, the austerity of his artistry embodied in his finely wrought form, his obscure tastes and his intelligently wry wit. He radiated a searing personal integrity that never seemed to tarnish. Despite the trials and tribulations of his career, in an age of makeover and reinvention, Rowland Howard never 'sold out'. With recent and moving interviews, archival interviews and other fascinating and original footage, AUTOLUMINESCENT traces the life of Rowland S Howard. Capturing moments with the man himself and intimate missives from those who knew him behind closed doors; words and images etch light into what has always been the mysterious dark.
- DirectorDaniel SchweizerStarsLaurel AitkenBuster BloodvesselJimmy PurseyA fascinating road movie tracing history and origin of a subculture of youth that is known as one of the most radical and contradictory of our time.
- DirectorHector ChavezStarsLos SaicosBetween 1964 and 1966, Los Saicos were the wildest and most original rock and roll band on the planet, but no one knew about it. Until now.
- DirectorJuan RigirozziA documentary that covers the life of one of the most important bands of the '80s. It has the word of its members and musicians who lived closely the growth of Los Violadores.
- DirectorKeith JonesDeon MaasStarsPaulo ChibangaMichael FleckIvan KadeyThree chords, three countries, one revolution...PUNK IN AFRICA is the story of the multiracial punk movement within the recent political and social upheavals experienced in three Southern African countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
- DirectorMichael HaertleinJonathan YiStarsKengo HiokiKotaro TsukadaYumiko HiokiTwo best friends spent the last fifteen years touring the country in their performance art punk band. When one of them decides to quit, they both face deeper challenges than expected.
- DirectorDrew StoneStarsJonathan AnastasCurtis CasellaChris CorkumA documentary film that explores the early Boston Hardcore music scene from the years 1981 through 1984. Unlike earlier films that were centered on the members of the bands, this film delves into the social and communal aspects of that particular era. The community, culture, straight edge and DIY (do it yourself) ethic of the time are all explored in the film. Never before seen archival footage, photographs, interviews and dramatizations make up the body of the film.
- DirectorOmar MajeedStarsRiz AhmedArieb AzhurAmmar AzizThe word Taqwacore is a combination of hardcore, a genre of punk music, and taqwa, an Arabic word that translates as "piety" or "god-fearing." The first to use the term was writer, journalist, and Muslim convert Michael Muhammad Knight. His novel The Taqwacores, about a group of young Islamic punk rockers, received a storm of recognition among young American Muslims and prompted the formation of various Muslim punk bands.
- DirectorW.T. MorganStarsJohn DoeExene CervenkaBilly ZoomThis film is a documentary about the personalities in, and the music of, the early 1980's Los Angeles punk band X. There are studio and live performances by the band and interviews with band members; all nicely interspersed with footage of area DJs, record stores, old TV shows and commercials.
- DirectorAlex HammondIan MarkiewiczStarsJay ReatardKing Louie BankstonShawn ForeeFor Jimmy Lee Lindsay, life was a mosh pit. Whether it was growing up among crack addicts on the rough side of Memphis, or his years in the rough-and-tumble underground rock scene of the '00s, the man the world came to know as Jay Reatard always had to fight in order to create, to grow, to live, to rise above. For the first time, filmmakers Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz tell Reatard's difficult, tragic, and ultimately inspiring story, tracing his steps from a poverty-stricken childhood to his teen years as a two-fisted tunesmith slugging it out with fans and band-mates alike to his final years as a surprisingly thoughtful and restlessly creative man. While Reatard died too young, his music-and the story that made it possible-is as vital and thrilling as ever.
- DirectorScott CraryStarsRon AlbertsonAngus AndrewTristan BechetNYC's no wave movement of the 1970s and the art punk revival that happened there 30 years later frame a discussion about the crisis of innovation in an age of commodified nostalgia.
- DirectorDavid MarkeyStarsDez CadenaChuck DukowskiGreg HetsonA raw and unparalleled DIY documentary about the West Coast Punk scene made by a group of young fans/filmmakers about the bands they loved.
- DirectorJoe LosurdoChristina TillmanStarsSteve AlbiniVic BondiScotty BrownYou Weren't There: a History of Chicago Punk 1977-1984 is a documentary that looks back on the impact that the Punk movement had on the Windy City. Though overlooked in the annals of Rock history (compared to media centric LA, NYC and London), Chicago served as an important early supporter of the Punk movement in America. "You Weren't There" talks to the DJ's, musicians, promoters, artists and fans who were pivotal in creating the Chicago Punk scene. It also showcases classic archival footage of great Chicago bands such as, Effigies, Naked Raygun, Strike Under, Articles of Faith, as well as lesser known greats like Silver Abuse, DA, The Subverts, Savage Beliefs, Negative Element, Rights of the Accused and many, many more.
- DirectorJames SpoonerStarsRalph DardenMatt DavisMaya GlickAfro-Punk explores race identity within the punk scene. More than your everyday "Behind the Music" or typical "black history month" documentary, this film tackles hard questions, covering issues such as exile, loneliness, inter-racial dating and black power. We follow the lives of four people who have dedicated themselves to the punk rock lifestyle. They find themselves in conflicting situations, living the dual life of a person of color in a mostly white community.
- DirectorKate FixJason SummersStarsFred ColeToody ColeAndrew LoomisUndisputedly written into the annals of rock history and dedicated to the most sincere methods of the DIY ethos, Northwest musicians Dead Moon (Andrew Loomis and Fred & Toody Cole) have intentionally cut out the bullshit, and left the major labels and "commercial success" behind. Unknown Passage: The Dead Mood Story follows the band on the road and at home, chronicling lifestyle rock and rollers who happen to also be small business owners and grandparents. Beginning with footage of a 14 year-old Deep Soul Cole ("the white Stevie Wonder"), Unknown Passage tells the history of one of the most reclusive bands through their various garage, psych, folk, and punk rock incarnations. Today, pressing their records at home, in a house they built from the ground up, Dead Moon run their own "frontier mini-mall," record label and music store, while in their spare time "keep one gig ahead of a day job" by touring through the US and Europe-with the occasional 15-hour penny-slots casino pitstop. Here stands the triumph of a family of "old-west homesteaders" against corporate control and gracelessly growing old. Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story is Fred, Toody & Andrew's Dead Moon experience, a culmination of their 40-year life in music and love.
- DirectorCeline DanhierStarsAmos PoeAnn MagnusonBecky JohnstonDuring the punk rock stage in the late '70s, downtown New York experienced a wave of "Do it yourself" independent filmmaking.
- DirectorMichael BoehlkeCarsten FiebelerStarsCornelia SchleimeColonelDaniel KaiserTells the story of punk in the GDR.
- DirectorMaggi CarsonJuliusz KossakowskiRic ShoreStarsStiv BatorsCheetah ChromeRichard HellDocuments the beginning of the punk rock movement in New York City at CBGB's, a punk night club, and the lifestyle that revolves around this scene. Presents a sometimes shocking look at the attitudes and motivations behind the movement through interviews with outspoken club-goers and band members of the Ramones, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and the Dead Boys.
- DirectorGakuryû IshiiStarsEinstürzende NeubautenBlixa BargeldMark ChungA visual documentary of Einstuerzende Neubauten, the German underground band, by Japanese cult director Sogo Ishii, made during their 1985 tour of Japan. The band makes an elaborate and remarkably choreographed appearance in the ruins of an old ironworks which was scheduled for demolition, and footage of same was incorporated into the movie, and a brief appearance on stage.
- DirectorRoy WallaceStarsJon ActivePetesy BurnsFrancisco CarrenoThrough interviews with major players in the anarchist-punk movement, DAY THE COUNTRY DIED explores the evolution of a genre. Those sharing their views include Colin Jerwood of Conflict, Penny Rimbaud of Crass, Zillah Minx of Rubella Ballet, and more. The release also includes live concert material.
- DirectorFrank PavichStarsTim CohenFreddy CricienVic Di Cara
- DirectorEric MitchellStarsPatti AstorRene RicardTom WrightAn older woman (Astor) looks for love with younger men in a take-off of Sunset Boulevard.
- DirectorDavid MarkeyStarsMitch BurySimeon CainDavo ClaassenRoad documentary of last Black Flag tour - "In My Head"
- DirectorJimmy HendrickxKristian Van der HeydenA portrait of the largest Muslim Punk community in the world, as seen through the eyes of Punk teenagers, in relation to the extreme social, environmental and political environment they live in.
- DirectorJordan AlbertsenStarsMark ArmChris BallewBobby Bennett'Boom' tells the untold story of one of rock 'n' roll's wildest and most influential bands, The Sonics. For the first time ever, all five original members of the band tell the story of how it all went down, beginning to end. 'Boom' takes a deep dive, exploring how a relatively unknown band from the Pacific Northwest became a worldwide phenomenon 50-years after their heyday, and in doing so, shaped music for decades to come (whether it was apparent at the time or not). Featuring interviews with homegrown heroes and breakthrough artists alike, Pearl Jam, The Sex Pistols, Heart, Mudhoney, and many, many more.
- DirectorChris CassidyStarsDennis AndersonLois KahlertLiam GallagherDENNIS AND LOIS is a documentary about a couple of quirky super music fans who've devoted the last 40 years pursuing the thrill of live music and supporting the bands they love. Now, more than ever, the music has become the one thing that keeps them going. The gigs, the artists, and the body-jolting road trips are what Dennis and Lois live for. If you're at a show and you see them in the audience, chances are the band has got that special something. DENNIS AND LOIS will change the way you look at going out to see live music forever.
- DirectorKevin KerslakeStarsJoan JettDavid BowieEvelyn McDonnellDocumentary about rock star Joan Jett.
- DirectorMichael KirchnerMarc PierschelStarsTaylor ClementsIan MacKayeRay CappoIn 1981, the Minor Threat song "Straight Edge" unleashed a youth subculture eschewing drugs and alcohol throughout the punk scene. This documentary traces the movement's evolution over the years.
- DirectorSteven CantorMatthew GalkinStarsFrank BlackKim DealDavid LoveringloudQUIETloud is the story of this unforseen plot twist. A deeply compelling portrait of four band members and their difficult, tense, and ultimately triumphant return.
- DirectorKeven McAlesterStarsByron ColeyPaul Drummond13th Floor ElevatorsDocumentary about rock pioneer Roky Erickson, detailing his rise as a psychedelic hero, his lengthy institutionalization, his descent into poverty and filth, and his brother's struggle with their religious mother to improve Roky's care.
- DirectorAllan ArkushJoe DanteStarsP.J. SolesVincent Van PattenClint HowardRamones fanatic and delinquent Riff Randell battles it out with the strict new principal of Vince Lombardi High School, Miss Togar, with help from the Ramones.
- DirectorJack HazanDavid MingayStarsRay GangeJoe StrummerMick JonesA young British punk and roadie for The Clash navigates life in socially torn 1970s England.
- DirectorChristopher CollinsStarsBeki BondageGarry BushellCarol ClerkFeaturing interviews, live concert footage, and a feature on how punk was transformed from a trend to a way of life, UK/DK is a comprehensive look at the skinhead/punk movement. Some of the most notorious bands on the scene are featured, including The Exploited, The Vice Squad, The Adicts and many more.
- DirectorPaul BishowJames June SchneiderStarsCynthia ConnollyDante FerrandoSkip GroffExplore why the sounds and ideas from this influential music continue to inspire around the world. Featuring bands such as Bad Brains, it creates a movement that redefined a genre and became a model for social and political engagement.
- StarsIggy PopHenry RollinsJohn LydonOriginal interviews with America's punk pioneers and the U.K.'s most notorious bands.
- DirectorSami SaifStarsMerle AllinArleta BairdGG AllinIn New Hampshire, a legend is buried. GG Allin, the most outrageous singer in rock'n roll history. He was known for defecating on stage, fighting and having sex with the audience. He died a mythological death from a heroin overdose in 1993, aged 37. Directed by the award-winning director Sami Saif, THE ALLINS is a loving and entertaining look at the family of the departed rock singer. Twenty years on from his all too premature passing in 1993, we meet GG's mother Arleta and brother Merle, each of whom in their own personal way has tried to come to terms with GG's death. Arleta tackles her grief by having her son's gravestone removed from the cemetery in New Hampshire. She is tired of watching his fans pay tribute to GG by vandalizing his grave. That is not the son she wants to remember. She wants to remember GG, the man - a loving son and brother. Brother Merle, on the other hand, keeps himself and the myth about the world's most destructive rock'n roll musician going by selling merchandise and by breathing life into their old joint band, Murder Junkies. As the family story unfolds - from an impoverished childhood ruled by a tyrannical, brutal father to an adult life marked by a complete lack of boundaries, which in GG's case ended in drugs, violence and prison - Arleta and Merle try to find themselves and their common past.
- DirectorApril JonesStarsSteve BroyEric CarlsonDave ChandlerHow did three losers from Seattle shock, inspire, and offend masses worldwide? One of the most offensive bands to emerge from the 70's, the trio played a role in corrupting society and defending freedom of speech, culminating in a shocking conspiracy.
- DirectorMark HejnarStarsGG AllinMike DianaFull Force FrankThis 45 minute documentary by Mark Hejnar is a sort of Whitman's Sampler of sickness, chronicling such wildly diverse and extreme personalities as G.G. Allin, Mike Diana, Full Force Frank, GLOD, Annie Sprinkle, and others. This collection of short clips and vile moments is certainly NOT for the squeamish, as these are the artists and performers who have taken the term "free expression" to it's limits--and beyond.
- DirectorVideo RahimStarsGG AllinRene BaileyBernardThe Bible Belt and Punk Rock collide in the most controversial documentary of the year, chronicling two years in the life of Knoxville white trash punk band The Dirty Works. Centered on self-destructive frontman Christopher Scum, take a peek inside a seedy underworld where mental illness, addition, violence and family dysfunction fuel creative vision. One part Hated, one part The Story of Anvil.
- DirectorGreg WhiteleyStarsArthur KaneDavid JohansenSylvain SylvainA recovering alcoholic and recently converted Mormon, Arthur "Killer" Kane, of the rock band The New York Dolls, is given a chance at reuniting with his band after 30 years.
- DirectorRodney AscherDavid LawrenceRyan SextonStarsSteve BroyEric CarlsonEl DuceBetween appearing in supporting roles in General Hospital and local TV commercials, Ryan Sexton spent the early 90s documenting the life and art of El Duce, lead singer of the notorious shock rock band The Mentors. Famous for taking the stage in black executioner hoods, the band spent a few moments in the national spotlight after some of their most offensive lyrics were denounced on the floor of the US Senate. 25 years later, David Lawrence and Rodney Ascher dive into the long unseen VHS footage searching for clues about who El Duce really was, how much of his disturbing persona was for real, and what an act built around a cartoonish sense of violent misogyny can tell us about our own time and place.
- DirectorHeather Rose DominicStarsMichael AzerradSonic BoomTimothy BrockProfiles the birth and growth of the punk rock DIY record label, K Records, based in Olympia, Washington.
- DirectorAl FlipsideStarsDennis BoonIan MacKayeMinor Threat
- DirectorTed HaimesStarsBonoDavid BowieGerald Casale'Punk' Strips Music To Its Angry Roots BYLINE: EDWARD GUTHMANN, Chronicle Staff Critic 4 Star Rating PUNK: Documentary. With Johnny Rotten, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, Chrissie Hynde, Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone. Directed, Written and Produced by Ted Haimes. (Not rated. 68 minutes. At the Red Vic Movie House through June 18.) ------------------------------------------------------------- If you thought you'd heard the last word on punk, or believed -- as I did -- that Penelope Spheeris' 1981 film ''The Decline of Western Civilization'' was the definitive punk documentary, you were wrong. Say hello to ''Punk'' , a smart, bracing, thoroughly enjoyable film that recalls the punk movement in England and the United States, pinpoints its roots and legacy, and interviews all the players who defined the genre. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols is on board, along with Joe Strummer of the Clash, Elvis Costello (who says he never identified with punk), Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, Joey Ramone of the Ramones and Malcolm McLaren, the effete London haberdasher who created the Sex Pistols. Unlike ''The Decline of Western Civilization,'' which offered an insider's look at the L.A. punk culture at the time it was happening and was followed by a 1988 sequel, ''Punk'' benefits from hindsight -- from a wisdom and insight that weren't possible when mosh pits, body slams and screaming bloody outrage were still cutting-edge. ''It was a great time because it was so spontaneous and pure,'' says wraithlike poet Patti Smith, whose mid-'70s success slightly predated punk. Adds John Doe of the Los Angeles band X: ''It was reclaiming rock 'n' roll to a simple message -- and wasn't a big, bloated, corporate, limousine, cocaine- ridden bunch of s--.'' Directed and written by Ted Haimes, and executive-produced by Quincy Jones and Andrew Solt (''This Is Elvis,'' ''Imagine''), ''Punk'' benefits from an amazing trove of film clips -- Costello's first TV appearance, David Byrne and the Talking Heads in 1975 -- and wisely lets the material speak for itself instead of imposing an overlay of critical analysis. The participants do the interpreting in ''Punk,'' whether it's Bono of U2 praising Smith for her blend of the profane and the sacred; Strummer admitting that the Clash ripped off its sound, as did most Brit punk bands, from the Ramones; or guitarist Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols recalling, ''I couldn't play and Johnny Rotten couldn't sing and it created this horrible noise.'' Horrible noise, perhaps, but the energy and fury that fueled it were inescapable and demanded a voice. Once that rage was diluted and turned into New Wave, Rotten argues, the whole point of punk was destroyed. ''(New Wave) was a complete corruption of everything,'' he says. ''Everybody tried to be nice all over again. Don't be nice; it's the kiss of death.'' We also learn that the Sex Pistols modeled their anarchistic, screw-off style after the glam-rock New York Dolls. Contrary to the standard media perception, ''Punk'' insists, the movement wasn't born in Britain but had its antecedents in such American performers as Iggy Pop, MC5 and the Velvet Underground and actually took form at CBGB, a dumpy biker bar in Manhattan's Bowery. ''Punk'' also demonstrates how the grunge rock of the early '90s -- Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day -- can be directly traced to the punk stylists of the '70s. So much for the notion that punk was a brief aberration that existed in a vacuum -- something that ended with Sid Vicious' death rattle. ''Punk'' celebrates the blasting energy of its subject, but also demonstrates the costs of unbridled rage and self-abuse. When Kurt Cobain died at 27, Iggy Pop says, ''it brought home to me, as many things have in my maturity, that this is a dangerous business -- dangerous for the practitioners.''
- DirectorPeter GlantzNick NoeStarsBrian ChippendaleBrian GibsonJohn DwyerLightning Bolt's 2001 tour through the United States, featuring live performances and interviews with the the band, friends and family.
- DirectorJohn LuceroStarsJay AdamsSteve AlbaTony AlvaDocumentary about Duane's life, his battle against drug addiction, his career as a skateboarder, singer and how he is trying to build a new life.
- DirectorTim ArmstrongStarsTim ArmstrongRob AstonTravis Barker
- DirectorJack CurranStarsBillie Joe ArmstrongTim ArmstrongChris BauermeisterStarting with its inception in 1986, the all-ages nonprofit punk venue at 924 Gilman St. in Berkeley, Calif., was a mainstay of a thriving music scene. In this punk-tastic documentary, filmmaker Jack Curran takes a loving look at the historic club. Chronicling the DIY roots of the volunteer-run establishment, the program features interviews with Jello Biafra, Ian McKaye, Lars Frederickson and Matt Freeman, as well as many live performances.
- DirectorTodd PhillipsStarsGG AllinMerle AllinBrian Unk HunterDocumentary about notorious punk rock performer GG Allin.
- StarsBillie Joe ArmstrongJello BiafraDavid ByrneLou Reed narrates this Television special that takes a look back at the beginnings of the punk rock movements in New York & England, the underground punk scenes in the 70's & 80's, and the punk resurgence in the 90's. A collaboration between VH1 and Spin magazine.
- DirectorRichard SchenkmanStarsRoberta BayleyJohn HolmstromBilly IdolAn in-depth look at the auspicious production of D.O.A. A Rite of Passage, the documentary funded by High Times founder Tom Forcade in which guerrilla filming methods captured the first (and only) U.S. tour of the notorious Sex Pistols.
- DirectorPaul YoungStarsPat BrownConnie ChungChuck DukowskiLocals formed vigilante groups to fight it, Police used legal force to repress it, City officials wanted to ban it entirely. This never before released feature length documentary was filmed in the early 80's and exposes the punk rock scene that was going on at the infamous Cuckoo's Nest club owned by Jerry Roach.
- DirectorSarah FisherStarsNoah LevineMeditate and Destroy is a feature documentary about punk rock, spirituality, and inner rebellion. This powerful documentary shows how author Noah Levine (Dharma Punx, Against the Stream) uses his personal experience and punk-rock sensibilities to connect with young people within juvenile halls and urban centers around the country. Tattoos, motorcycles, and an engaging punk rock soundtrack are featured in this hard-hitting look at how Buddhism has a place in the world of punks.