THE DECLINE of WESTERN CIVILIZATION Documentary

We were young teenage hardcore youth, & our backs were against the wall – society did not give a fuck about us! Authority was Public Enemy Number One, the L.A.P.D were out get us, jocks wanted to kick our ass, and our families wanted to have us committed or sent to punk rock boot camp. You know we took a stand against all of this bullshit, because we knew we were the future & we refused to brainwashed. There was one film maker who understood where we were coming from – her name was Penelope Spheeris. In 1980, she put out her on point documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, and suddenly the misfits that society loved to hate had a face & voice. This film documented the Los Angeles punk movement & the start of the LA hardcore scene. Penelope & her crew were given access to the scene like no one before; she treated everyone she filmed with respect, and while watching The Decline of Western Civilization, you never get a sense of exploitation. I’m not sure if they knew it or not, but this documentary made and captured history. She was able to get epic performances on film by The Germs, Black Flag, Fear X, & many more. Some of the best parts of the film are when she interviews the kids from the scene – they gave very interesting views on the society in which they lived. The Decline of Western Civilization was the beginning of a trilogy, there are two more rad Spheeris movies after this…more about them in another post. If you have not seen this documentary of punk history, we are here to help you. After the jump, question authority & watch The Decline of Western Civilization NOW!