American Hardcore
by Paul Rachman
List Price:
Our Price: $10.99
You Save: $3.95 (26%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $6.44 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Alex Gonzalez (IX), Alvin Robertson, Dave Smalley, Dez Cadena, Vic BondiDirector: Paul Rachman
Brand: Sony
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-02-20
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Movie Reviews of American Hardcore
Movie Review: American Hardcore - The Special Features Make This Product
Summary: 5 Stars
American Hardcore
This movie is not a definite history of hardcore music or punk rock. Instead, it's more of a documentary about a select and connected number of hardcore music scenes in cities across the USA. The documentary isn't even totally about the music but more about the culture of hardcore and the world that existed inside and outside of the scene.
While there are some shortcomings to American Hardcore, all of them fade away once you start making your way through the special features. I will list both positives and negatives as I see them, but overall I still feel this movie is an important historical work.
To me, I think the filmmakers chose select musicians largely based upon subjective views of what "hardcore" was, a smaller part of the punk scene. As such, it is true that some groups were excluded. Yet it should be noted that there are other movies on the much larger punk scene. I also know that legal issues surrounding certain groups played a part in some of them being excluded. I think the criticism about the missing or lightly covered bands, while valid, has been over-emphasized.
When you watch this movie from start to finish as a sociological documentary on the hard-core culture, you will come away with a very good feel for the many different and diverse groups and sub-cultures within the scene. To me, that in and of itself is a great accomplishment.
One of the things we learn is the role of gay and minority musicians within the scene. This helps to eliminate the misconceptions about who made this music and who it was against. One thing that is also clear, at least from the limited groups profiled in this movie: musicianship ranged from really poor to exceptional among the bands, and at the very top of that hierarchy was Bad Brains.
The Cons
The documentary itself could have been better edited. The film is made up of clips of different former hardcore scene members discussing aspects of the music and the times. There seem to be way to many cuts from one person to the next, and they often moved too quickly. While they have their names repeatedly captioned, I found myself having to pause and rewind to catch a lot of the names.
The whole Reagan theme really seemed over-played to me. The political aspects of hardcore definitely come through as important. Yet it seems to be so much more than that. I agree with those who have said that hardcore would have rebelled against whoever was in power.
One thing I have not seen mentioned was the very light treatment of hardcore music within neo-nazi and other extremist groups. It is mentioned, but a true historical context would have included the other side of the coin regarding how people of color and other groups were treated and percieved by many hardcore fans.
The Special Features
If I had to rate the documentary alone, it might have been a lower rating. Going through the special features turned out to be the treasure trove I had been looking for. These special features add 3 stars on their own, and if I could I would have given this 6 or 7 stars.
Of course there is a standard writer and director commentary feature that lets aspiring film students and other history junkies get some background on the movie.
There are also 6 included recordings of historic live performances, including:
1. MDC - "Corporate Deathburger"
2. Bad Brains - "Big Takeover"
3. SSD - "Boiling Point"
4. Void - "My Rules"
5. YDI - "Enemy For Life"
6. Jerry's Kids - "I Don't Belong"
Several other more recent performances were included from premier parties for American Hardcore, one from DOA and one from Circle Jerks.
And there is also a very nice feature about the photography of Ed Colver which is used in the movie. The fact that these pictures were taken with a low end camera and lenses is even more amazing and totally consistent with the way so much of this music was made.
Even the included previews were awesome, many of them about movies I've already seen and several about other music related features that I'm definitely going to see now. Sony Pictures Classics has really been doing great in bringing specialty music movies to the market.
The real gem in these features were the deleted scenes. This footage alone could have been used to make another movie, and most of it was good enough that it could have been included in the movie. There is over 1 HOUR of this stuff! Truly amazing, and thank you to the filmmakers for including this here. All movie companies should take note and start doing this. These extra clips have a historical value and will help anybody who goes to research this topic in the future.
Conclusion
Would it have been nice to have an entire history of all of punk rock including all of the better known bands? Yes, but that's not what this is. After watching this I was left with a much greater respect for Sony Pictures Classics for making this at all. It is very difficult to invest the time and money to acquire, market and distribute a movie like this.
Not all hard-core fans will be pleased with the documentary, but all should appreciate this DVD version much more if they watch all the extras that are included.
If you love learning about music you have a lot to gain from watching this.
Enjoy!
Summary of American Hardcore
The history of hardcore punk--the tougher, faster, and more politically minded stepchild of the '70s punk movement that arose in the '80s--is examined in exuberant detail in Paul Rachman's documentary American Hardcore. Rachman's cameras careen across the landscape of the U.S. to trace the movement's beginnings in cities like Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York, and cherrypicks interviews with the musicians that helped shape its sound and impact, including Henry Rollins and Greg Ginn of Black Flag, H.R. (frontman for the highly influential, all-African American outfit Bad Brains), Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat (and now Fugazi), and many others. Hardcore's violent reaction against the Reagan administration and the complacent mindset of middle-class America is also detailed in countless performance footage clips and poster-art reproductions, which do much to dismiss the popular opinion of hardcore as nothing more than mindless hooliganism. Some fans may find the omission of certain bands a considerable oversight (San Francisco's lethally satirical Dead Kennedys are not mentioned only in passing), but for most punk devotees, American Hardcore will be vital and essential viewing. The DVD includes several deleted scenes and bonus performances, commentary by Rachman and writer Steven Blush (whose book of the same name provided the inspiration for the film), and a gallery of photos from photographer Edward Colver, who covered the hardcore scene in detail during its heyday. -- Paul GaitaStills from American Hardcore (click for larger image)
 |  |
 |  |
Fueled by a ferocious soundtrack director Paul Rachman's AMERICAN HARDCORE gives fans an all-access pass to the rise and fall of the U.S. punk scene an explosive musical and cultural phenomenon that shaped everything from the grunge movement to the emo and pop/punk music currently riding the charts. Set against the conservative early '80s political landscape AMERICAN HARDCORE chronicles the homegrown hardcore scene that was a swift kick in the head to corporate rock and mainstream complacency as disaffected teens adopted the same collective credo - harder faster louder. From downtown warehouses to suburban bedrooms the scene spread from city to city like wildfire uniting bored angry outcasts into an authentic underground revolution. A raw blast of politics passion and rage AMERICAN HARDCORE features never-before-seen live footage from Black Flag Minor Threat Bad Brains MDC SSD DOA DRI The Adolescents 7 Seconds and many more plus exclusive interviews with punk icons like Henry Rollins Ian MacKaye Keith Morris and H.R. (Paul Hudson).System Requirements:Running Time: 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating: R UPC: 043396170940 Manufacturer No: 17094
Music Video & Concerts DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in My list of good documentaries I have viewed this year so far.......
NOVA: Mind of a Serial KillerRelease date: 2005-03-22; DVD
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Open Road - America Looks at AgingRelease date: 2005-07-19; DVD
Best price: $12.62
Price in other shops:
Harvest of FearUNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP DISTRIBUTION; Release date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $3.89
Price in other shops:
NOVA: Volcano Under the CityRelease date: 2006-02-07; DVD
Best price: $10.68
Price in other shops:
Secret of the Holy GrailRelease date: 2005-05-17; DVD
Best price: $18.81
Price in other shops:
Crusade - The Life of Billy GrahamRelease date: 2005-03-08; DVD
Best price: $7.74
Price in other shops:
Opus Dei and the Da Vinci CodeRelease date: 2006-04-11; DVD
Best price: $14.28
Price in other shops:
Me & Isaac NewtonRelease date: 2001-09-21; DVD
Best price: $13.13
Price in other shops:
Wisconsin Death TripRelease date: 2004-02-24; DVD
Best price: $18.23
Price in other shops:
Hands on a Hard BodyRelease date: 2000-01-18; DVD
Best price: $172.40
Similar DVD Movies
N.Y.H.C. (Documentary)Ryko Distribution; Release date: 2008-03-25; DVD
Best price: $14.51
Price in other shops:
Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991by Michael Azerrad
Back Bay Books; Published: 2002-07-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.65
Price in other shops:
Bad Brains - Bad BrainsRelease date: 1996-03-19; Music CD
Best price: $9.58
Price in other shops:
Punk - AttitudeRelease date: 2005-09-06; DVD
Best price: $21.52
Price in other shops:
Another State of MindRelease date: 2004-08-24; DVD
Best price: $10.68
Price in other shops:
SuburbiaRelease date: 2005-12-26; DVD
Best price: $28.48
We Jam Econo - The Story of the MinutemenRelease date: 2006-06-27; DVD
Best price: $13.11
Price in other shops:
Original Soundtrack - American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock 1980-1986Release date: 2006-10-10; Music CD
Best price: $11.43
Price in other shops:
American Hardcore: A Tribal Historyby Steven Blush
Feral House; Published: 2001-11-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.24
Price in other shops:
Bad Brains Live - CBGB 1982Release date: 2006-09-19; DVD
Best price: $10.12
Price in other shops: