The Decline of Western Civilization

Name: The Decline of Western Civilization
Genre: History, Music, Documentary
Released: July 5, 1981
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 93
Cast: Alice Bag, Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Claude Bessy

1981

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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The Decline Of Western Civilization

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Movie Details & Credits

Nu-Image | Release Date: July 5, 1981 | Not Rated

Starring: Alice Bag, Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Claude Bessy, Darby Crash, Dinah Cancer, Don Bolles, Exene Cervenka, Philo Cramer

Summary: The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.

Director: Penelope Spheeris

Genre(s): History, Music, Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 100 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Nathan Rabin

A movie so pungent and filled with sweaty intensity that you can practically smell the rank body odour of the film's subjects as they hurl their bodies against each other in a frenzy of aggression or perform as if in a trance, soaked with perspiration. Read full review

100

Janet Maslin

A shrewd and engrossing documentary even for audiences who have absolutely no patience for the music it includes. Read full review

100

Richard Harrington

The Decline . . . of Western Civilization is a bracing primer to just about anything one might want to know about the hard-core punk scene. At the same time, it's remarkably evenhanded, making no judgment on the musical or social standards of the movement. Director Penelope Spheeris neither champions, patronizes nor condescends to the participants' stylized fury. The result is a film that will appeal equally to the furious and the curious, assuming that both enter the arena with an open mind. [10 Nov 1981, p.D2]

100