Mississippi Records, Wyrd War, and the Hollywood Theatre present a
double feature of digital restorations of THE DECLINE OF WESTERN
CIVILIZATION Parts 1 and 3, with director Penelope Spheeris in
attendance!
PART 1 (1981): Their message is brutally clear:
destroy the old and make way for the new. This is the punk’s violent
revolution. This film is a riveting, unflinching account of the punk
rock phenomenon and its alienated, reactionary subculture. This fierce,
bleak portrait documents L.A.’s infamous punk bands as they perform on
stage and discuss their lives, music, and philosophy off stage. Through
interviews with punk fans, music critics, and club owners, it is a
crucial, compelling statement of the most influential youth movement and
musical transformation of the past three decades. Including
performances by X, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Fear, Catholic Discipline,
Germs, and Alice Bag Band.
PART 3 (1998): Whereas the first
installment of the trilogy concerned itself with the birth of a new
music genre, PART 3 focuses on the lifestyles and backgrounds of the
fans. Many of them are homeless or occupy squats as their living
quarters. They simultaneously evoke emotions of deep empathy and severe
disdain, as they present a subculture that is impossible to ignore. The
film delves into the underside of this subculture to indicate that
Johnny Rotten’s “No Future” reference has taken on a new meaning. A
seldom seen picture of life and death on the back streets of Hollywood.