American Hardcore ***

Director: Paul Rachman

Year: 2006

Book by: Steven Blush

A documentary explaining the history of the american hardcore punk rock scene from 1980 to 1986. Well done, uses various archive video taken from live shows, often using the original poor sound quality which adds to the realism of the documentary. Doesn't glamorize it too much, although some of the musicians (now mid-life) talk about it like the good old days, the doc seems like a fairly objective overview of the scene and its cultural context, while zooming in on a hand full of bands credited with being the most important to the growth of the scene... Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat being the big four. I personally don't know much about this early 80's hardcore, but as a music fan and bit of a hobby musicologist, I feel like I got a thorough 101 course, and although personally don't feel an especially strong connection with this extremely angry branch of the rock and roll family tree, I will be hunting down some of the key bands music and trying to learn more. This is exactly what I want from a music documentary, to educate me about the context of the scene and the dynamics of the bands involved with the movement, and to give me a chance to find new music.

Well done, but not a radically revealing film, nor does it cinematically rise above a sort of a visual musicology essay. Also, unless you either like hardcore music or can appreciate it, I don't think you'll want to sit through it. For that it sits as a good movie, and if you are drawn to the subject matter I absolutely suggest it, but if you don't like it, I wouldn't steer you towards it.

More academic ultimately than a documentary like Anvil: The Story of Anvil! which, although following a has-been metal band, you don't have to be a metal head to enjoy. That film is a human story, and therefore cinematic, and a film I would just as easily suggest to a metal music fan as I would someone who prefers easy listening.