American Hardcore
Release Date:
September 22, 2006
Limited release
Movie of the Day for Wednesday, September 13, 2006
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American Hardcore is another in the spate of music-based documentaries to come out in 2006. Instead of concentrating on one particular artist, American Hardcore chronicles the post-punk hardcore music scene in the U.S. which included such bands as Minor Threat, Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Bad Brains. Based upon the 2001 book of the same name by Steven Blush, who wrote the script for the film, it is directed by music video helmer Paul Rachman.
The significance of this music is sometimes lost on music historians and rock fans alike, which Blush has acknowledged was the impetus for his book. The United States was entering its more conservative, Reagan-era time of prosperity and these bands, and the subculture that it spawned were generally disenfrachised 18-25 males looking for an outlet. Generally credited with being the influence for many of the grunge acts of the '90s who achieved significant amounts of fame and comercial success, the genre was in its heyday (if such a small but intense scene had such a thing) from 1980-1986, mostly Southern California and Washington DC(the two major epicenters of the hardcore scene). The 90 minute film contains archival video and still footage, as well as interviews with members of the scene and some of the artists of today that owe their success to these early trailblazers. Rhino is set to release the accompanying soundtrack. After making the festival rounds, including a stop at Sundance, the movie is set to open in September 2006. (Stephanie DeGateo/BOP)
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