American Hardcore (Paul Rachman, 2006)
This documentary on the first wave of American hardcore punk made me realize something: as much as I love the music, if I were of the appropriate age when this music scene picked up, I probably wouldn't have been into it. Way too violent for my more bookish tastes. It's so much safer to listen to Black Flag, MDC, and the Circle Jerks in the comfort of my own home......
This film was a treasure trove of great footage from the era, however. Once again, pretty standard in its portrayal, but there was enough meat to it to keep me engaged. For someone who's not into hardcore, however, the subject matter alone wouldn't hold enough interest as the format just doesn't stand up on its own.
I liked how the filmmaker tried to delve a bit into the more problematic, troublesome aspects of the original hardcore movement, such as sexism, racism, and violence. However, the director only scratched the surface and not much more. What can you do?