The Decline of Western Civilization
Seen it?1981 | 100 min | Documentary, Music
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (93 on Metacritic). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious. If you loved Stop Making Sense or The Last Waltz, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 40 min.
- What might put you off
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
93 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 93K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Stop Making Sense
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Cast & crew
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
- Eugene TatuSelf
- Alice BagSelf
- Claude BessySelf
- Dinah CancerSelf
- Exene CervenkaSelf
- Lorna DoomSelf
- Darby CrashSelf
- Don BollesSelf
- Philo CramerSelf
- John DoeSelf