Punks Not Dead
Laemmle Sunset 5 Theaters
The Sunset Strip
West Hollywood, CA
By Victoria Joyce
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)
Drop what you are doing and go see this movie. Now. Seriously. It’s a perfect film. You will giggle like a maniac.
Director slash producer, Susan Dynner is the mother of this baby. Starting out with her own portfolio of still photographs from hometown DC in the 80s, she took three years to put this definitive historical documentary together. And on her own dime.
Punk rockers and bands that disappeared and those that survived and thrived, the history and the evolution of punk and what passes punk and everyone you ever saw, heard of and/or love are in this panoramic film.
Getting great reviews and winning festival prizes, this rockumenatary should do very well. Featuring the bands that started it and interviews with the players, DJs, journalists, club owners and fanatics that were there when the scene started, as it is now and ever shall be, they all put in their two cents.
Talking heads and performance footage; everyone is in this movie; Billy Idol, Sham 69, Green Day, Social D, The Ramones, Henry Rollins, Joe Escalante and Chris Morris to name a few.
These last three guys are all DJ’s on LA’s Indie 103.One weird thing, conspicuous by his absence was Indie’s midday star, Mr. Steve Jones. But no matter, his band, The Sex Pistols is covered.
One of our favorite moments was the reflection on the festivals and ‘selling out’ is answered with “what could be more punk than taking their money?” Indeed. And some crazy fans screaming “Green Day is not Punk!” And just saying that makes them punk.
There are screenings going on all over the country and it should soon be on Netflix. Don’t fail to see this film.
You will gladly stay for the credit roll just to see the hundreds of names of all these great bands and musicians. We are still smiling.