Decline of Western Civilization Part 2 - The Metal Years |  | Director: Penelope Spheeris
Actors: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley (ii)
Category: Video
Buy Used: $38.29
Used (4) from $38.29
Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 4572
Format: Ntsc
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
UPC: 043396098435
EAN: 0043396098435
ASIN: B00000F35I
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: original box cover in plastic case, sticker # 101506 on the outside plastic case has been cleaned, plays great, guaranteed good condition
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 A headbangin' good time, if you're old enough to have actually been there. December 20, 2007
Robert P. Beveridge (Cleveland, OH)
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (Penelope Spheeris, 1988)
What is truly fascinating about this film is that there's so much more to it than there seems to be. While Spheeris seems to want this to come off as a sort of Errol Morris-liek "give 'em enough rope" documentary, the hand of the maker is very much in evidence if you look.
The greatest example of this is the amazing dichotomy between the bands we see interviewed and the bands we see perform. To a one, the interviewed bands (those who don't perform, anyway) have stood the test of time, and are still regarded as good, or great, bands today-- Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, etc. The bands we see perform, on the other hand... well, it's embarrassing to admit I actually listened to some of that stuff in 1988, and I can only look back and wonder what on Earth I was thinking buying Faster Pussycat albums. Is it coincidence that all the live footage is godawful, while all the bands without live footage are, well, not? I have my doubts.
Then there's the Chris Holmes interview. (Some might take W. A. S. P. guitarist Holmes as the exception to my rule above. I don't think so-- W. A. S. P. and The Last Command have, at least in my collection, been in sporadic rotation for over two decades.) It sits there like the eight hundred pound elephant in the room in stark contrast to the deluded silliness of the amateurs and the "oh, man, that lifestyle just sucked when I lived it" cynicism of the professionals. But I think there's more to it than just stark contrast; Holmes sits alone in his position in the film, guitarist for a band who's actually gotten to the heights all the amateurs are dreaming of, but not yet gone on to icon status. Is he a symbol of what all the amateurs are aspiring to? Is he just another step on the road to icon status? Both of the above? Who knows? It's hard to look at Holmes' interview in any sort of analytical way; it's set up in such a way as to provoke the maximum emotional response, and it succeeds tremendously. It is probably also worth noting that when London, during their interview, rattle off the names of the guys who came through the band and then went on to make it big, one name is conspicuous in its absence-- that of W. A. S. P. lead singer Blackie Lawless. Again, I wonder whether anything in this movie is in any way coincidental.
Seen twenty years later, The Decline of Western Civilization II is a fascinating look into the world of "what the hell were we thinking?". Highly recommended for overgrown headbangers who are now deaf, or on their way to it. ***
 Every musician needs to see this movie! August 15, 2007
Steven A. Ewing (st. louis)
This was a really powerful time in music. My jaw was on the ground the first time I saw it. These guys really were rock stars!
Release it on DVD already February 19, 2007
Glaze (American Fork, Utah USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of the very best movies on metal music by far. Deserves to be released on dvd...
The Hollywood Club scene... May 21, 2006
Draconis Blackthorne (The Haunted Noctuary)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Features interviews with notables in The Heavy Metal genre, fans, groupies, and aspiring musicians, with performances by Odin, Lizzy Borden {still performing}, London {post- Nikki Sixx}, Seduce {who really did possess some talent there}, and Megadeth {before they mega-died}.
Questions range from the plans of the musicians if they are not successful {from what I have seen, most did not - considering their apparent adamance, I wonder how many of them actually became homeless, conformed, became involved in other positions within the music industry, or otherwise died*; among them all. I did recognize Vixen who went on to experience some success with an album}, to the "satanism" angle, which was limited {perhaps thankfully} to 'the devil horns' hand gesture, most comically explained by a Christian probation officer as containing the ubiquitous authority of The Devil with the upthrust fingers, and the three pointing down representing the denial of the Christian trinity, also containing '666' within the bend of the fingers - I honestly do not believe any of the 'rockers' and 'metalheads' even considered that more involved Occult symbology, and just lift it in the air as a habit, but was probably first used by Ronnie James Dio as relating to Heavy Metal. She also had quite a collection of confiscated gauntlets, studded fingerless gloves, spiked bracelets, and collars - no doubt plenty of records and tapes as well.
A cleaned-up Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith relate tales of their narcotic excesses, a rehabilitated Ozzy Osbourne has an amusingly pleasant morning chat while preparing breakfast {at one point, he misses a glass almost completely while pouring some orange juice and talking about his own alcoholism and drug use}, Alice Cooper in full makeup on the theatrical set takes umbrage at a certain band for what he feels is unjustified replication, KISS' Gene Simmons offers intelligent and concise commentary on the going-on within the industry, Paul Stanley also offers cohesive commentary amongst a bevy of beauties in bed, Lemmy Kilmeister of Motorhead offers gruff realities overlooking Hollywood, and WASP's {at the time} Chris Holmes drunkenly rambles on about his intoxicated exploits as his poor mother sits poolside, progressively becoming more inebriated with two bottles of Vodka - one can readily perceive his unfortunate mental degeneration.
I thought club owner and sharp dresser Bill Gazzarri had quite a remarkably life-loving attitude, offering great opportunities to many bands who may otherwise would have never seen the spotlight, and initiated salacious events such as dance and strip contests for sexy young ladies. His commercials were heavily circulated on 105.5 KNAC at the time, which was the only Heavy Metal radio station in the L.A. area - now there are none. KNAC DJ Tawn Mastrey was also featured herein.
Ultimately, I feel 'The Decline of Western Civilization part 2: The Metal Years' was an accurate, though somewhat limited documentary of the 80's Metal subculture, although I personally would have liked to have seen interviews with Venom, King Diamond, Possessed, Bathory, Manowar, and Celtic Frost as well. Perhaps there will eventually be a part 4, focusing on these 'dark bands'? It would be interesting, but whether or not they are actual Satanists would be another matter altogether. This film concentrates largely on Hollywood 'pop-metal' and Glam rock.
_________
* Incidentally, 'The Decline of Western Civilization part 3' features interviews with some of the homeless street dwellers of Hollywood.
A relief from todays Crap Metal October 25, 2005
J. Barber (Jonesboro, AR)
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
This rocumentary shows the metal era of the 80's. With interviews from bands of the 70's, and 80's, it shows what the metal scene is really about, Energy, Fun, and Being different from everything else and also gives you some insight on the downside of the music industry. If you get a chance to see DWCII TMY, get it, watch it, and see what was so great and fun about the 80's metal scene and find out why todays so called metal is nothing but sound alike downers who don't know what true metal is about (PURE ENERGY + FUN).
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