Customer Reviews

Suburbia: Roger Corman's Cult Classics

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When she directed Wayne's World in 1992, Penelope Spheeriswas already a 10 year film veteran. Her opus immediately preceding Suburbia was the great pUnK rOcK gospel, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), for which she gained a lasting reputation as a documentarian of American musical culture.

Unlike every other director in the 80's (except for Repo Man's Alex Cox, who did the original score for Suburbia), Spheeris knew that punk rock was about more than just having goofy hair, wearing a leather jacket, or aping that Billy Idol sneer. Instead of hoping for a credible performance from actors, she cast real punk rock kids, some of whom were really homeless! Her ensemble of non-actors turned out to be lovable, believable, and endearing. They are mostly innocent and unconscious of themselves or the camera, which has prompted the most criticism. We're not used to watching movies in which people don't (or can't) act. But this is the nature of the documentary style! Spheeris did not want acting, she wanted reacting and interacting. The relationships and the people come across as real and involving. Contrary to some claims, these kids do embody the punk rock experience of the 80's. I was there and can attest that the 'scene' in Suburbia was genuine. Best of all, punk rockers were portrayed as real people with the same fears, hopes, and dreams you and I have...

Also, people who criticize the production quality of Suburbia are missing the point entirely. Everything was shot on location in the "wrong" part of the Los Angeles suburbs, using mostly available light and sound. The script was thin, the acting non-existent, and the budget was obviously close to that of Kevin Smith's Clerks. But the whole of Suburbia is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts.

There are several great musical sequences in Suburbia, including live performances by The Vandals, TSOL, and D.I. Look for Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, Flea, who went on to do another 2 dozen film & TV roles.

A nod goes to Roger Corman, who co-produced Suburbia. This man has averaged 6.2 movies a year since 1954! He is the undisputed king of cheap cinema and has churned out some of our most beloved pulp celluloid! Thank you Roger, for trusting your instincts and fronting the cash for one of my favorite flicks!

Me and my sister were in love with Suburbia when we saw it in the mid 80's. We grew up in NY, but we felt for some reason as though we belonged in California. It's great to see Suburbia again after all these years with commentary by director Penelope Spheeris to boot.

Penelope Spheeris used real kids as opposed to seasoned actors. As a result, the movie has a genuine punk rock vibe, although the acting is nothing to write home about. Listening to the director's commentary, one learns the ins and outs of how and why certain aspects of the film occur. She took a lot of events taking place at that time and incorporated them into the script, such as the wild dogs in the beginning of the movie. One thing that I am kinda bummed out about is how she seems to be a bit embarassed by the movie. She almost makes excuses at times. Yes, the scene in which the two men shoot the wild dogs is a bit hard to stomach and we all know that that type of scene would never make it into a movie today. But that is one of the aspects that I love about Suburbia. It's a low budget, honest, straight out of the 80's movie. Penelope Spheeris should be 100% proud of it.

The music and live concert footage is great. D.I. and TSOL, to name a couple, provide a great soundtrack.

I've recommended Suburbia to many people over the past 16+ years and will continue to do so.

Disinfected youth...er, I mean disaffected youth...for each generation there seems to be a film out there to relate the rebellious, discontented, estranged, insurgent, anarchistic elements within said generation...the 50's presented us with Marlon Brando as The Wild One, the 60's came forth with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider, the 70's brought us Roller Boogie with Linda Blair (okay, maybe that's not the best example, but then the 70's were pretty lame), and the 80's brought Suburbia (1984)...written and directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne's World), the film stars Chris Pedersen (Night of the Comet), along with a bunch of people you've probably never heard of who's only acting credit is this film (Spheeris used a lot of `real life kids' instead of actors, assumingly to present the story as realistically as possible). There's one other notable person appearing in that of a very young Flea (a wee flea? I know, I know, that's pretty lame), from the band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, credited as Mike B. The Flea (his real name is Michael Peter Balzary).

The film begins with a pretty shocking scene that seems to have little to do with anything (later we'll see it's sort of a metaphor, as there's quite a few throughout), and then cuts into a scene of a teenage boy named Evan difficulties within his home life that lead to him running away (moms is an angry drunk), wandering the streets of L.A. Evan soon falls in with a group of homeless teens who call themselves T.R., short for The Rejected, lead by Jack Diddley (Pedersen), at least he appears to be the leader as he seems the oldest and the only one with a car. The teens live among a condemned series of houses, and survive by begging or stealing what they need from residents in nearby populated neighborhoods (here's a tip if you live in L.A. near the airport...keep your garage door closed, as an open door is an invitation to roving gangs to come in and take whatever isn't nailed down). The tax-paying residents, who are feeling the frustrations stemming from the effects of Reaganomics (various plants have closed down, forcing many out of work), are growing increasing angry at the kids and their antics, and also at the police for their ineffectual manner in dealing with the situation (the residents do have a valid argument in this, as the police in this film really don't seem to do much of anything). As a result, the more redneck elements of the residents decide to take matters into their own hands, trying to scare off the homeless kids with forceful tactics, with pretty predictable consequences (i.e. someone gets killed).

This isn't a happy film...there are a few funny moments, but there's an overall nihilistic sense to the story. As the movie progresses, we get some insight on where the kids come from, the circumstances that led them to where they're at now, along with the antagonistic attitudes they must face on a daily basis of a society that doesn't want them, and doesn't know how to deal with them. They don't appear to be bad, as they formed their own little family unit, relying on each other for some basic needs, but more products of circumstances out of their control, left to their own devices, surviving anyway they can (much like the wild dogs that roam the area where the kids live)...the style of direction matches the attitude of the material on the screen very well, appearing very raw, unfocused, lacking the polish one would normally see theatrical release. As I said, many of those appearing are not professional actors, so the performances may appear amateurish, but I think that's the intent. The dialogue is pretty simplistic, but then this also serves to further highlight the pragmatic nature of the story. There's no candy coating interpretations, no buffoonish characterizations, only a raw, warts and all, glimpse into a world many of us would probably not have had a chance to experience. I've read some opinions that state you really need to be a fan of punk rock (there's some great performances by bands like T.S.O.L., The Vandals, and D.I.) to appreciate this film, and while I think it would really help, I don't necessarily agree with the exclusivity of those sentiments (I was actually indoctrinated to punk music back in the late 80's when I found a Dead Kennedy's cassette for sale at a used record shop). I think most all can enjoy a good film, especially one that offers viewers a chance to understand a segment of the population that appears so completely foreign. You may not gain any real insight, or even develop a liking where there might have originally been a disliking (people often despise what they don't understand), but I think one can appreciate, at the very least, the effort to give a voice to those who few would listen to otherwise.

I really wanted to give this release 4 stars, but the picture quality, presented in full screen (it states `digitally remastered' on the case), pan and scan format looks pretty rough, much like that of a VHS tape. It would have been nice if someone had sprung to clean it up a bit, and release it in the original aspect ratio, but this is a Roger Corman release, and he seems not so inclined to spend any more than necessary than he has to (cheap b@stard)...the DVD does contain a few interesting special features, including a commentary track by writer/director Spheeris, along with brief biographies of Corman, Spheeris, and Pedersen, original and alternate theatrical trailers (the film was originally titled Rebel Streets), and some trailers for other Corman releases including one for Saint Jack (1979) and Piranha (1978). If you liked this film, check out a movie called Over the Edge (1979), featuring Matt Dillon in his first, feature role, not yet on DVD.

Cookieman108

Directed by Penelope Spheeris right after DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, this film chronicles the lives of a group of L.A. punks squatting in an abandoned suburb. The direction, writing, and acting are beyond atrocious (The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Flea... then known as "Mike B." makes a cameo, proving he should never quit his day job as a whiteboy funk bass player), yet this film holds a certain charm... especially for young punk kids who seem to memorize every line of insipid dialogue. Check out the excellent live footage of D.I., T.S.O.L., and THE VANDALS. Classic stuff. The DVD has an insightful commentary track from Spheeris... she comes off sounding a bit airheaded, but she provides some interesting trivia for the punks that have seen the movie 20+ times.

If you are a punk rocker or have ever been a punk rocker, you need to see this movie.

the movie itself is a classic, a lifestyle that is now long gone thanks to mall punk becoming so popular. i am not sure anyone born after 1980 has any idea that punk rockers lived like this. great film.

as for the director's commentary, i can only describe it this way:

a. about 15 minutes into the "commentary", i was convinced she did not direct this film, nor had she ever even seen it before.

b. to the producers of this dvd: if you are going to have a director's commentary, please make sure the director has watched the film in the last 18 years. half of the total commentary was, "wow, i remember that" - not in a convincing way either.

c. i felt like a blind man sitting through the film with someone describing to me what they were seeing or sitting in a theatre and having to listen to the jerk in the seat in front of me give their stupid and obvious observations about the plot line. the plot was pretty easy to follow, i didnt need the commentary telling me "now these two guys are fighting" as i watch two guys fighting.

d. if i ever hear the line "back then , that's what punk rockers were like" one more time, i will savagely attack the nearest person most likely to not fight back.

e. there would be complete silence for a few minutes, then she would laugh very loudly for a few seconds and then remain completely silent again for a few minutes, without commenting on what was so funny. there were plenty of times during this that i wanted the actors dialog to be louder so i didnt feel like i was watching it with the volume off.

Filmed in the Reagan 80's, Suburbia shows the struggle of "outcast" teenagers known as "The Rejected" trying to live in a society that has abandoned them. Clashing with gun toting 'necks, the cops, and long haired "beautiful people" is an everyday occurrence for them. More importantly, this film has awe inspiring live footage of D.I., T.S.O.L., and the original lineup of The Vandals, who play "The Legend of Pat Brown" in the film, a punk classic among classics.

Suburbia was filmed here in SoCal, near where I am typing this up (Downey), and the neighborhoods look familiar to anyone who has lived in Norwalk, Bellflower, Lakewood and surrounding cities. Some may recognize the opening shot (where the huge dish is) as Montebello Boulevard, in Montebello. Some SoCals may even remember the abandoned neighborhoods near the 605 in Norwalk where The Rejected lived, now demolished, the 105 freeway in its place.

This is THE definitve punk flick not to be missed by real punks, and may give some insight as to be a real punk to all the trendy Stink-182 mall punks. Just the live performances alone justify the cost. But then again, real punks already have this movie.

Sad fact people: this is the most punk rock movie that will EVER be made. Y'see, as bad as this film was, y'know, the bad acting, the horrible dialogue, the predictable plot, the fact that it was so bad makes it punk! *LOL* A total DIY independent movie which shows punk as it was in the early 80s in Los Angeles. (Although one fellow viewer once mentioned that if a show at that time in that place was ever shut down because some chick got her clothes ripped off, there would have been a riot...probably true!) The actors were all amatuers, and most likely they were all real punks and/or street kids with absolutely NO film experience to speak of, and the director did little or nothing before this film. So, why four stars if it was so crappy? Because of what the film was about! Predictability aside, this movie captures the essence of Punk. Not just "punk rock" mind you. If you're just lookin' for the "rock" part of punk, go throw on a Blink 182 or Sum 41 (whats with the numbers by the way?) album, 'cause thats as close as you're gonna get! Punk was, is, and always will be a way of life. The scene may be all but dead in this country right now, (thanks to the afore-mentioned bands killing the very essense of the the movement) but to those who understand what it is and why it was will always follow it. Its not a philosophy, its a way of life. And it can't be explained on paper, or even in film for that matter. It has to be experienced...wether you're a poor kid from nothing, kickikng ass in the pit, or a suburban brat, sick of everyone's B.S. around you and just hoping you find something better to connect with, Punk is a way of life that speaks louder than the music it comes with! This movie, along with some of the British and American documentaries, is the closest thing I've ever seen to capturing that feeling of what we've decided to call Punk. The characters, what little we know about them, they're music, the people who are against them, and the fact that they only have each other, and aren't willing to give that up for nothing, are the very things that has kept the Punk scene alive all these years, despite the so-called "posers," etc., butting they're ugly lil heads in trying to claim it as they're own. Wether you're a punk, or a skinhead, or even, since the 90s anyway, a goth, hardcore kid, grunge-type druggie person (you know what i mean!), if you get this movie, then chances are you don't need some silly review to help you undertstand why this film was so important. To the rest of you out there...you're on your own. Good luck.

Yes, I too grew up a punk rocker in sunny southern california, only, it was in the 90's. Punk had already failed, implosion due to drugs, stupidity, and elitist attitudes. The "scene" dynamic once again taking something relatively innocent, and putting price tags and labels on it. But this movie is a true classic, and some how captures that era so well. A time when stage diving, being in the pit, and wearing anything and everything to offend others wasn't the status quo. But, all good things must come to an end. There will always be a special place in my heart for this film, that caught my imagination so deeply in those early days of Doc martens, cut off dickies, and the ubiquitous black t-shirt.

Suburbia does an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the hardcore punk scene of the early 1980's. All of its music and fashion (long before the goth look became trendy) is accurately portrayed. Whereas in SLC punk where you had actors portraying punk rockers, the kids in Suburbia were actually part of the hardcore music scene.

My biggest disappointment with this DVD though is it's quality. As this was one my favorite movies from my teen years, I was hoping that the DVD would be a nice clear print of the film. Instead, it looks like the film was transferred from a VHS tape. Very poor sound and video. The commentary by director Penelope Spheeris is also lacking in that she should have included some of the "punk" actors. It would have been interesting to hear their take on this film (and the hardcore scene) 20 years later.

I would have given this DVD 5 stars but have subtracted two points for the poor quality of the transfer.

A friend had told me about this movie, and so I rented it one day. To my delight (ew), I found a really awesome movie to watch over and over. It's the kind of movie that has unintentionally funny parts, for instance, the opening scene. I don't want to give much away, but let's just say that something tragic happens, but the effects are so low-budget, it is laughable. But that doesn't lessen the quality of this film. The movie is about a teenage boy named Ethan, who runs away from his abusive, alcoholic mother and younger brother . He has nowhere to go, and then he follows some kids he sees to a punk rock show, and then befriends a older kid named Jack. He takes Ethan to the squat him and his friends live in called the TR house (TR stands for "The Rejected") . There all the kids who didn't belong anywhere else or had no where else to go stay, and become the only family they will ever really know or want. They are so dedicated to each other, they brand the TR logo on their flesh like cattle. Now that's Punk Rawk!!! The transformation of Ethan, and then his little brother, whom Ethan later takes away from his mom after she gets arrested, is amazing. Just the image of not even a ten year old boy on a big wheel with a mowhawk and an army jacket is to me breathtaking. Also look out for Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame) as one of the kids living in the TR house.

Most of the movie is about how these kids couldn't get along well in their own houses, but together they can survive. And the cops understand their ways more than the townspeople do in this movie. It's a pretty cliche story plot, but it still works as an original movie.
Penelope Spheeris has always been a big name director in the punk and metal scene. She directed all the Decline of Western Civilization movies, and even the Wayne's World pics. She knows how to film punk rock shows. In this movie, when the bands (TSOL, Vandals, et.c) play, she knows how to capture the flow of the crowd. And people might say the acting in this movie is bad. But just keep in mind that Penelope had real punk rock kids in this movie. So they were not actors playing punks, they were punks being actors!

The best way to see this movie is the DVD version, with widescreen. The commentary with Penelope Spheeris is good. She reveals a bit of secrets from the set. Did you know that the kids really did sleep and live at the TR house during filming?

Oh, and one thing to check in the movie that they do not reveal in the commentary, which I hoped they would. In one scene, the actor playing Jack calls Flea by his his real name; not his characters' name!

Enjoy watching Suburbia! Don't compare this movie to SLC Punk. At least these kids were real punks! You should watch this movie with the Decline of Western Civiization!