Suburbia

While arguably not Spheeris' best work, it was her first, and in my opinion, most ambitious. The film was shot on a threadbare budget with non-professional actors, with most of the action taking place in an abandoned tract house in a suburb slated for demolition (the area is now a highway). The punk rockers are outcasts from society who attempt for form a "family" of their own, that they call "The Rejected" (The irony of it all, outcasts being anti-social together). The film bogs down at times, and often relies on reversed clichés, but was a very good effort for a documentary film-maker who was making her first dramatic feature (Some of the themes of being an outsider were used, with greater success, in Spheeris' feature DUDES). Yes, it could be called "punxploitation", but I was one of those scruffy kids with a ragged haircut and ripped jeans when this film was released, and I identified with it. (Not to be confused with Richard Linklater's "subUrbia").

I grew up in the early 80's hardcore punk scene in NYC and like most punks at the time had seen Penelope Spheeris' DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION (the best punk documentary ever made) and was impressed when SUBURBIA(later renamed The Wild Side) came out in a few theatres. It was, and still is, the most accurate depiction of what being a hardcore punk was like. Okay, as a film, the production was shoddy, the acting was sub par, and the story was weak. But most of the actors were local punks. . The depiction of the punks was right on the mark....the clothes, the attitude, the music, the just hanging out, etc. Unfortunately, all the new kids who just got into punk in the last decade think this movie is all wrong. Even one of the commenters on this site mistakenly complained that this movie has it all wrong and punks aren't like that. Well guess what kids? The punks in this movie not only acted like real punks, most of them were real punks. (before you were) The scene has changed over the years. This movie is accurately representative of what it was like back in the original (real) scene days during the Reagan administration.

Let's set the record straight here...If you're into your average hollywood blockbuster...skip this one. (although I guess that if you're into that kind of movie, you've probably never even heard of this)

if you're like me, and grew up with punk rock, than you should check this movie out. It's a punk movie. that's all I can say. It's a good punk movie...about a bunch of punks who live in some place, and deal with things like death, parents, society, all that jazz. Just check it out, if you can find it.

Oh yeah, the acting in this movie is HORRIBLE...the bands and the shows that they go to are good....watch it now.

I love this movie even more now then I did back then. I think this should be a mandatory watch before your first purchase at Hot Topic. This movie gives me an odd sense of comfort when I watch it…something I can't find anymore. I wasn't a "TR Kid" (figuratively speaking), but I knew them all, I hung out at the "TR House"…you were always welcome there. They were my friends, my family, they were as accepting of you as you of them…someone always had your back…another thing you can't find anymore.

But enough reminiscing. I recommend this movie to anyone who was in the scene back then…but you guys have seen it. I also recommend this movie to all the new school kids who think they get it. Punk isn't what you wear, punk is who you are.

"Suburbia" is the definitive punxploitation film of the 80's, one of Hollywood's few explorations of that counter-culture. Director Spheeris, who also did "Dudes" and "Decline of Western Civilization" before going mainstream, knows enough to make a perfectly romantic (if not realistic) version of punks and skins living in the 80's: complete with shows (on a rickety sound stage, but there's a better circle pit than you're likely to find today), fights with rednecks, squatting, and dealing with a decade where every jock didn't have an eyebrow ring and green hair. You know what? Chickenbutt.