The 10 greatest films about punk rock
Punk rock is a subculture that emerged during the 1970s and is recognised for its fast-paced and brutal sound, unconventional style, and leftist political ideas. The subculture is all about rejecting traditionalism, instead chasing and striving for something a little more transgressive and hardcore.
The most influential artists from the scene emphasise their individual sense of expression through their wardrobes and accessories. Donning leather jackets, docs, and political pins to front their unapologetic progressive outlook and attitude to life, calling out any oppression in an attempt to swap it out for freedom.
Thanks to both punk’s all-encompassing framework, the realm of cinema can borrow from the movement to create a string of interesting and unique stories. Punk rock films invite experimentation with costume design, visuals and soundtrack, all to complement stories of identity and culture as a whole.
Punk rock cinema can also simply tell the stories of some of punk’s greatest musicians, often built from footage of past live performances. Whatever area of the subculture a punk movie chooses to focus on, a hardcore and unique atmosphere will undoubtedly follow.
Here are ten films that get punk rock down just right.
The 10 greatest films about punk:
10. SLC: Punk (James Merendino, 1998)
This 1990s comedy-drama invites the viewer into the lifestyles of two former geeks who become 1980s punks. They party and go to concerts while avoiding questions about what they’re doing with their lives.
SLC: Punk eases outsiders into the scene using a rough summary of punk rock in the early 1980s. The film’s general story is carried through in a punky style of its unique editing, playfully incoherent script, spikey colourful character designs and punk soundtrack. It teaches audiences how to maintain the punk rock mentality and spot posers simultaneously, using inside jokes about industry plants such as the ‘Sex Pistols’.
9. Green Room (Jeremy Saulnier, 2015)
An upcoming punk rock group get a gig at a local bar. However, after a band member learns about the crimes of a club owner, the latter decides to kill him and his bandmates to protect himself.
Saulnier takes us through some of punk’s political and ideological landscapes, accompanied by fast-paced guitars and drums. The white supremacists represent the scene being hijacked by violent racists, dragging down the liberal mindset punk was built upon. The film creates its atmosphere well through a melancholic rhythm, only to rip into this tone with some grizzly imagery. The two opposing sides are juxtaposed effectively, conveying issues within the subculture.
8. The Runaways (Floria Sigismondi, 2010)
This semi-fictional biographical film documents the journey of the all-girl group ‘The Runaways’. Teenagers Cherie and Joan and a few like-minded collaborators fulfil their dream of starting an all-girl rock band. However, with rising fame, conflicts begin to arise.
The Runaways is for the unappreciated women who helped shape and cement punk rock. It explores the personal dynamics between musical groups and the challenging hierarchy created by powerful labels, tying it with how women in the industry are treated. Kristen Stewart is more than convincing as punk legend Joan Jett, and her punk rock attitude is mesmerising.
7. We are the Best (Lukas Moodysson, 2013)
Three teenage girls in Stockholm decide to form their own punk band despite not having any instruments and being discouraged by people. Their love for music is the only thing carrying them through these obstacles.
Moodysson shows how punk rock pushes boundaries and shocks traditions in We are the Best. Youths struggling for identity and a sense of belonging steer the film’s narrative. Passion for music is at the heart of Moodysson’s honest, touching portrayal, with a rebellious spirit to shake things up.
6. The Punk Singer (Sini Anderson, 2013)
Portraying the life and career of Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna, Sini Anderson examines this pioneer of the ‘Riot Grrrl’ movement through 20 years of archival footage and intimate interviews with Hanna.
The Punk Singer is a film about creating art and inspiring others as humans. We see Kathleen Hanna navigate her personal and creative identity during the ‘Riot Grrrl’ movement. The documentary encapsulates how Bikini Kill was loud, honest and powerful in their music and influence, exploring the very thing that drew them to punk.
5. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains (Lou Alder, 1982)
Corinne Burns is a typical frustrated teenager living in a nowhere town until she catches the punk band the Looters. After falling in love with the entire punk scene, she and her fledgling band, the Stains, join the tour.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains showcases what punk rock can do for those who are progressively immersed in it. It relies not only on punk rock’s sound but also on its visual style to tell its story. Corinne’s physical transformation represents the very agency, individuality and ownership that punk celebrates. The music is heavy on the bitterness and anger the members feel, which is another element of the scene. The performances represent youth and vibrancy, helping tell a coming-of-age story that focuses on finding your sense of belonging.
4. Repo Man (Alex Cox, 1984)
Punk rocker Otto joins a small auto-mobile repossession firm as a recovery agent. Soon, he stumbles upon a bizarre plan to find a stolen car containing aliens in exchange for a high reward.
Cox offers a slice of original brilliance in cult cinema, showcasing some strange, dreamlike nocturnal trips that were, unfortunately, misread as ridiculous. Its punk rock status comes not only through its central character but also its political messaging that comments on the government and excessive consumerism. Repo Man is an interesting and unique experience because it blends anarchist ideals with classic ’80s cheese.
3. Suburbia (Penelope Spheeris, 1984)
Evan is suffocating under household tensions and a sense of worthlessness. However, he soon escapes with the orphans of a throw-away society: a group of punk rockers.
The Wayne’s World director creates a real and honest look at the punk rock scene. We see the hard fight against the system, the Reaganism of the ’80s, and the plague of racism, sexism and homophobia within the scene. This finalises a complete and objective observation of punk rock; the good and the bad.
2. Return of the Living Dead (Dan O’Bannon, 1985)
When two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapours cause the dead to rise again as zombies. A gang of punks team up with the employees to take them down.
Return of the Living Dead is classic ’80s punky horror as it’s flashy, over-the-top, creative and entertaining. The punks make for some great characters who bring some attitude and edge to the gory story, such as the choice of 45 Grave’s Partytime over a graveyard carnage count scene. Their design situates the iconic era effortlessly and complements the zombies through horror imagery.
1. The Punk Rock Movie (Don Letts, 1978)
This documentary on the London punk-rock scene, circa ’78, takes us through live footage of the subculture’s greatest. Most of the footage takes place at the Roxy club, a fashionable nightclub in Covent gardens.
The Punk Rock Movie is a love letter to punk rock fans. As a grey area between fiction and a documentary, the film presents some interesting footage of classic punk groups, like a visual time capsule. Due to this, it’s not entirely coherent, but it does construct a fast-paced and eventful atmosphere that shows all punk has to offer.
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