Agnostic Front Movies
- 2005
- NR
- Add Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club to QueueAdd Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club to top of Queue
A lot have people have opened rock clubs for a lot of different reasons, but Larry Bloch is one of the few to have opened a music venue as a medium for social change. In 1989, Bloch and a handful of friends, none of whom had experience running a nightclub, opened Wetlands in New York City's Tribeca district, and as part of their business plan, each month a percentage of the club's proceeded were to be donated to a nonprofit Center for Social and Environmental Justice, with the annual payout often exceeding 100,000 dollars. In addition to the club's success as an avenue for fundraising, Wetlands helped give a home to a new breed of bands whose music suited the hippie-esque vibe of the club while opening new territories in improvisational rock, and Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, and Gov't Mule were among the acts who were regulars attractions at Wetlands before finding worldwide fame. Dean Budnick, a senior editor at Relix Magazine (a journal that frequently covers the jam band scene) makes his directorial debut with Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club, which examines both the music and the message behind this fabled venue. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- 311, Agnostic Front, (more)
The lost subculture of America's rebellious, Reagan-era hardcore set is explored in filmmaker Paul Rachman's cinematic adaptation of Steven Blush's book. Disillusioned by politics, angered by greedy record labels, and bound together by a powerful antiestablishment sentiment, bands such as Minor Threat, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, and Bad Brains paved the way for such later bands as Nirvana and Pearl Jam by fearlessly questioning -- and frequently mocking -- the status quo, and proving that you don't need radio play to reach an audience. Whether working for a real change or simply attempting to shake things up in the music scene, these bands gave a voice to the legions of youthful fans who felt their opinions had been neglected in mainstream society. In this documentary, concert footage combines with interviews to offer a comprehensive look at the musical revolution that defined an era. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bad Brains, Black Flag, (more)
CBGB: Punk From the Bowery is an hour-long look at punk and hardcore bands at New York City's hot spot CBGB. Featuring performances by Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, U.K. Subs, and the Vibrators, it also includes a tour of CBGB hosted by Hilly Kristal. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Cremaster 3 is the final installment of the five-part epic film cycle from director and sculpture artist Matthew Barney. Encompassing a dizzying number of themes, this elaborately stylized experimental film showcases Barney's affinity for architecture and sex. Much of the highly symbolic imagery involves Celtic mythology and phallic references, with Barney himself appearing as the Entered Apprentice and sculptor Richard Serra playing architect Hiram Abiff. Some of the settings include the Chrysler Building in New York City, the Saratoga race track, and the Guggenheim museum ( where much of Barney's work is actually shown). Spatially driven rather than narratively, the film is a display of visual effects and impulses with little to no dialogue. All five parts of the film cycle (titled out of sequence) can be seen at art galleries, though Barney has been known to give out video copies with the purchase of his sculptures. Cremaster 3 was shown in the Frontier program at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Serra, Matthew Barney, (more)
