Suburbia (1984)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Penelope Spheeris

Writer:

Penelope Spheeris (written by)

Release Date:

12 October 1984 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

When household tensions and a sense of worthlessness overcome Evan, he finds escape when he clings with the orphans of a throw-away society...

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Skinhead | Violence | Vandalism | California

Cast

Chris Pedersen	...	Jack Diddley
Bill Coyne	...	Evan Johnson
Jennifer Clay	...	Sheila
Timothy O'Brien	...	Skinner (as Timothy Eric O'Brien)
Wade Walston	...	Joe Schmo
Flea	...	Razzle (as Mike B. The Flea)
Maggie Ehrig	...	Mattie
Grant Miner	...	Keef
Christina Beck	...	T'resa
Andrew Pece	...	Ethan Johnson
Donald V. Allen	...	Officer William Rennard (as Don Allen)
Lee Frederick	...	Jim Tripplett (as RoBert Peyton)
Jeff Prettyman	...	Bob Skokes
Dorlinda Griffin	...	Mother In Car
Robert Griffin	...	Baby

Also Known As:

Rebel Streets (USA)
The Wild Side

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | USA:R | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Rockwell Defense Plant - Bellflower & Imperial Highway, Downey, California, USA

Company:

Suburbia Productions

Trivia:

Penelope Spheeris cast real punk rockers instead of seasoned actors in the interest of realism.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sheila is grabbed by the rednecks, they tear off her shirt, but when one of them is holding her by the neck, you can see a sheet taped over her breasts.

Quotes:

Jack Diddley: Where's that house, Flea?
Razzle: Over there... Hey, my name's Razzle, man.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Suburbia (#1.26)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Wash Away

The most accurate depiction of the punk scene ever in amovie

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.