Punk's Not Dead (2007)

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows... See full summary »

Director:

Susan Dynner

Stars:

Craig Aaronson, Colin Abrahall, Adri

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Aaronson	...	Himself - Warner Brothers Records
Colin Abrahall	...	Himself - GBH
Adri	...	Himself - The Voids
Lorraine Ali	...	Herself - Music Editor, Newsweek
Quinn Allman	...	Himself - The Used
Animal	...	Himself - Anti-Nowhere League
Billie Joe Armstrong	...	Himself - Green Day
Tim Armstrong	...	Himself - Rancid / Operation Ivy
Brian Baker	...	Himself - Minor Threat, Bad Religion
Dave Baksh	...	Himself - Sum 41
Brian Barnes	...	Himself - U.K. Subs
Jay Bentley	...	Himself - Bad Religion
Jello Biafra	...	Himself - Dead Kennedys
Joey Bondage	...	Himself - Narcoleptic Youth
Bora	...	Themselves

Storyline

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, and yes, shopping malls and stadium shows where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive. Thirty years after bands like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols infamously shocked the system with their hard, fast, status-quo-killing rock, the longest-running punk band in history is drawing bigger crowds than ever, "pop-punk" bands have found success on MTV, and kids too young to drive are forming bands that carry the torch for punk's raw, immediate sound. Meanwhile, "punk" has become a marketing concept to sell everything from cars to vodka, and dyed hair and piercings mark a rite of passage for thousands of kids. Can the true, nonconformist punk spirit still exist in today's corporatized culture? Featuring interviews, performances, and behind-the-scenes journeys with the bands, labels, fans, and press who keep punk alive, Punk's Not Dead ...

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Plot Keywords:

band | punk rock | interview | title based on song | concert footage | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 2007 (Japan)

Also Known As:

To punk zei

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aberration Films, Red Rover Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Reality Check TV (1991)

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Soundtracks

"If the Kids Are United"
Written by Dave Parsons (as David Parsons) and Jimmy Pursey (as James Pursey)
Performed by Sham 69
Courtesy of Sanctuary Records

User Reviews

An Inside Look at How Punk Has Survived... and Evolved

What makes punk "punk"? Why have so many bands stayed together for more than 20 years? Where did punk "go" before its mid-'90s resurgence? How do legends like The Sex Pistols and The Damned feel about pop-punk powerhouses like My Chemical Romance and Good Charlotte? These questions of identity and community are what fuels this somewhat long, somewhat unfocused but ultimately compelling and informative film.

Director Susan Dynner grew up in DC and caught her first Minor Threat show when she was 15. She's watched Redskins games with Ian MacKaye, helped hand-pack records at the Dischord offices, and even today provides a crash pad for the U.K. Subs and Subhuman during their lengthy US tours.

From Dynner's vantage point within the punk scene, she was able to interview dozens of bands, promoters and critics, tour with acts from The Addicts to Sum 41, and compile a litany of anecdotes and sound bites, all over the course of 3 years. The result is a multifaceted document of where punk has been and, perhaps most importantly, WHY it will keep going.