Hard Core Logo (1996)

A group of washed-up Canadian punk rockers get back together for a road trip in memory of a dear friend who was supposedly shot, or so rumors imply. As they travel, they ignore the underlying psychological darkness within each other.

Director:

Bruce McDonald

Writers:

Noel S. Baker (screenwriter), Michael Turner (book)

Stars:

Hugh Dillon, Callum Keith Rennie, John Pyper-Ferguson

4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Dillon	...	Joe Dick / Joseph Mulgrew
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Billy Tallent / William Boisy
John Pyper-Ferguson	...	John Oxenberger
Bernie Coulson	...	Pipefitter
Julian Richings	...	Bucky Haight
Benita Ha	...	Pipefitter's Girlfriend
Claudia Ferri	...	John Oxenberger's Girlfriend
Joey Ramone	...	Joey Ramone
Corrine Koslo	...	Laura Cromartie
Bruce McDonald	...	Documentary Filmmaker
Danny Nowak	...	Documentary Cameraman
Jochen A. Schliessler	...	Documentary Sound Recordist (as Jochen Schliessler)
Jeremy Bishop	...	Bongo Player
Tony Tucker	...	Bongo Player
Art Bergmann	...	Himself

Storyline

Bruce Macdonald follows punk bank Hard Core Logo on a harrowing last-gasp reunion tour throughout Western Canada. As magnetic lead-singer Joe Dick holds the whole magilla together through sheer force of will, all the tensions and pitfalls of life on the road come bubbling to the surface.

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Plot Keywords:

band | concert | lost | legs | documentary filmmaker | 

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Taglines:

4 guys, 5 nights, 3000 miles... and one last shot!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, substance abuse, some violence and sexuality

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English German

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hard Core Logo auf Reunion-Tour

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,864, 15 November 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$17,012, 27 June 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Terminal City Pictures,Shadow Shows,Ed Festus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many people viewing the movie for the first time miss the fact that during the credits there are interspersed "updates" on what happened to Joe's body and what the other band members are doing after the filming of the "documentary."

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Goofs

At the beginning of the movie when Joe is talking to Billy in the bar, Billy lights a cocktail umbrella and puts it out in Joe's beer. However, a minute later, the umbrella is back on the table and Joe is drinking his beer.

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Quotes

Joe Dick: There's two ways to look at it: Billy wants the models and limousines, while I'm happy with hookers and taxicabs.

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Crazy Credits

Accountant Goddess...Wendy Ladret

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Connections

Followed by Trigger (2010)

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Soundtracks

Suicide Club
Music and Lyrics by John Armstrong (as Buck Cherry)
Performed by Modernettes
© Teen City Tunes

User Reviews

One of the best movies about a fictitious rock 'n' roll band ever made

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) is generally regarded as the quintessential rock 'n' roll mockumentary—a hilarious look at the inept trials and tribulations of a heavy metal band. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Hard Core Logo (1996), a no frills balls-to-wall look at a fictitious punk rock band. Where Tap is a funny satire, Logo has a much darker undercurrent that gives it an unpredictable edge.

Retired for some years, legendary Canadian punk rock band, Hard Core Logo reunites for a one-off benefit concert for their mentor, Bucky Haight who supposedly had both legs amputated after being shot by a crazy fan. The gig goes so well that the band's charismatic lead singer, Joe Dick convinces everyone to go on a mini-tour across Western Canada with a documentary crew tagging along for the ride. It takes no time at all for all the old gripes and grudges to resurface, most significantly, the fact that lead guitarist, Billy Talent is close to signing on with Jenifur, an MTV-friendly band that has made it to the cover of Spin magazine. This doesn't sit to well with Joe who comes from the old school of punk rock that refuses to sell-out to major labels or appear in glossy corporate magazines. As the tour progresses, the friction between the band members becomes more palpable until it achieves a critical mass.

Hard Core Logo is the third film in Bruce McDonald's informal rock 'n' roll road movie trilogy that started with Roadkill and Highway 61. While something of a minor sensation in Canada, McDonald's films have been largely ignored in the United States, due mostly to lack of proper distribution. This changed somewhat with Logo when Quentin Tarantino saw it a film festival and liked it so much that he bought the US distribution rights under his Rolling Thunder vanity label.

There is a certain raw vibe that permeates Logo and this is perfect for its rough around the edges subject matter. The unrefined attitude is due in large part to the presence of Hugh Dillon as Joe Dick. Not a professional actor but rather lead singer of the Canadian blues punk bank, The Headstones, Dillon's lack of formal training gives his performance a certain unpredictability that is perfect for his character. He obviously drew a lot on his own real life experiences of being in a band and this makes everything he says and does that much more believable.

The interplay between the rest of the band is also very well done. Callum Keith Rennie plays the gifted, low key guitarist who has clearly surpassed his bandmates, Bernie Coulson is the crazy drummer who seems clueless but knows what to do when it counts, and finally John Pyper-Ferguson is the terminally burnt out bass player whose road diary provides the film's voice-over narration. The way these guys joke and argue with each other—like adults who refuse to grow-up—is so good that it feels like they've really been in a band together for many years.

Filmmaker Bruce McDonald keeps this all together with his solid direction. He has an excellent sense of pacing—the movie never gets boring—and he instinctively knows that the essence of any good rock 'n' roll movie is, as he puts it, "extremely loud music and cool shots." Cinematographer Danny Nowak uses the shaky, hand-held camera-work that documentaries are known for and he also shoots the band in cool slow motion shots that emphasizes their iconic status.

Along with the aforementioned Spinal Tap and Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, Hard Core Logo is one of the best fictitious rock 'n' roll movies ever made. It has a genuine appreciation for music and an acute knowledge of the conventions and clichés of the genre. Like Spinal Tap, McDonald's film isn't afraid to make fun of these conventions and like Almost Famous, there is an authenticity to how the band is portrayed and the music they make. Forget the Miramax version and hunt down a copy of this new special edition—it's definitely worth those extra Canadian dollars.