66 reviews
Welcome to the suburbs...the slums of the future. (spoilers)
- vertigo_14
- Dec 30, 2004
- Permalink
A little bit of everything punk....
This is not a documentary, although much of it is allegedly based on fact. What "Suburbia" does, and does well, is capture a moment in LA/OC punk. If you were there, you recognize almost every character in the film, and you probably recognize a lot of the "actors." It's a grab bag of punk "types": the skinhead, the conehead, the goth, the mohawk, etc. etc. But if you were an LA suburban punk, you knew someone just like all of them. If you're of a certain age, of a certain time, of a certain place, it's a touchstone. You know exactly what it was like. Even the rednecks have their place, when the plants were closing, when and middle-class life starting fading away. The story is not great, the acting is not great, but the moment is captured, and if you were there, it takes you right back: when moshing was called slamming, and tattoos were done with a straightpin by hand, not next door to the Starbucks. If you weren't, you get a pretty good idea about what is was like to be a punk when you couldn't buy it at the mall, when it might actually get you beaten up by jocks, when a nosering might get you fired from the record store. Punk was, for a time, actually dangerous. And that made it great.
A spot-on scrappy slice of pure 80's punk angst
- Woodyanders
- May 12, 2010
- Permalink
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.
A very good film
Suburbia is one of my favourite films. Its cheap in places with tacky sounds, however that only adds to its charm. The characters have appeal and the situations seem real. There is nothing pretentious about it, the protagonists are not made out to be either good or evil, just drifting teenagers who don't think through what they do. The director draws us along with some sympathy for the TR even when they are up to no good, as its clear that deep down they don't actually mean any harm to anyone. A lot of people have rated this film with 10's, I can't see that (and gave it a 7) as it is still basically a cheap B movie. But definitely a good one.
- orlanthrex
- Aug 9, 2004
- Permalink
Flawed, but
- thismortalsoil
- Dec 3, 2005
- Permalink
Takes me home
I love this movie even more now then I did back then. I think this should be a mandatory watch before your first purchase at Hot Topic. This movie gives me an odd sense of comfort when I watch it
something I can't find anymore. I wasn't a "TR Kid" (figuratively speaking), but I knew them all, I hung out at the "TR House"
you were always welcome there. They were my friends, my family, they were as accepting of you as you of them
someone always had your back
another thing you can't find anymore.
But enough reminiscing. I recommend this movie to anyone who was in the scene back then but you guys have seen it. I also recommend this movie to all the new school kids who think they get it. Punk isn't what you wear, punk is who you are.
But enough reminiscing. I recommend this movie to anyone who was in the scene back then but you guys have seen it. I also recommend this movie to all the new school kids who think they get it. Punk isn't what you wear, punk is who you are.
An interesting coming-of-age drama that has a raw vibe that can't be denied.
Misanthropic punk runaways take over an LA suburb slated for demolition and try to build the kind of supportive, loving family they never had at home in this interesting coming-of-age drama written and directed by Penelope Spheeris, and produced by Roger Corman. "The Rejected" as the gang call themselves encounter hostile neighbors who do not want fringe people living near them, and a redneck gang of vigilantes who try to chase the punks away. Aka The Wild Side and Rebel Streets, it is the first of two youth movies made by Spheeris in the 1980's. She cast real-life punks to play the kids - including the future Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea,and included sets by scene luminaries like D.I performing "Richard Hung Himself", T.S.O.L. performing "Wash Away" and "Darker My Love", and The Vandals performing "The Legend of Pat Brown". It was filmed at an abandoned housing tract in and around the cities of Downey and Norwalk in California known for its gang violence and "drug houses", and in the early days of Metallica, then-bassist Ron McGovney hosted auditions/rehearsals and made demos in a house in the same tract. Even though for the most part Suburbia is wretchedly acted and broadly scripted, it has a raw vibe that can't be denied.
- mwilson1976
- Jun 15, 2020
- Permalink
One of my favorite movies!
I love this film. What can I say? Yes, the acting is bad, but this would be because for the most part, these kids are actual street kids and not "actors". So, get past the low budget and the bad acting for a second and look at the story. Kids (punks) who live in an abandoned house and are rejected by society. How much more realistic can you get? This movie is a cult classic, and for those into punk, a must-see! Why? Because it has performances by D.I., The Vandals and others. Also, you can catch Flea in what's probably his first film, credited as something like Mike B. The Flea. Check it out!!
All Punks Go to Heaven
In Penelope Spheeris's "Suburbia", alienated and unwanted teenagers (and twentysomethings) find a new home for themselves: the "T.R. House" by "The 605". T.R. stands for "The Rejected", and Interstate 605 is a freeway located in San Gabriel, California. "Suburbia" is explained in the film, perhaps incorrectly, as a combining of the words "Suburb" and "Utopia". Leader of the T.R.s is Chris Pedersen (as Jack Diddley); he is the one with the super blond surfer 'do. He rounds-up two rejected teenagers as the film opens
BUT, first things first. Director-writer Spheeris begins the film with a "dog attack"; interestingly, the film will feature a group of Wild Dogs, which threaten the inhabitants of "Suburbia". The parallel/symbolism between the T.R.s and the abandoned dogs should be obvious. Then, we seen Bill Coyne (as Evan Mark Johnson) at home, reading a comic book, with the T.V. playing; his mother comes home and berates him for stealing her liquor, and neglecting his chores. Mr. Coyne decides to runaway from home, saying goodbye to little brother Andrew Pece (as Ethan Johnson); after their mother has a drunken automobile smash-up, Mr. Pace will join his big brother at T.R. House.
T.R. leader Pederson finds Coyne after a punk rock concert, "passed out"; his drink spiked, incidentally, by the film's "druggie" Keef (Grant Miner), who is also a member of T.R. They go pick up Wade Walston (as Joe), who lives with his disinterested gay father. Mr. Walston provide the film's "romance" when he hooks up with suicidal Jennifer Clay (as Sheila). Timothy O'Brien (as Skinner) is another important member of T.R. house; he hammers nails in walls, so the inhabitants can hang.
Flea (as Razzle) is the most illustrious member of the T.R.s; also known as Michael Balzary, he is the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist. Ironically, this Flea is good for dogs; and, he attempts to tame the wild ones threatening "Suburbia". Flea also demonstrates a fondness for rats; so, perhaps, he was a fan of the 1970s punk band The Stranglers' IV Rattus Norvegicus?
The punk music groups represent the era well; but, the soundtrack could have been improved by more classic punk songs; and, a title song would have been great. The T.R.s should be commended for not watching Wally George "Hot Seat", but they still, however, have awful taste in T.V. shows. Their set should have been traded in for a good stereo. The acting is realistic, and the characters speak Spheeris well; but, the relatively small amount of sex and drugs doesn't ring true. The End is a downer.
BUT, first things first. Director-writer Spheeris begins the film with a "dog attack"; interestingly, the film will feature a group of Wild Dogs, which threaten the inhabitants of "Suburbia". The parallel/symbolism between the T.R.s and the abandoned dogs should be obvious. Then, we seen Bill Coyne (as Evan Mark Johnson) at home, reading a comic book, with the T.V. playing; his mother comes home and berates him for stealing her liquor, and neglecting his chores. Mr. Coyne decides to runaway from home, saying goodbye to little brother Andrew Pece (as Ethan Johnson); after their mother has a drunken automobile smash-up, Mr. Pace will join his big brother at T.R. House.
T.R. leader Pederson finds Coyne after a punk rock concert, "passed out"; his drink spiked, incidentally, by the film's "druggie" Keef (Grant Miner), who is also a member of T.R. They go pick up Wade Walston (as Joe), who lives with his disinterested gay father. Mr. Walston provide the film's "romance" when he hooks up with suicidal Jennifer Clay (as Sheila). Timothy O'Brien (as Skinner) is another important member of T.R. house; he hammers nails in walls, so the inhabitants can hang.
Flea (as Razzle) is the most illustrious member of the T.R.s; also known as Michael Balzary, he is the Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist. Ironically, this Flea is good for dogs; and, he attempts to tame the wild ones threatening "Suburbia". Flea also demonstrates a fondness for rats; so, perhaps, he was a fan of the 1970s punk band The Stranglers' IV Rattus Norvegicus?
The punk music groups represent the era well; but, the soundtrack could have been improved by more classic punk songs; and, a title song would have been great. The T.R.s should be commended for not watching Wally George "Hot Seat", but they still, however, have awful taste in T.V. shows. Their set should have been traded in for a good stereo. The acting is realistic, and the characters speak Spheeris well; but, the relatively small amount of sex and drugs doesn't ring true. The End is a downer.
- wes-connors
- Dec 15, 2007
- Permalink
A bunch of punks make some friends.
- triggerhappyguy
- Oct 18, 2014
- Permalink
Good stuff.
- Hey_Sweden
- Apr 1, 2014
- Permalink
Too darn funny!
Why is it funny? It's the horrible acting, the almost as horrible script, and then sprinkle in some punk bands and you've got me laughing. (Nothing against punk, mind you.) From the beginning of the movie when a kid gets snatched by a wild doberman the "special effects" are world class, if it's an Ed Wood movie! If you can appreciate the absurdity of a bad movie then this is the movie for you!
Hot mess with punk scenes
Undoubtedly, Penelope Spheeris has captured some of the most raw and authentic L. A. punk scenes ever filmed. My problem is pretty much everything that takes place outside the club: the character development, the story, the writing, the acting, like all of it.
'Suburbia' is basically a series of punk performances, by some of L. A.'s great acts, like The Germs, TSOL, The Vandals, strung together by a loose story of a group of young punks who all left their homes to live in a derelict house.
Admirably, Spheeris uses street casted talent and real punk musicians, like a young Flea, to play the various roles. Unfortunately, none of them are very good. The characters are characterless, almost interchangeable. The dramas are fairly predictable, with lots of fights, theft, drugs and general mayhem.
I also found it somewhat frustrating trying to figure out the intent of 'Suburbia'. Is it meant to be a cynical nihilistic B camp film along the lines of 'Toxic Avenger', a rebellious comedy like 'Animal House', or a poignant drama like 'Trainspotting'?
It does some similarities with 'Trainspotting', the energetic music and celebration of mindless mayhem, the tragedy that comes out of youthful idiocy, but unfortunately without the great writing, acting and character growth. The moments that could have been poignant and shed light on the human condition seem to just be thrown away as we move on to the next scene of our madcap gang gleefully running through the streets.
All in all, my recommendation is to skip the whatever and cut straight to the music scenes. Then go watch 'Trainspotting'.
'Suburbia' is basically a series of punk performances, by some of L. A.'s great acts, like The Germs, TSOL, The Vandals, strung together by a loose story of a group of young punks who all left their homes to live in a derelict house.
Admirably, Spheeris uses street casted talent and real punk musicians, like a young Flea, to play the various roles. Unfortunately, none of them are very good. The characters are characterless, almost interchangeable. The dramas are fairly predictable, with lots of fights, theft, drugs and general mayhem.
I also found it somewhat frustrating trying to figure out the intent of 'Suburbia'. Is it meant to be a cynical nihilistic B camp film along the lines of 'Toxic Avenger', a rebellious comedy like 'Animal House', or a poignant drama like 'Trainspotting'?
It does some similarities with 'Trainspotting', the energetic music and celebration of mindless mayhem, the tragedy that comes out of youthful idiocy, but unfortunately without the great writing, acting and character growth. The moments that could have been poignant and shed light on the human condition seem to just be thrown away as we move on to the next scene of our madcap gang gleefully running through the streets.
All in all, my recommendation is to skip the whatever and cut straight to the music scenes. Then go watch 'Trainspotting'.
- mikeburdick
- Feb 3, 2023
- Permalink
Punks as actors, not actors as punks - excellent.
During my career as an "angry youth," this film, along with "Made in Britain," (Tim Roth) "Clockwork Orange," and "River's Edge," were required viewing. Penelope Spheeris did a class-A job of depicting what it was like to be young and different in a time in America when outward weirdness invited violence by jocks or other assorted meatheads. Kids who dye their hair blue and get their eyelids pierced at the mall in 2000 should watch this film and see what the consequences for "expressing one's self" were for old schoolers who think Marylin Manson is nothing more than a cheap Vaudeville rip-off artist. Think the type of stuff depicted in this film doesn't still happen? Think again - the killing of punker Brian Deneke in Texas a few years ago will shatter that notion. This film is kind of hard to find on video. You generally won't find it at Blockbuster. Try the mom & pop places.
Problematic but still enjoyable
If we set aside the blatant homophobia, the casual racism, and two scenes with very strange depictions of sexual assault against women, between all that there is still a watchable movie.
Obviously there are problems with this film and if it was given a modern retelling then I hope they would address this issues better. That being said, there is quite a lot to enjoy in this film. It is edgy and has a very unique style. There are performances by The Vandals, T. S. O. L. and. D. I. That will bring you back down memory lane to the old punk shows.
Flea and a few others give a great performance even though many of the others can't act.
The story tackles a few serious issues like disenfranchised youth in a capitalist suburban community, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, animal rights.
This film was directed by Penelope Spheeris who went on to direct Wayne's World many years later. Knowing this I will probably check out her other films.
Obviously there are problems with this film and if it was given a modern retelling then I hope they would address this issues better. That being said, there is quite a lot to enjoy in this film. It is edgy and has a very unique style. There are performances by The Vandals, T. S. O. L. and. D. I. That will bring you back down memory lane to the old punk shows.
Flea and a few others give a great performance even though many of the others can't act.
The story tackles a few serious issues like disenfranchised youth in a capitalist suburban community, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, animal rights.
This film was directed by Penelope Spheeris who went on to direct Wayne's World many years later. Knowing this I will probably check out her other films.
- colinesq-859-519335
- Nov 16, 2022
- Permalink
One of the greatest movies about Punk Rock and/or Street Kid's ever produced.
Penelope Spheeris is behind some great projects - this is my favorite, no doubt
It takes on some of the most serious issues in a deeply legitimate and personal nature, and it's production is next to unmatched in any of the world of fiction - with many of the key figures and band's of So Cal's early punk scene.
The love and the essence of this movie, if not the b-style production make it one of my favorite movies done in the exploitation fashion.
It takes on some of the most serious issues in a deeply legitimate and personal nature, and it's production is next to unmatched in any of the world of fiction - with many of the key figures and band's of So Cal's early punk scene.
The love and the essence of this movie, if not the b-style production make it one of my favorite movies done in the exploitation fashion.
- therskybznuiss
- May 16, 2021
- Permalink
Suburbia - A good movie
I've owned this movie for quite a few years now. Having lived through the UK punk scene around the same time that this movie was made I can relate to a lot of it. If one is expecting a movie that has had a lot of money put into it then maybe this is not your kind of flick. For the budget that this was made with, I feel its a great movie for its time and like a few other movies in that time period its great to look back on.
The 'old' America, with the big old gas guzzling cars, buses that had the black cloud of smoke that came out the back of them and the attitude is all part of what WAS back then.
I love this movie and I put it on about every six months just to remind me of the past and how different it is now.
The 'old' America, with the big old gas guzzling cars, buses that had the black cloud of smoke that came out the back of them and the attitude is all part of what WAS back then.
I love this movie and I put it on about every six months just to remind me of the past and how different it is now.
- johnnyboy1-1
- Jan 28, 2006
- Permalink
An ambitious first effort
While arguably not Spheeris' best work, it was her first, and in my opinion, most ambitious. The film was shot on a threadbare budget with non-professional actors, with most of the action taking place in an abandoned tract house in a suburb slated for demolition (the area is now a highway). The punk rockers are outcasts from society who attempt for form a "family" of their own, that they call "The Rejected" (The irony of it all, outcasts being anti-social together). The film bogs down at times, and often relies on reversed clichés, but was a very good effort for a documentary film-maker who was making her first dramatic feature (Some of the themes of being an outsider were used, with greater success, in Spheeris' feature DUDES). Yes, it could be called "punxploitation", but I was one of those scruffy kids with a ragged haircut and ripped jeans when this film was released, and I identified with it. (Not to be confused with Richard Linklater's "subUrbia").
Boring clichés
Penelope Spehhers' "Suburbia" is just like "The Goonies", but so boring and typical, and instead of a bunch of mid-class kids we got a bunch of homeless punk kids playing the neighborhood's bad guys. Maybe Sphheris wanted to make sort of a denounce of all those kids who live in the streets, but she just idealizes that way of life. Come on, this has nothing to do with REAL margination and poverty. The movie is just an excuse to show some punk rock bands playing and some scenes of street vandalism... and that's OK only if you do it in style, but this is not the case.
*My rate: 3/10
*My rate: 3/10
- rainking_es
- May 16, 2008
- Permalink
This is the Real McCoy
What Penelope accomplished here on her budget could only have been done with great inside connections and charisma. The Walking scene on the cover is one of the best movie moments ever made - no exageration. So much is communicated there without a single word spoken. Watch it!
- nameo-37461
- Feb 20, 2020
- Permalink
ridiculously awful
If Mystery Science 3000 used crappy melodramas rather than science fiction movies to spoof, this would have been used decades ago. Every plot point can be seen coming five minutes before it happens. You could pull fifteen people off the street, give them the script for five minutes, and have more emotion and believability in their acting than these losers do. You can't get more wooden or laconic in performances. Add to the fact that it is blatantly sexist, racist, and homophobic within the first ten minutes, and you have a completely irredeemable movie. I grew up on SST, Dischord, Touch and Go and the like, but the punkers are no better than the townies in this dud.
- TristramShandy
- Jul 22, 2020
- Permalink
Punk Side Story
"Suburbia" is the definitive punxploitation film of the 80's, one of Hollywood's few explorations of that counter-culture. Director Spheeris, who also did "Dudes" and "Decline of Western Civilization" before going mainstream, knows enough to make a perfectly romantic (if not realistic) version of punks and skins living in the 80's: complete with shows (on a rickety sound stage, but there's a better circle pit than you're likely to find today), fights with rednecks, squatting, and dealing with a decade where every jock didn't have an eyebrow ring and green hair. You know what? Chickenbutt.
10 Stars for Authenticity
Penelope Spheeris used actual Hardcore Punk Rockers to make up the bulk of her cast for this classic film and accidental documentary of the Hardcore Punk movement of Los Angeles in the late 70s and early 80s. The acting is sub-par, but the fact that these kids weren't really acting makes up for it. Films like BOMB CITY would have never been made if Spheeris hadn't broken open new ground by focusing on what was then a very underground movement in her films DUDES, DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, and SUBURBIA.
- twelve-house-books
- Mar 28, 2019
- Permalink