The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

R

Released Jun 17, 1988

1h 33m

Documentary

List

76%

17 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this follow-up to the 1981 punk rock documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization," filmmaker Penelope Spheeris dissects the world of heavy metal. Through live performance footage and interviews that feature popular hard rock musicians, Spheeris examines the metal genre and the opulent Los Angeles music scene of the late 1980s; highlights include Ozzy Osbourne discussing the tedium of sobriety over breakfast and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler claiming to have spent a small fortune on drugs.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Rent The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Telling us little we didn't know already or could have not guessed, the film scores zero for enlightenment but 100 for entertainment.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

At any rate, there's no discernible attitude as the intercut interviews and concert footage progress.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

David Robinson

Times (UK)

It is, it must be said, something of a dead end. The giggly practitioners she interviews are not great talkers, and are mostly narrowly preoccupied with sex, drink and drugs.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

D.M. Palmer

Vague Visages

Araki structures the film to replicate the restless perceptions of its characters; it flits between vignettes, loses interest, then moves on to the next attraction...

Nov 9, 2023

Full Review

Sean French

Observer (UK)

Spheeris would argue that beneath the facade they reveal themselves as pathetic... But most of us won't get beyond the facade, revolting and coarse most of the time.

Jul 25, 2023

Full Review

Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

Spheeris is one of our great documentarians, getting at the truth behind the camp and the melancholy just behind the mascara.

Sep 10, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

While nowhere as good as Part 1 where you felt the band's had no choice but to perform. Part 2 is good as it showcased a movement in music before Grunge,Guns and Roses and Metallica blew it all away. Most of the bands are disposable and they think they are breaking new ground in drinking women and smashing stuff up. The thing is the older heads in the film did all that and more ,Steve Tyler and Joe Perry admit to keeping Peru's enconomy afloat in the 70s Lemmy comes across as a wise sage and Alice Cooper looks at most of the bands with disdain. Also never forget Keith Moon did it first only bigger and better and Ozzy Osbourne did too

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Warning: https://youtu.be/AelpbAegA-4 For Those Who Didn't Listen and got Poisoned... https://youtu.be/azWPOulxIZM

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

mike m

Unwatchable. She is trying to vilify metal heads as these horrible human beings, when all they are guilty of, is having bad taste in music. The only interesting part is the guy in the swimming pool, drowning himself in vodka. Take him out and there is nothing to see here.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

mark h

This movie is entertaining but a little dark at times, It's great to see these artists enjoying themselves, but at the same time it's hard to watch Chris Holmes(W.A.S.P.) pour a bottle of Vodka in his mouth while sitting on a floating chair in a pool as his mom watches poolside. It's a provocative look into the music industry of the 80's.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years is the second of three documentaries about youth music movements. The first was a groundbreaking look at the punk rock scene in 1981. This follow-up concentrates on the Glam Metal scene in Los Angeles in the mid-eighties. While certain scenes from the documentary have become legendary over the years the overall effect is all over the place. Unlike most music documentaries from the era, it is very well filmed with good sound that holds up today. The Good: About halfway through the film there is one of the funniest things I have seen all year. Singer Randy O fronting Odin is performing in assless chaps. He borrowed them for the concert. It is a something that wouldn't be out of place in a Borat movie. In fact, the entire Odin segment is comedy gold combining the Borat vibe with grandiose quotes that wouldn't be out of place in This is Spinal Tap. Other highlights include Ozzy Osbourne cooking breakfast (he does so well till its time to pour the orange juice... so close.) And Lemmy being cool when everyone else (I am looking your way Paul Stanley) is simply trying too hard. The Bad: The bands; while the original The Decline of Western Civilization certainly didn't have all winners they at least had some bands that would later become famous (Black Flag) and some and that was actually good (X). The Decline of Western Civilization Part Two consists of one horrible band after another. Another challenge is that interviews with dim and inebriated adolescents rarely provide what one would call insight. The filmmaker certainly lets them dig their own holes but obvious questions are often left on the table. (Do you wear makeup and dress like a girl because you are in the band or did you join the band to wear make-up and dress like a girl seems to be an obvious softball just hanging there for some of these guys.) There are also very silly asides that drag the movie out such as an interview with the LA prosecutor investigating the Heavy Metal scene and an endless sexy rock and roll dance contest that is neither sexy nor rock and roll. In Conclusion: It is easy to forget with today's youth filming every moment of their lives how rare it was in the eighties for someone to point a camera at you. So as a document of this specific place and time the film certainly does a decent job. Glam Metal was dead as disco within a few years and almost everyone involved had to get real jobs. I am sure that many look back with a smile on their face and a shake of the head at their youthful folly. A fun time for those who remember those days.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hair metal. Musically more accomplished than the shot from Part 1, but the subjects are almost universally just as loathsome. The sexism in this scene was deep.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Penelope Spheeris

Director

Steven Tyler

Actor

Joe Perry

Actor

Alice Cooper

Actor

Gene Simmons

Actor

Paul Stanley

Actor

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

100%

94%

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

80%

45%

The Big Bang

91%

91%

Imagine: John Lennon

100%

79%

Roger & Me

78%

78%

Unzipped

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Edgar Wright Shares 10 Of His Favorite Music Documentaries

Trailer Bulletin: The Kid & I

View more photos

Synopsis

In this follow-up to the 1981 punk rock documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization," filmmaker Penelope Spheeris dissects the world of heavy metal. Through live performance footage and interviews that feature popular hard rock musicians, Spheeris examines the metal genre and the opulent Los Angeles music scene of the late 1980s; highlights include Ozzy Osbourne discussing the tedium of sobriety over breakfast and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler claiming to have spent a small fortune on drugs.

Director: Penelope Spheeris
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: Spheeris Films Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 17, 1988, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 23, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $373.7K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now