logo Sign In

'Decline of Western Civilization Pt II: The Metal Years' (Released)

Author
Time
 (Edited)

This film was available on VHS. I’m not sure if it was ever available on LD or not.

For those who haven’t heard of it, it was a documentary about the heavy metal scene in LA in the 80s. I believe that the licensing of all the songs is what prevented this from getting a DVD release. The director, Penelope Spheeris (of Wayne’s World ‘fame’) said that she had bought all the rights to all three of her “Decline” documentaries and would be releasing them on DVD… but that interview was back in 1998 when she released the third film and there’s been no news since.

There are VHS dubs of rental copies that are on eBay, but that’s not the quality I’d like to see. So, does anybody know anything about this movie? Anything about whether it was released on LD? Anything? Any hope of preserving this?

THanks

Author
Time
I've been looking for all 3 in decent quality. I think May was Metal Month on VH1 and they played it and the quality was excellent or the best we will get for a while. I wish I recorded it now. The first was released on laserdisc. Finding an original copy of ebay would probably be the best for Part II. Part III has never even been on home video but I think bootlegs are around.
Author
Time
ACK! I can't believe I missed it in May!!! Unbelievable.

I believe there are DVD boots of Part1 which are from the laser disc, which is great for fans of the original, but I haven't seen any version of "The Metal Years" except for VHS dubs/originals on ebay.

Man, I can't believe it showed on VH1 about a month ago. I totally would have recorded it with my ReplayTV and burned a DVD of it.
Author
Time
I have a copy of the second one on DVD and, from what I remember, it looks quite nice. I'm not at home right now, but when I get back tomorrow, remind me and I'll post some screenshots.

The guy I got it from has also been looking for Part III for some time and hasn't found a copy, and he has quite an impressive collection, so there aren't too many around of that one.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

Author
Time
Hey reverend,
That's the best news I've heard all night!
I just dropped you a note
Thanks
Author
Time
Decline of Western Civilization Part II @ Demonoid.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: ReverendBeastly
I have a copy of the second one on DVD and, from what I remember, it looks quite nice. I'm not at home right now, but when I get back tomorrow, remind me and I'll post some screenshots.

The guy I got it from has also been looking for Part III for some time and hasn't found a copy, and he has quite an impressive collection, so there aren't too many around of that one.


I'm about to obtain Part III soon actually and can get ya a copy. Bootleg DVDs of Part I and III were recently on ebay and fetched 102$.

Author
Time
Molto, please shoot me an email so we can work out a trade for Part III.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

Author
Time
WOW!!! What a coincedence! I was about to ask if anyone had a better copy of Part II. I borrowed the VHS from the library last year and did a conversion to DVD with it. I'll probably go get it from storage this afternoon.
Author
Time
Originally posted by: JohnnyRay
This film was available on VHS. I'm not sure if it was ever available on LD or not.

For those who haven't heard of it, it was a documentary about the heavy metal scene in LA in the 80s. I believe that the licensing of all the songs is what prevented this from getting a DVD release. The director, Penelope Spheeris (of Wayne's World 'fame') said that she had bought all the rights to all three of her "Decline" documentaries and would be releasing them on DVD.... but that interview was back in 1998 when she released the third film and there's been no news since.

There are VHS dubs of rental copies that are on eBay, but that's not the quality I'd like to see. So, does anybody know anything about this movie? Anything about whether it was released on LD? Anything? Any hope of preserving this?

THanks


Penelope Spheeris was on the Henry Rollins Show about a month ago, I THOUGHT I heard her say that the DVD's are coming out later this year .....

“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK

Author
Time
Originally posted by: Rikter
Penelope Spheeris was on the Henry Rollins Show about a month ago, I THOUGHT I heard her say that the DVD's are coming out later this year .....


That would be awesome. I'll see if I can pull up some more info on that.

FWIW, here's a link to the 1998 article http://www.hipmagazine.com/spheeris.htm

"I recently bought back the rights to all three, video and DVD. So I'm gonna re-release them as a boxed set. "


And here's the official "decline" site which states COMING SOON TO DVD & VIDEO!..... but a quick trip to the Internet Archive shows that the official site has been claiming that for more than FIVE YEARS! "decline" site from February 2001

I don't know, I think that holding my breath for the official release would probably result in my face turning blue

Author
Time
You should catch the episode of The Henry Rollins Show

“My skill are no longer as Mad as the once were” RiK

Author
Time
Originally posted by: Rikter
You should catch the episode of The Henry Rollins Show


I'm in the process of trying to get it as we speak. I've never seen the show ( No IFC on my cable system ), but saw Henry a few months ago in Austin and have always found him to be entertaining and interesting.

Author
Time
From The Henry Rollins Show, May 27th 2006

Henry : ...when are the Decline films hitting DVD? Because I have looked for them...

Penelope : I know...

Henry : ...and we've contacted you before, going "Hey Penelope, what's up with that?" and so, so what is up with that?

Penelope : Well, I.. you know, a few years ago when I decided 'okay, it's finally time to put these out on dvd' I went to my vault and I started digging out old cans of film and I actually had more old stuff than I thought I had.

So I sat down and, I swear, I was like a year and a half putting little pieces of 16mm film in the guillotine splicer and putting them together, and it was like, such a hard job. But, then once I got them organized and we started putting them into a digital form and we're still working on it, you know?

Um, and I really want to have the Declines come out, uh, soon... but, uh, I want it to be right. For me, it's like, I don't really care about making money on it because I made my money other ways...

Henry : Right

Penelope : ... for me it's about doing it right. Because, when I'm dead and gone, no one's gonna' go "Oh, that's the chick that did Wayne's World", they're going to go "Oh, that's the chick that did the Decline of Western Civilization", so it's got to be right.

Author
Time
Originally posted by: JohnnyRay
And here's the official "decline" site which states COMING SOON TO DVD & VIDEO!..... but a quick trip to the Internet Archive shows that the official site has been claiming that for more than FIVE YEARS! "decline" site from February 2001


It's been one month since I posted that. Well, I just went back to the official site and, after more than five years of claiming that the films were "coming soon to DVD", they've changed the front page to say "Thank you for your patience as we continue to work on the DVDs and updating this website. " I'm not sure that the removal of "coming soon" instills much hope in me.


BUT, the good news is that the Sundance Channel is broadcasting "The Metal Years" three times this month!!!! I don't have the Sundance channel, but it seems to me that a Tivo/ReplayTV/other HD recording of one of these broadcasts would have to be better than the VHS dubs floating around. Does anybody know if Sundance screens stuff uncut/uncensored?

If anybody (besides me) has any interest in recording these, I (for one) would appreciate it. I have a ReplayTV but since I don't get the Sundance channel, it doesn't do me much good.

- Friday 08.11.06 at 12:00 AM
- Thursday 08.17.06 at 11:45 PM
- Sunday 08.20.06 at 01:45 AM


Thanks,
JR

Author
Time
Sundance does screen things uncut. I'll try to snag it on my DVR and make a DVD from that, if nobody with better capturing abilities steps up.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

Author
Time
Originally posted by: cashiers
Just picked this up on DVD from Thailand. Not sure how legit it is or not.


I assume not very,nonetheless how is the quality? Can you post a screencap?
Author
Time
I missed these last couple posts until just now. Cashiers, any chance of that screen cap?
Author
Time
I hadn't seen the movie, but back in the day I bought the soundtrack and it was killer. Here's another great Heavy Metal documentary you guys should check out if you haven't already.

http://www.metalhistory.com/
Author
Time
Originally posted by: Doubledown
Did anyone come up on the part 3 footage?


Yeah I've got part 3 big guy.

Author
Time
Originally posted by: Molto
Originally posted by: Doubledown
Did anyone come up on the part 3 footage?


Yeah I've got part 3 big guy.


Anyway to workout a trade?

Author
Time
I had a friend record this straight onto dvd from IFC last year (perfect quality!) but for whatever reason have not been able to copy it - I'm guessing because it was done with a set top dvd recorder

Anyways, although the site has said "coming soon" for a few years now, at least we know Spheeris is taking the time to do it right, hopefully with tons of extras (since she has all that extra footage)

As for right now, I can see about copying mine again and sending it out to someone to PIF and preserve it (since I'm not able to upload or torrent)

Also, part 3 was only available in very limited quantities via the official site for a short time last year (all free!) and since then Spheeris has discontinued this... Only problem is that you had to sign a waiver and such that you would not redistribute the video in any form... so...