I thought I would take the opportunity to make a list of some of the better films about and around punk rock, seeing as I got some space to kill this month.

I THOUGHT I WOULD take the opportunity to make a list of some of the better films about and around punk rock, seeing as I got some space to kill this month. I also have to admit that I have never seen Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains, which if anyone has a copy and wants to send me one it'd be much appreciated. Don't bother writing to me if I missed your favorite film, like I said, it's just a taste. I just figured that with the renewed interest in the origins of punk, a healthy interest if you ask me given the sorry state of MTV pseudo punk bands and watered down bullshit, it's worth watching some of the best early examples. Here they are, in no particular order. Westway to the World (2000) is a great documentary of one of the best punk bands of all time, The Clash, following their interviews, live footage, and some contextualization that places the band amidst the social upheaval of working class England in the late '70s. There are a few other Clash films as well, including Clash on Broadway (which I think is included as a bonus in some versions of Westway), and the Story of the Clash. Joe Strummer was a brilliant visionary, and his interviews in this demonstrate his articulateness. Westway is a must see for a band that helped define punk, inserted politics over nihilism, strayed and released some questionable later stuff, and eventually fizzled out.