B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989

cult_vegetables4.5

The angst in the raw footage is palpable, a divided city on the verge, about to hit critical mass: Subterranean clubs, street life and an edgy music scene marked by jittery unease. With the Wall as a constant, the pent-up energy of Berlin comes to life in these rare 8mm films. Structured a bit like a Julien Temple project w/ a unique flashback concept, yet authentic, even nostalgic.

poppy3.5

sitting in my flat that i pay too much for, with no hot german punks living anywhere near me, sacre bleu what is the point. i could be squatting with nick cave or in a record shop listening to a young german lad yell into a face mask and play a tiny piano, but culture has died! we have no fun anymore!

nomenclature4.0

This is definitely intoxicated on its own sense of coolness, an uber-hip look at counterculture in '79-'89 West Berlin. The cultural commentary was a little trite, but the music montages were fantastic; you can hear the burbling origins of just about every form of modern rock and roll—punk, indie, electronic, noise, etc. The highlight for me was an appearance by one of my favorite bands, Ideal, whom until now I've never found an interview of with English subtitles. Also neat seeing Die Toten Hosen playing a secret show in East Berlin for moshing kids who were usually denied any access to real music. There's one other part where they show pictures of Einsturzende Neubauten holding signs that say stuff like "SUPPORTING COMMERCIAL MUSIC MEANS SUPPORTING THE REACTIONARIES" and then it cuts to one of the band members angrily shouting while monotonously stabbing one note on a small piano, which I think pretty much sums up the whole scene.