The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

There's probably no greater "Fuck You" to the 80s metal scene than just letting them speak for themselves.

Lemmy, Ozzy, Aerosmith and Alice were cool. Kiss were self-important douchebags. Megadeth seemed to get the most flattering portrayal of the young bands, probably because Speed Metal was mostly Punk in philosophy, and I'm biased. Actually, this whole thing seems like a propaganda piece subversively extolling the relative virtues of the Punk Rock movement. It's the only one in the trilogy that isn't about Punk, and it's the only one in which the subjects are really mocked. It was funny though.

The Metal Years is an amazing documentary about a specific time in late 80's LA when heavy metal was all the rage for many predominantly white middle class people. The movie's director Penelope Spheeris interviews some of the top bands of the era and some up-and-coming bands as well to get to the bottom of what it means to be in a band. The documentary delves into the psyche of the kind of people who try to make it in a band, especially those in late 80's LA. This movie is a treasure.

The hair metalheads here may not be smarter, but they're far more hopeful than the despair-inducing punks in the 1st doc, which at least allows 4 emotions other than anger to appear onscreen. It's similarly tiring 2 hear them talk like the young idiots they are, but it's hard not 2 sympathize watching so many of them ambitiously insist they're going 2 make it big even though 25 years later it's clear they never did. The older guys - not Kiss of course - also offer up some hard-earned wisdom

both one of the most hilarious and the most depressing documentaries i've seen. it's easy to laugh at all the ridiculousness, but the sad fact is there's a tiny bit of Odin in everyone who's picked up an electric guitar.

Fun as hell and that surely is not because it's a good documentary.

you get a good dichotomy in this one between the bands that have made it talking about how fucked up their lives got and the upcoming bands just wanting to make it and be those people except the dudes in KISS who just fucked all the time and didn't do drugs being like life is awesome. The stupidest people of all time. Long live rock and or roll

Sad because you're basically set up to be laughing at these people who are trying to live their dreams, but at the same time how do you not laugh when a guy says if I'm not bigger than led zeppelin I will kill myself? The interviews with the bands that have already made it are full of idiots saying nothing when they think they're being profound. The American Dream, baby.

Spheeris' punk snobbery taints the perspective at times, and there are glaring omissions that limit its overall scope, but some of the participants are undeniably dumb, rendering any attempts at mockery superfluous, and it's an entertaining time capsule of a specific scene/place, a moment that would soon come to pass and bear as much resemblance to the present day as ragtime.Ozzy and Stanley aside, the most memorable (i.e.revealing) moments are with the up-and-comers who failed to launch.

I remembered this film as being funnier than it is. Penelope Spheeris's follow-up to her incredible documentary about the Los Angeles hardcore punk scene is not completely successful, but well worth a watch.

Solid documentary, cementing what you probably already knew, KISS are insufferable. Alice Cooper and Lemmy are good people. Tyler and Perry are creeps.

The music didn't thrill me and the people bored me. Maybe it would've been more interesting watching this in the 80s

Spinal Tap again.

All my points are coming 'cause there's some Megadeth in this movie. The rest is bullshit.

Fake as hell, still fun.

Score based on distant memory that this was both hilarious and sad.