Rating: 
Summary: I Heart Suburbia
Review: A friend had told me about this movie, and so I rented it one day. To my delight (ew), I found a really awesome movie to watch over and over. It's the kind of movie that has unintentionally funny parts, for instance, the opening scene. I don't want to give much away, but let's just say that something tragic happens, but the effects are so low-budget, it is laughable. But that doesn't lessen the quality of this film. The movie is about a teenage boy named Ethan, who runs away from his abusive, alcoholic mother and younger brother . He has nowhere to go, and then he follows some kids he sees to a punk rock show, and then befriends a older kid named Jack. He takes Ethan to the squat him and his friends live in called the TR house (TR stands for "The Rejected") . There all the kids who didn't belong anywhere else or had no where else to go stay, and become the only family they will ever really know or want. They are so dedicated to each other, they brand the TR logo on their flesh like cattle. Now that's Punk Rawk!!! The transformation of Ethan, and then his little brother, whom Ethan later takes away from his mom after she gets arrested, is amazing. Just the image of not even a ten year old boy on a big wheel with a mowhawk and an army jacket is to me breathtaking. Also look out for Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers fame) as one of the kids living in the TR house.
Most of the movie is about how these kids couldn't get along well in their own houses, but together they can survive. And the cops understand their ways more than the townspeople do in this movie. It's a pretty cliche story plot, but it still works as an original movie.
Penelope Spheeris has always been a big name director in the punk and metal scene. She directed all the Decline of Western Civilization movies, and even the Wayne's World pics. She knows how to film punk rock shows. In this movie, when the bands (TSOL, Vandals, et.c) play, she knows how to capture the flow of the crowd. And people might say the acting in this movie is bad. But just keep in mind that Penelope had real punk rock kids in this movie. So they were not actors playing punks, they were punks being actors!
The best way to see this movie is the DVD version, with widescreen. The commentary with Penelope Spheeris is good. She reveals a bit of secrets from the set. Did you know that the kids really did sleep and live at the TR house during filming?
Oh, and one thing to check in the movie that they do not reveal in the commentary, which I hoped they would. In one scene, the actor playing Jack calls Flea by his his real name; not his characters' name!
Enjoy watching Suburbia! Don't compare this movie to SLC Punk. At least these kids were real punks! You should watch this movie with the Decline of Western Civiization!
Rating:
Summary: The only "real" punk rock movie of the 80's
Review:
When she directed Wayne's World in 1992, Penelope Spheeriswas already a 10 year film veteran. Her opus immediately preceding Suburbia was the great pUnK rOcK gospel, The Decline of Western Civilization (1981), for which she gained a lasting reputation as a documentarian of American musical culture.
Unlike every other director in the 80's (except for Repo Man's Alex Cox, who did the original score for Suburbia), Spheeris knew that punk rock was about more than just having goofy hair, wearing a leather jacket, or aping that Billy Idol sneer. Instead of hoping for a credible performance from actors, she cast real punk rock kids, some of whom were really homeless! Her ensemble of non-actors turned out to be lovable, believable, and endearing. They are mostly innocent and unconscious of themselves or the camera, which has prompted the most criticism. We're not used to watching movies in which people don't (or can't) act. But this is the nature of the documentary style! Spheeris did not want acting, she wanted reacting and interacting. The relationships and the people come across as real and involving. Contrary to some claims, these kids do embody the punk rock experience of the 80's. I was there and can attest that the 'scene' in Suburbia was genuine. Best of all, punk rockers were portrayed as real people with the same fears, hopes, and dreams you and I have...
Also, people who criticize the production quality of Suburbia are missing the point entirely. Everything was shot on location in the "wrong" part of the Los Angeles suburbs, using mostly available light and sound. The script was thin, the acting non-existent, and the budget was obviously close to that of Kevin Smith's Clerks. But the whole of Suburbia is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts.
There are several great musical sequences in Suburbia, including live performances by The Vandals, TSOL, and D.I. Look for Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, Flea, who went on to do another 2 dozen film & TV roles.
A nod goes to Roger Corman, who co-produced Suburbia. This man has averaged 6.2 movies a year since 1954! He is the undisputed king of cheap cinema and has churned out some of our most beloved pulp celluloid! Thank you Roger, for trusting your instincts and fronting the cash for one of my favorite flicks!
Rating: 
Summary: One person's version of 80's punk and L.A.
Review: Before I became a christian, this movie was like my mantra of life. Im not kidding, this movie was that important to me at age 14/15 back in 1985. However, now that I am 32 and it's no longer the 80's, it's the year 2004, I'll say some stuff about this film.
This movie depicts a story of kids in the LA area in the early 80's, who due to family problems end up running away and becoming punks. These characters are "rescued" in different ways by a group of punk kids called "TR"-"the rejected"..they live in a house in the middle of an abandoned suburban neighborhood "out by the 605" freeway in Downey, CA (which is actually a predominantly latino community in real life)..these kids are punks with spiked hair, leather jackets, ripped army surplus clothes and run down cars with the names of punk bands spray painted on them...in other words, they dont look like others. They're opposed by local "redneck" type adults who seem to have it out for the TR kids, until a showdown..in between are various concert performances from 80's LA punk bands DI, the Vandals, and tsol...a very young Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers is in the movie as Razzle, a kid who shoots cockroaches with his slingshot and loves his pet rat. Also in the movie is Chris Petersen as Jack, one of the main characters, and an actor who's only other role was a small part in Oliver Stone's Platoon
I will say that this film is not entirely realistic...it's a somewhat "punk rock romanticized" version of LA. Southern Cal in this movie is seen as this place where wild dogs run around like coyotes and people sit by bonfires at night..as if LA in the early 80's was some sort of wild west frontier. Also, anyone in this movie who's not a punk rocker has no fashion whatsoever...all the non punks in the film wear random polo shirts and slacks from the discount section of Mervyn's. There's no breakdancers, pop lockers, mods, low riders, or any other style of person to compete with the punk lifestyle (styles that actually were around in real life in LA at the time)-it's either punks or t.v audience-looking "maniquins"...in a way, it's a teenager's view of the world, there's me and my group, and then there's everyone else. However, Suburbia shows the value of being a friend to others, and shows the problems of prejudice and dysfunctional families, which is somewhat the moral of the film..It's not 100% realistic as some feel, but it will show Penelope Sheris's vision of 80's punk culture-- before it was turned into the "MTV Jackass/Blink 182" "corporate version" of punk that exists now
Rating: 
Summary: Essential punk rocker viewing
Review: Directed by Penelope Spheeris right after DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, this film chronicles the lives of a group of L.A. punks squatting in an abandoned suburb. The direction, writing, and acting are beyond atrocious (The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' Flea... then known as "Mike B." makes a cameo, proving he should never quit his day job as a whiteboy funk bass player), yet this film holds a certain charm... especially for young punk kids who seem to memorize every line of insipid dialogue. Check out the excellent live footage of D.I., T.S.O.L., and THE VANDALS. Classic stuff. The DVD has an insightful commentary track from Spheeris... she comes off sounding a bit airheaded, but she provides some interesting trivia for the punks that have seen the movie 20+ times. If you are a punk rocker or have ever been a punk rocker, you need to see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: "What are you all dressed up for? Where's the war?"
Review: Disinfected youth...er, I mean disaffected youth...for each generation there seems to be a film out there to relate the rebellious, discontented, estranged, insurgent, anarchistic elements within said generation...the 50's presented us with Marlon Brando as The Wild One, the 60's came forth with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider, the 70's brought us Roller Boogie with Linda Blair (okay, maybe that's not the best example, but then the 70's were pretty lame), and the 80's brought Suburbia (1984)...written and directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization, Wayne's World), the film stars Chris Pedersen (Night of the Comet), along with a bunch of people you've probably never heard of who's only acting credit is this film (Spheeris used a lot of `real life kids' instead of actors, assumingly to present the story as realistically as possible). There's one other notable person appearing in that of a very young Flea (a wee flea? I know, I know, that's pretty lame), from the band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, credited as Mike B. The Flea (his real name is Michael Peter Balzary).
The film begins with a pretty shocking scene that seems to have little to do with anything (later we'll see it's sort of a metaphor, as there's quite a few throughout), and then cuts into a scene of a teenage boy named Evan difficulties within his home life that lead to him running away (moms is an angry drunk), wandering the streets of L.A. Evan soon falls in with a group of homeless teens who call themselves T.R., short for The Rejected, lead by Jack Diddley (Pedersen), at least he appears to be the leader as he seems the oldest and the only one with a car. The teens live among a condemned series of houses, and survive by begging or stealing what they need from residents in nearby populated neighborhoods (here's a tip if you live in L.A. near the airport...keep your garage door closed, as an open door is an invitation to roving gangs to come in and take whatever isn't nailed down). The tax-paying residents, who are feeling the frustrations stemming from the effects of Reaganomics (various plants have closed down, forcing many out of work), are growing increasing angry at the kids and their antics, and also at the police for their ineffectual manner in dealing with the situation (the residents do have a valid argument in this, as the police in this film really don't seem to do much of anything). As a result, the more redneck elements of the residents decide to take matters into their own hands, trying to scare off the homeless kids with forceful tactics, with pretty predictable consequences (i.e. someone gets killed).
This isn't a happy film...there are a few funny moments, but there's an overall nihilistic sense to the story. As the movie progresses, we get some insight on where the kids come from, the circumstances that led them to where they're at now, along with the antagonistic attitudes they must face on a daily basis of a society that doesn't want them, and doesn't know how to deal with them. They don't appear to be bad, as they formed their own little family unit, relying on each other for some basic needs, but more products of circumstances out of their control, left to their own devices, surviving anyway they can (much like the wild dogs that roam the area where the kids live)...the style of direction matches the attitude of the material on the screen very well, appearing very raw, unfocused, lacking the polish one would normally see theatrical release. As I said, many of those appearing are not professional actors, so the performances may appear amateurish, but I think that's the intent. The dialogue is pretty simplistic, but then this also serves to further highlight the pragmatic nature of the story. There's no candy coating interpretations, no buffoonish characterizations, only a raw, warts and all, glimpse into a world many of us would probably not have had a chance to experience. I've read some opinions that state you really need to be a fan of punk rock (there's some great performances by bands like T.S.O.L., The Vandals, and D.I.) to appreciate this film, and while I think it would really help, I don't necessarily agree with the exclusivity of those sentiments (I was actually indoctrinated to punk music back in the late 80's when I found a Dead Kennedy's cassette for sale at a used record shop). I think most all can enjoy a good film, especially one that offers viewers a chance to understand a segment of the population that appears so completely foreign. You may not gain any real insight, or even develop a liking where there might have originally been a disliking (people often despise what they don't understand), but I think one can appreciate, at the very least, the effort to give a voice to those who few would listen to otherwise.
I really wanted to give this release 4 stars, but the picture quality, presented in full screen (it states `digitally remastered' on the case), pan and scan format looks pretty rough, much like that of a VHS tape. It would have been nice if someone had sprung to clean it up a bit, and release it in the original aspect ratio, but this is a Roger Corman release, and he seems not so inclined to spend any more than necessary than he has to (cheap b@stard)...the DVD does contain a few interesting special features, including a commentary track by writer/director Spheeris, along with brief biographies of Corman, Spheeris, and Pedersen, original and alternate theatrical trailers (the film was originally titled Rebel Streets), and some trailers for other Corman releases including one for Saint Jack (1979) and Piranha (1978). If you liked this film, check out a movie called Over the Edge (1979), featuring Matt Dillon in his first, feature role, not yet on DVD.
Cookieman108
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie, Bad DVD
Review: I bought this movie because I saw it on sale at the local Farm & Fleet. It was actually a very good movie and I enjoyed it, I don't care too much about content of the movie itself because I'm sure everyone else will already be reviewing it. I just cared about the DVD itself. The sound and picture is really bad and looks like it was just copied from an old VHS tape. I would expect DVD quality from a movie that has just been rereleased
Rating:
Summary: SUBURBIA
Review: I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST CAME ACROSS THIS MOVIE WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE DAMNED. I FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE WITH MY OLDER BROTHER AND I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AMAZING MOVIE IT SEEMED SO REAL. I WAS REALLY YOUNG I HAD TO ONLY BE 12 OR 13 MAYBE YOUNGER BUT IT BLEW ME AWAY. I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS MOVIE FOR YEARS. I HAVE SEARCHED FOR IT AT LOCAL VIDEO STORES NEVER COULD FIND IT. THIS MOVIE IS A MUST SEE. YOU WON'T FORGET IT.
Rating:
Summary: So bad it's good!
Review: I first saw suburbia when I was about 14, and at the time I thought it was awesome. Then again, back then I had an Exploited T-shirt and drew anarchy signs on things. I'd like to think now, ten years later, I've wised up a bit.
That being said, this movie is completely entertaining and worth a look. True, the dialogue, characters, situations, acting, and cinematography are all sketchy at best, an Spheeris' movie "Dudes" deserves a far higher place in the annals of punk rock cinema. But Suburbia is like some teenage garage punk band wailing away at a free show on 6th ave-- they may suck but the energy and enthusiasm is infectious.
The kids aren't horribly sympathetic in general (one runs away because his dad is gay; another runs away because his stepdad is black); they harrass innocent people more than once; They rob homes; some disturbingly sexist behavior (ripping a girl's clothes off at a club while several punks cheer and hollar) make it even harder to root for the "T.R." kids. The movie in general makes punks look like senseless, violent cretins (which, to be fair, they sometimes are) but yet you are supposed to consider them the good guys. It's perplexing.
That being said, the gig scenes are really cool (note; I've seen all three bands in real life, and they all suck now. How did they used to rock so much?). There are priclessly stupid lines and moments great for a laugh. There's a genuinely somewhat cool thread running throughout that subtly indicates that the TR are really basicly just children (most people miss this).
All in all, I'd rent this but wouldn't reccomend buying it. Your money would be better spent on "Dudes" or "Repo Man".
Rating:
Summary: Though I love "Suburbia" it could have been a lot better.
Review: In truth, I can only really reccomend this movie to real fans of punk rock or Penelope Spheeris ("The Decline of Western Civilization", etc.). Others may not understand it so well. If you like punk rock, you'll have fun with this - the concert scenes are a HUGE bonus. It is a nice little "coming of age" tale, though, and is, dare I say, heartwarming in some scenes.
The movie "SLC Punk" (1999) borrows a lot from this movie but is a lot better made. They are interesting to compare, and you could make a nice punk rock movie night out of the two titles. I'm not saying one is better than the other, just try comparing them. Oh, and they both have phenomenal soundtracks (again, if you like punk, try them, they have a lot of classics on them).
I have had this movie for several years now on VHS - I got it for Christmas when I was younger from my Dad. My friend told me about it, and I was really excited to see it because it was supposed to depict life in the early 80's for a group of punks in California. I, being the little rebellious punk girl trying to relive the 80's LOVED the movie despite its many flaws.
The movie starts by focusing on Ethan and his life in a broken-home. After he runs away he is taken in by a group of rowdy punk rockers at their "suburban-hell" squatter house which is in an abandoned neighborhood. They treat Ethan well and respect him, and soon he brings his younger brother to live with the group so he can have a life away from the chaos their alcoholic mother creats. Then the movie begins to focus on the group as a whole and a new girl who arrives and falls in love with one of the group's members. T.R. ("The Rejected") begin having conflict with the local "law enforcement" and citizens because they believe T.R. is dangerous. You'll have to see the movie to find out how it ends.
Some scenes are very funny (Such as harassing the local yocals at the market - "Happy Easter!" and asking a housewife at a garage sale if she's "got any vibrators?" - the look on her face is PRICELESS!), touching, and sad (I cried at a few points), and look out for a young Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers as a member of the gang. Like I said, the concert scenes are a DEFINATE PLUS - D.I. perform "Richard Hung Himself", T.S.O.L. perform "Darker My Love", and the early Vandals play "Pat Brown" in a very humorous live set.
To be honest, though, it is not well made, does not stand the test of time, and the acting leaves a lot to be desired, and also some of the things seem very unbelievable and outrageous today, but it has a special place in my heart because this is a movie that I grew up with in the punk rock scene. I gave it four stars because, if you are a fan of punk rock, you will enjoy this movie even with it's campy acting. It's fun.
Rating:
Summary: suburbia
Review: its way better than slc punk... if want realism then watch this movie..it also has a kickass soundtrack. flea was REALLY young when he did this flick.. i reccomend it..now watch it and burn down hot topic..
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