Punk Film - A Open Ended Essay.

The two words Punk and Film are a sharp object when combined together. Reason being is that people try to define it by the way the a filmmaker approaches filmmaking and where that maybe true in some cases, I think it’s only part of the case. Some people could say that a Punk Film is about punks, which could also be taken as true and seen only as that. But it’s deeper then that.

First off - Punk means a lot of things to a lot of different people with different opinions, anywhere from you’re a-typical-punk-stereo-type to your “I don’t give a shit how I dress” punks to your local hot-topic-punks to your “I’m more punk then you” types to the elitist punks.

It’s a mess of people who have ideals and they’re not to be f--ked with and understandable so because who wants to untangle that mess of theories, possibilities, and life-styles.

Second off - who is anyone to say what is or isn’t punk, especially when it comes to film.

What I am getting at is that there is a feel to a film that makes it punk. Now I am sure your thinking “if it looks, sounds and acts like a punk, then it’s punk.” and that’s true. Now how do you know what a punk is? Is he the guy with a mow-hawk over in the corner with 55 piercings in his face with the leather and spikes? Or is it the guy in the polo shirt, blue jeans and the combed back hair and dirty sneakers? I’d go with the polo shirt kid simply because of the diversity of the music, yes, diversity.

Now with that being said there are a list of “Punk” films, from 1977’s Jubilee to 1999’s SLC punk. Now those films are with out a doubt “Punk” films, since A: probably made by people who love and respect punk music, and B: because the characters in them are “punks” and there is also music in the films that is also Punk.

But again, not what I am trying to get at. There are films that fit the “Punk Film” term due to feel, look, sound and so on.

My first example is Martin Scorsese’s 1976 masterpiece Taxi Driver. Now you may think - “how is that punk? Because he shaves his head?”. No, absolutely not why. Actually that couldn’t be further from the point I am working at. The film, the character of Travis Bickle and the whole feel to the film is not only very troubling and alienated but it also very punk. Watching Taxi Driver reminds me of Black Flag, a 1980’s american hardcore band, not the insect killer.

Now, anyone can get any vibe from any movie that want to get a vibe from. If I went into Taxi Driver looking for religious symbolism, I am sure I could find it.

Second example is Ridley Scott’s 1982 magnum opus Blade Runner. “How is that Punk, because Roy Batty is so rebellious?” Nope, Again because of the feel, the atmosphere and about a ton more reasons. Blade Runner is even apart of a film genre called Cyber Punk, much like the first Matrix film is and so is 1998’s PI by director Darren Aronofsky, which is also a Cyber Punk film.

Same could be said for 1979’s Alien, 1981’s Escape from New York, 1983’s Videodrome, 1987’s Robocop, 1989’s Tetsuo : The Iron Man, 1995’s The City of Lost Children, Hackers and Strange Days. All prime examples of “Punk” films but they’re “Cyber Punk” none the less.

But again, back the subject - Punk Film is a real thing outside of the “archetype” films which is widely known about - if you look you’ll find more that fit into the idea of “Punk”.

Hmm, I am surprised that this didn’t have a better ending. Just goes to show that I can’t write for s---t! Haha!