decline-2

BAM "Indie '80s' film series: 'Decline II,' 'Spinal Tap,' 'River's Edge,' 'Let's Get Lost' & more

by Bill Pearis

Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P. enjoying a smoke and a cocktail in ‘Decline II’
The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

BAMcinématek will be presenting “Indie ’80s” from Jul 17–Aug 27 at BAM Rose Cinemas, featuring a wide variety of off-kilter American cinema classics from the Reagan Years. The series features a number of music-related films, including two on the opening night (7/18): Penelope Spheeris‘ hedonistic, highly entertaining documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years and Jim Jarmusch‘s Stranger Than Paradise which stars Lounge Lizard John Lurie (who did the score) and Richard Edson (Sonic Youth) and the omnipresent use of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins‘ “I Put A Spell On You.”

Other music-leaning films in the “Indie ’80s” series include: groundbreaking 1982 hip hop doc Wild Style (8/27); Beth B’s paranoid punk thriller Vortex starring Lydia Lunch (8/10); John Moritsugu‘s obscure 1989 punk satire My Degeneration (8/19); 1980’s Blank Generation starring Richard Hell and Andy Warhol (7/30); Bruce Weber’s 1989 Chet Baker documentary Let’s Get Lost (8/9), and highly-quotable mockumentary This is Spinal Tap (8/14).

There are loads of non-music films in the series, too, such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, River’s Edge, Blue Velvet, Hollywood Shuffle, Ms. 45, My Dinner with Andre, Sex, Lies & Videotape, Sidewalk Stories, Trouble in Mind, and documentaries Sherman’s March, The Thin Blue Line, Roger & Me, Seventeen, Swimming to Cambodia. BAM’s “Indie ’80s” schedule and a few trailers are below. Tickets are on sale.

BAM – Indie 80s Schedule (*Filmmaker in person)

Fri, Jul 17
2, 4:30, 7, 9:30pm: Hollywood Shuffle
Sat, Jul 18
2, 7pm: Stranger Than Paradise
4:30, 9:30pm: The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

Sun, Jul 19
2, 4:30pm*: Sidewalk Stories 7pm: Sherman’s March

Mon, Jul 20
5, 7:30pm*: Heat and Sunlight

Tue, Jul 21
5, 9:45pm: Poto and Cabengo
7pm*: Wildrose

Wed, Jul 22
5, 9:30pm: Gap-Toothed Women + In Heaven There Is No Beer?
7pm: Trouble in Mind
Thu, Jul 23
5, 7:30pm*: Smooth Talk

Fri, Jul 24
2, 7pm: River’s Edge
4:30, 9:30pm: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Sat, Jul 25
2, 7pm: Losing Ground
4:30, 9:30pm: Mala Noche

Sun, Jul 26
2, 6:30pm: Los Sures
4, 8:15pm: The Thin Blue Line

Mon, Jul 27
7:30pm*: Matewan

Tue, Jul 28
7, 9:30pm: Lightning Over Braddock

Wed, Jul 29
7pm: The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
9:30pm: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

Thu, Jul 30
4:30, 9:30pm*: Vigilante
7pm: Blank Generation

Mon, Aug 3
7pm*: Will
9:30pm: Bell Diamond

Tue, Aug 4
7:30, 9:30pm: Parting Glances

Wed, Aug 5
4:30, 9:30pm: True Love
7pm: Paydirt

Thu, Aug 6
7, 9:30pm: Bless Their Little Hearts

Fri, Aug 7
2, 4:30, 10pm: Day of the Dead
7pm*: Seventeen

Sat, Aug 8
2, 7pm: Blood Simple
4:30, 9:30pm: Blue Velvet

Sun, Aug 9
2, 7pm: Swimming to Cambodia
4, 9pm: Let’s Get Lost

Mon, Aug 10
7pm*: Landlord Blues
9:30pm: Vortex

Tue, Aug 11
7:30pm: El Norte

Wed, Aug 12
7pm: Willie 9pm: Flash of Green

Thu, Aug 13
7, 9:30pm: My Brother’s Wedding

Fri, Aug 14
2, 7pm: sex, lies, and videotape
4:30, 9:30pm: This Is Spinal Tap

Sat, Aug 15
2, 6:30pm: The Unbelievable Truth
4:15, 9pm: Ms. 45

Sun, Aug 16
2, 9:15pm: The Cosmic Eye
4pm: Route One/USA

Mon, Aug 17
7:30, 9:30pm: Chan is Missing

Tue, Aug 18
7pm: The Ties That Bind
8:30pm: Ashes and Embers

Wed, Aug 19
7pm: My Degeneration
8:30pm: Who Killed Vincent Chin?

Fri, Aug 21
2, 4:30, 9:30pm: Evil Dead
7pm: Wild Style

Sat, Aug 22
2, 7pm: Roger and Me
4:30, 9:30pm: My Dinner with Andre

Sun, Aug 23
2, 7, 9:30pm: She’s Gotta Have It
4:30pm: St. Clair Bourne Program

Mon, Aug 24
7:30pm*: Personal Problems

Tue, Aug 25
4:30, 7pm: Say Amen Somebody
9:30pm: Patti Rocks

Wed, Aug 26
7pm*: Sleepwalk
9:30pm: Alphabet City

Thu, Aug 27
7pm: Chameleon Street