Norwood Gets the Shout-Out

American Hardcore was a good film. I wanted to make sure I looked at Kazza's review before I started mine, as she and I definitely noticed some of the same things. I felt like this was as much a film about Bad Brains as it was about anything else. And the "shared footage" from We Jam Econo is definitely accurate; I noticed it when I watched the previews as well. They had to have shared resources, which is a good thing, I feel, as it lends consistency to the body of work.

The film focuses primarily on three different scenes that were instrumental in the beginning of the hardcore movement--DC, LA, and Boston. It reminded me, seeing the sections about Boston, how HUGE the scene was here. I was a little young and sheltered out in the suburbs to really participate, but I remember reading the Phoenix and seeing all the band listings. Gang Green and Jerry's Kids played CONSTANTLY. There were these two kids from my junior high, Hank and Carl, who spent every Sunday in at the Rat at the all-ages matinee. Which brings me to the point of the title. The filmmaker's are interviewing Dickie Barrett, lead singer of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and an early figure in Boston's scene. He's remembering how wild some of the Boston crowds were in these shows. "Ok, you guys over here, you guys here, you're from Norwood, you're ok." Yup, Norwood gets the shout-out in American Hardcore. Of course, I was the only one laughing in the theater at that time, but I couldn't help it.

There were some portions of this film that could have been stronger. As I said before, the primary focus was on DC, LA, and Boston. New York gets some mention, particularly as that scene was later to the movement, but other cities were just glossed right over. Minneapolis particularly. The only one interviewed from that scene was Tommy Stinson, and the Replacements weren't even hardcore (which, essentially, was what he was talking about). I find it hard to believe Grant Hart wouldn't have made himself available for an interview. But in terms of getting the basic overview, and of paying tribute to the scene, the film works well. Fans of hardcore will definitely enjoy seeing their favorites finally get their due.