The Doom Generation (1995).

The Scoop:
This middle film of Gregg Araki's nihilistic teen alienation trilogy -- sandwiched between "Totally Fucked Up" and "Nowhere" -- features plenty of sex, violence, humor, cool images and the ultra-hot Rose McGowan.

The plot follows three disaffected kids -- conveniently named Xavier Red (Jonathan Schaech), Jordan White (James Duval) and Amy Blue (McGowan) -- who go on an aimless sex and murder spree before meeting their own inevitable end. The supporting cast is filled with plenty of familiar faces from the world of indie cinema (Parker Posey, Margaret Cho), '70s television (Lauren Tewes, Christopher Knight) and alternative music (Perry Farrell, Skinny Puppy). There's even a cameo by Heidi Fleiss.

Araki bills "The Doom Generation" as his "heterosexual movie," although there's plenty of homoerotic subtext (and not-so-subtext) between Red and White to keep everyone happy. It's disenfranchised-teens-on-the-road theme fits it squarely in the tradition of "Bonnie and Clyde" (1969), "Badlands" (1973) and "Natural Born Killers" (1994). But what sets it apart from those others is its unrelenting darkness. The violence and desperation serve no greater purpose and aren't tools to send a larger artisitic message about our modern society. Instead, they are an end in themselves, a last cry in the urban wilderness before total annihilation. Even the humor is nihilistic.

It's kind of rough around the edges, but this is still great, powerful, psychotic moviemaking -- but only for those with stomachs strong enough to handle the violence, the sex and the bleakness.

Best Line:
"You're like a life support system for a cock!"

Side Note:
Jordan Ladd was originally cast to play McGowan's character, but withdrew at the last minute when her mother, Cheryl Ladd, decided she didn't like the script. The end credits conclude with, "No thanks to Cheryl Ladd." Jordan, however, defied her mom and went on to star in "Nowhere."

Companion Viewing:
"Totally Fucked Up" (1993) and "Nowhere (1997).

Links:
IMDb.
dOOMED.the doom generation fanlisting.

Take a Look:
The trailer...


Here's the first five minutes...


"Like a chicken head!"