The Clash Live: Revolution Rock (2008).

The Scoop:
Consider this the concert film The Clash always deserved. The impact of "The Only Band That Matters" can't be overestimated, and part of that impact came from their incendiary live performances. "The Clash Live: Revolution Rock" does those performances justice.

Divided into sections corresponding to each of the band's albums, the film features full songs from rarely seen concert footage, all strung together with brief interview snippets from each era. (Mercifully, "Sandinista!" is represented by only one tune, "The Magnificent Seven.") We see them grow from grimy punk club sensations to arena megastars, and their energy and passion is evident throughout. And with the exception of "Guns of Brixton" (ruined by a crappy sound mix), all the footage looks and sounds great.

There isn't much historical context or background information on the band, but there's so much of that already out there in the world that it hardly matters. All that matters is the music, which still packs a bunch a generation later. Don't miss this one.

Best Bit:
The 1977 performance of "White Riot."

Side Note:
The only album not covered in the film is 1986's "Cut the Crap," which was the band's last. By that time, both Mick Jones and Topper Headon had been kicked out of the group, and the album was both a commercial and artistic failure. Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon, who broke up the band immediately after its release, have since disowned the album and no mention of it ever appears in any of the band-approved retrospective projects.

Companion Viewing:
"The Clash: Westway to the World" (2000).

Links:
The Clash Online.

Take a Look:
The teaser trailer:


Performing "Magnificent Seven" on "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder" in 1981:

Instrument (1998).

The Scoop:
This documentary of the influential Washington, D.C., based punk band Fugazi lets the music do the talking, which is probably the best approach for this subject. While both the band's music and anti-commercial stance have been revolutionary (lack of major label involvement, fan-friendly pricing, D.I.Y touring, etc.), leaders Ian MacKaye and Guy Piccotto are not necessarily the most articulate offstage spokesmen for those beliefs. Fortunately, director Jem Cohen has chosen to feature Fugazi's music so prominently here that it makes their case for them.

The film features a decade's worth of live performance clips, as well as extensive studio footage. Although this approach does make for some slow going in places, the end result is rewarding -- a great primer on one of the true independent acts of the time. And for you young'ns, it's an intriguing look at how bands fought the music industry monopolies in the days before MySpace and MP3s.

Best Bit:
MacKaye berating the "ice cream-eating motherfucker" for pushing people too hard in the crowd.

Side Note:
Cohen has created similar movies for R.E.M. and Elliott Smith. Check 'em out.

Companion Viewing:
"The Decline of Western Civilization" (1981).

Links:
IMDb.
Band page at Dischord Records site.

Take a Look:
The ice cream eater gets what's coming to him. (The band follows with the song "Little Debbie"):


Performing "Song #1":


Here's "Slo Crostic":