Will one of the best films to come out of Canada this decade find an audience in America? Saddled on the albatross of Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder releasing and elephant’s graveyard, it’s not too likely. I reviewed this film last year for the SXSW film festival where QT saw it, bought it and stuck it on the shelf with all of the other films he likes until it was just now released in L.A. and New York. If you liked “Spinal Tap”, punk rock, or just good films, see this while you can.
“Hard Core Logo” is the fictional documentary of the reunion by a “legendary” Canadian punk band of the same name. Not stopping there, an actual tribute album has been produced as well as the detailed history and discography of the band found on their amazing website listed above.
Based on the book by Michæl Turner, lead singer Joe Dick, lead guitarist Billy Talent, bassist John Oxenburger, and drummer Pipefitter reunited for a benefit show for their mentor Bucky Haight. Dick brings in filmmaker Bruce McDonald (as himself) to record the event and subsequent tour he’s cajoled from his bandmates. What follows is “Apocalypse Now”, only funnier.
All now in their mid-thirties, they’re ripped from their stable, if uneventful, existences and thrown back into an old bakery van hurtling across Canada. They crack. Then, the tour gets really weird.
This year I WILL say this is the perfect punk rock movie. It’s also a great film on how friendships change. Time has only made me appreciate the taste of this film, I just wish I could share it with everyone else.
