It’s Been a While, so Here’s a Head-Cleaner Straight Out of 1984

Repo Man 1984

And if you’re not familiar with the Alex Cox film of the same name, here’s the trailer.

One of the only films that can be considered genuinely ‘punk’, instead of using the punk scene as a backdrop or window dressing, the movie is a reflection of the SoCal Punk Scene of the early 80’s and the issues that it rallied against. Although it was studio financed film, the film conveys a deep sense of the DIY aesthetic and its fuelled by off-beat humour, biting politically charged social satire and solid characters with developed arcs. And if that’s not enough to get you watching, it’s also a sci-fi, conspiracy thriller with car chases too.

Radioactive Cars

Disintergrations

This movie has spawned some original art too. Check out this amazing poster design for an imagined sequel by artist Robert Sammelin.

Repo Man 2

Finally, the soundtrack to the movie is the stuff of Punk Rock legend. Responsible for saving the feature from winding up a forgotten failure and transforming it into a cult movie classic. After the soundtrack sold so well, the then dead and buried movie (pulled after only a week of screenings due to a management change at Universal Studios), was re-released in theatres to claim a modest profit.

Original Soundtrack

Aside from the epic theme provided by Iggy Pop, who the godfather of punk himself credits with turning his life around and bringing him back from the brink of destruction, the soundtrack boasts a variety of southern Californian hardcore punk acts, including Suicidal Tendencies, Circle Jerks and Fear to name a few and the film was scored by latino punk band The Plugz.

The always entertaining genius, that is Amanda Palmer covered the Suicidal Tendencies track Institutionalised used on the soundtrack. Showing the film is till inspiring artists out there.

I highly recommend this film, it’ll bring the punk rocker right out of you in a heartbeat.