Unavailable on home video for many years (except perhaps as a grainy, nth-generation VHS bootleg), Penelope Spheeris' seminal document of the young 1979-1980 Los Angeles punk scene includes chaotic live performances by now-legendary groups like Black Flag (with short-lived lead singer Ron "Chavo Pederast" Reyes), X (giving themselves stick-and-poke tattoos) and the Germs (whose unpredictable lead singer Darby Crash would commit suicide before the film's release) interwoven with talking-head interviews with teenage punks and, most entertainingly, older club owners trying very hard to describe a growing form of music they were clearly unprepared for. The footage of Fear's confrontational set would later grab the attention of John Belushi, who snagged the band a 1981 appearance on Saturday Night Live (and resulted in $20,000 in damage to the studio). - Tom Fritsche

Unavailable on home video for many years (except perhaps as a grainy, nth-generation VHS bootleg), Penelope Spheeris' seminal document of the young 1979-1980 Los Angeles punk scene includes chaotic live performances by now-legendary groups like Black Flag (with short-lived lead singer Ron "Chavo Pederast" Reyes), X (giving themselves stick-and-poke tattoos) and the Germs (whose unpredictable lead singer Darby Crash would commit suicide before the film's release) interwoven with talking-head interviews with teenage punks and, most entertainingly, older club owners trying very hard to describe a growing form of music they were clearly unprepared for. The footage of Fear's confrontational set would later grab the attention of John Belushi, who snagged the band a 1981 appearance on Saturday Night Live (and resulted in $20,000 in damage to the studio). - Tom Fritsche

The third (and seemingly final) installment in Penelope Spheeris' Los Angeles music trilogy, THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION III follows not the punk acts of Los Angeles from 1996-1997 but their homeless teenaged fans. Musician interviews in this DECLINE are fewer but include interesting musings from Keith Morris from the Circle Jerks and Flea (credited as the "ex-bass player of Fear"). DECLINE III lives up to its title as Spheeris explores every facet of the gutter-punk life, from their damaged upbringings (nearly all were abused or neglected as children) to the self-destructive lives they lead on society's fringe (alcoholism, homelessness and run-ins with skinheads, among others). - Tom Fritsche

The third (and seemingly final) installment in Penelope Spheeris' Los Angeles music trilogy, THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION III follows not the punk acts of Los Angeles from 1996-1997 but their homeless teenaged fans. Musician interviews in this DECLINE are fewer but include interesting musings from Keith Morris from the Circle Jerks and Flea (credited as the "ex-bass player of Fear"). DECLINE III lives up to its title as Spheeris explores every facet of the gutter-punk life, from their damaged upbringings (nearly all were abused or neglected as children) to the self-destructive lives they lead on society's fringe (alcoholism, homelessness and run-ins with skinheads, among others). - Tom Fritsche

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a documentary film directed by Penelope Spheeris about the Los Angeles heavy metal scene from 1986 to 1988.

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a documentary film directed by Penelope Spheeris about the Los Angeles heavy metal scene from 1986 to 1988.

美国夫妇罗伊（伍迪·哈里森 Woody Harrelson 饰）和杰西（艾米莉·莫迪默 Emily Mortimer 饰）坐火车从北京到莫斯科度假。在车上他们认识了西班牙小伙子卡洛斯（爱德华多·诺列加 Eduardo Noriega 饰）和美国姑娘艾比（凯特·玛拉 Kate Mara 饰）。当火车在西伯利亚小镇伊尔库茨克停留时，罗伊因贪恋观光而误了火车，卡洛斯和艾比决定与杰西在下站的伊兰斯基一同等待罗伊乘下班火车赶来。风流的卡洛斯很快便向杰西发起了追求攻势，使本来单纯的观光之旅变得复杂。而下一位与杰西夫妇同车厢的旅客竟是俄罗斯缉毒警官格林科（本·金斯利 Ben Kingsley 饰），随着事态越变越诡异，罗伊夫妇发现自己已深陷危机……

美国夫妇罗伊（伍迪·哈里森 Woody Harrelson 饰）和杰西（艾米莉·莫迪默 Emily Mortimer 饰）坐火车从北京到莫斯科度假。在车上他们认识了西班牙小伙子卡洛斯（爱德华多·诺列加 Eduardo Noriega 饰）和美国姑娘艾比（凯特·玛拉 Kate Mara 饰）。当火车在西伯利亚小镇伊尔库茨克停留时，罗伊因贪恋观光而误了火车，卡洛斯和艾比决定与杰西在下站的伊兰斯基一同等待罗伊乘下班火车赶来。风流的卡洛斯很快便向杰西发起了追求攻势，使本来单纯的观光之旅变得复杂。而下一位与杰西夫妇同车厢的旅客竟是俄罗斯缉毒警官格林科（本·金斯利 Ben Kingsley 饰），随着事态越变越诡异，罗伊夫妇发现自己已深陷危机……

主持人尼禄弗格森提出疑问，为何发源于15世纪的欧洲文明能够统治世界的其他地区，以及西方文明今后是否会被其他文明追赶上。同时，弗格森揭示了西方文明之所以如此风靡的“必杀技”。包括竞争、科学、有产阶级民主、现代医学、消费者社会、新教工作道德等等因素。最后弗格森得出了一些惊人且挑衅的结论。同时，他还认为，东方正在迅速崛起，即将飞速的取代西方，我们一起来看一下这些结论吧！

主持人尼禄弗格森提出疑问，为何发源于15世纪的欧洲文明能够统治世界的其他地区，以及西方文明今后是否会被其他文明追赶上。同时，弗格森揭示了西方文明之所以如此风靡的“必杀技”。包括竞争、科学、有产阶级民主、现代医学、消费者社会、新教工作道德等等因素。最后弗格森得出了一些惊人且挑衅的结论。同时，他还认为，东方正在迅速崛起，即将飞速的取代西方，我们一起来看一下这些结论吧！