Film Lens
Kill Your Idols is a documentary that examines three decades of art punk bands in New York City, directed by Scott Crary. It begins with a historical overview of the art punk and no wave movements from the 1970s, featuring archival performance footage and interviews with influential bands such as Suicide, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, and DNA. The film discusses the ideologies and inspirations behind these movements and their impact on early 1980s post-punk bands like Sonic Youth and Swans.
The documentary transitions to 2002, introducing contemporary bands that connect to the earlier movements. It includes commentary from Pitchfork writer Brandon Stosuy, who notes the significance of 2002 in the revival of these musical styles. Crary's approach is characterized by a lack of narration, relying on title cards and juxtaposed interviews to create a narrative. The film culminates in a discussion about the evolving music industry and the effects of modern media on music scenes, contrasting the past with the present.
Why Watch
- •See interviews with iconic bands like Suicide and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
- •Find out how modern media affects music scenes.
- •Meet the innovators of the art punk and no wave movements.
Did You Know
•Kill Your Idols won the Best Documentary award at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival.
•The film features interviews with seminal bands like Suicide and DNA.
•It was included in Black Book Magazine's 2008 list of influential music documentaries.
•The film was invited into the permanent archives of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Perfect For
Art punk enthusiastsMusic history buffsFans of New York City culture