The Blank Generation

I have an old VHS copy of this, but now I'm definitely going to snatch it up on DVD. "The Blank Generation" (attention, previous reviewer: the title of the film comes from the Heartbreakers/Richard Hell song of the same name, which is played TWICE at the end; maybe you didn't enjoy this film much because you didn't know anything about the bands or the music they played) is loaded with atmosphere. It's a perfect snapshot of the CBGBs scene of the mid-to-late '70s. Yes, you could complain about the herky-jerky camera-work (I think they were going for an Andy Warhol sort of feel) or the fact that image and sound are out of sync with one another...but why would you? This is the only document of its kind, the only visual testament to the early genius of the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, and Talking Heads. Even the obscurities (like the Harry Toledo song, 'Knots') are great! Amos Poe and Ivan Kral couldn't have captured the spirit of the New York "punk" era any more accurately; I always thought the vibe of the film was enhanced by its poor technical quality. Oh, one thing more: the bands *are* identified at the end of the film.