The Decline of Western Civilization is Coming to Blu-ray! Oi! Oi! Oi!

Attention metal heads, punkers, New Wavers, hardcore enthusiasts, nihilists, unhappy mutants, and tattooed love boys everywhere! The most important movies of all time are finally – FINALLY – coming to home video.

On June 30th, Penelope Spheeris’ seminal documentary trilogy The Decline of Western Civilization will be available in a special Blu-ray box set, compliments of The Shout! Factory. The first film, released in 1981, is devoted to the L.A. punk scene at the time, and featured bands like Black Flag, Fear, X, The Circle Jerks, and The Germs. The second film, The Metal Years (1988) explored how punk evolved into pop metal, and features bands like KISS, Poison, Mot?rhead, and Aerosmith. Less edgy, but just as fascinating. The third film (1998) follows various homeless teenage punkers and features interviews with Flea, the guy from Final Conflict, and the guy from The Mau-Maus.

If you want to be cool, you will buy at least one record from each of the bands mentioned above. Yes, even Poison.

If you are already a fan of punk and/or metal, then you already know these films. If you aren’t these films can get you into the music. Spheeris’ movies seek to unpack punk and metal, while still expressing an enthusiasm for the dark nihilism (or breakdown thereof) they represent.

This is the first time any of these films will be available on Blu-ray, and the first time some are available on anything but a poorly-circulated VHS tape.

Let’s celebrate by watching this X video.