The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
Documentary, Music • 1h 40m
Overview
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Director: Penelope Spheeris
Cast: Eugene Tatu, Alice Bag, Claude Bessy, Dinah Cancer, Exene Cervenka, Lorna Doom, Darby Crash, Don Bolles, Philo Cramer, John Doe, Lee Ving, Greg Ginn, Chuck Dukowski, Ron Reyes, Pat Smear, Greg Hetson, Keith Morris, Nicole Panter, Penelope Spheeris, D.J. Bonebrake, Rick Schmidlin, Spit Stix, Derf Scratch, Mac Neely, Rob Ritter, Terry Graham, Kenny DaSilva, Malissa Hutton, Roger Rogerson, Lucky Lehrer, Dutch Michaels, Milt Wilson, Gary Hirstius, Billy Zoom, Top Jimmy, Rick Brodey, Craig Lee, Phranc, Robert 'El Vez' Lopez, Steve Samiof, Chris D., Philomena Winstanley, Bob Biggs, Michelle Baer Ghaffari, Robo, Brendan Mullen, Wayne Mayotte
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: André de Toth
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray
3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)
1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: Alfred E. Green
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Shout! Factory Blu-ray, also free on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH5x6ol3Pzc but censored
Shout! Factory Blu-ray, also free on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH5x6ol3Pzc but censored
Director: Penelope Spheeris
Director: Penelope Spheeris
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import
review: Disk Kino
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono
Director: John Woo
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import
review: Disk Kino
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono
Director: Peter Medak
Imprint 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 2026 release
Director: Peter Medak
Imprint 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 2026 release
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Directors: Jules Bass & Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Director: Gordon Douglas
Director: Gordon Douglas
Director: John Badham
Director: John Badham
Director: George A. Romero
Mono: 35mm scan, old Shout! Factory and Australia Umbrella Blu-ray sounds better than the rest of the discs, but has noise reduction
Stereo: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has a transfer of the 1986 Japan LaserDisc Stereo
Director: George A. Romero
Mono: 35mm scan, old Shout! Factory and Australia Umbrella Blu-ray sounds better than the rest of the discs, but has noise reduction
Stereo: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has a transfer of the 1986 Japan LaserDisc Stereo
Edit History
5/23/2026
Format
Added
1080p Blu-ray
Added
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video Release
Added
Shout Factory Blu-ray new 2K scan supervised by Penelope Spheeris
Added
Shout Factory Blu-ray new 2K scan supervised by Penelope Spheeris
Blu-ray.com
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Decline-of-Western-Civilization/454583/#Releases
Added
https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Decline-of-Western-Civilization/454583/#Releases
