Movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998)
The best movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (1998) are One Nine Nine Four (2009), American Hardcore (2006) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). If The Decline of Western Civilization Part III hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- NewestMurder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story (2019)Released 2019
- Same seriesThe Decline of Western Civilization (1981)The Decline of Western Civilization
One Nine Nine Four (2009)
Explore the birth, growth and eventual tipping point of punk rock during the 90s. Narrated by skateboarder Tony Hawk, the film features interviews and footage of various bands and figures in the punk scene.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
American Hardcore (2006)
Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A tribal history" Paul Rachman's feature documentary debut is a chronicle of the underground hardcore punk years from 1979 to 1986. Interviews and rare live footage from artists such as Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol and the Dead Kennedys.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
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.
Why it matches: Same series: The Decline of Western Civilization · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHype! (1996)
This documentary examines the Seattle scene as it became the focus of a merging of punk rock, heavy metal, and innovation. Building from the grass roots, self-promoted and self-recorded until break-out success of bands like Nirvana brought the record industry to the Pacific Northwest, a phenomenon was born.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDon't Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker (2017)
In 2007, 11 years after one of the most influential American punk bands, Jawbreaker, called it quits, the three members, Blake Schwarzenbach, Chris Bauermeister, and Adam Pfahler reconnect in a San Francisco recording studio to listen back to their albums, reminisce and even perform together one last time. Follow the band as they retell their "rags to riches to rags" story writhe with inner band turmoil, health issues, and the aftermath of signing to a major label. Featuring interviews with Billy Joe Armstrong, Steve Albini, Jessica Hopper, Graham Elliot, Chris Shifflet, Josh Caterer and more.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
1991: The Year Punk Broke (1992)
David Markey's documentary of life on the road with Sonic Youth and Nirvana during their tour of Europe in late 1991. Also featuring live performances by Dinosaur Jr, Babes in Toyland, The Ramones and Gumball.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Another State of Mind (1984)
Another State of Mind is a documentary film made in the summer of 1982 chronicling the adventure (and misadventure) of two punk bands – Social Distortion and Youth Brigade – as they embark on their first international tour. Along the way they meet up with another progressive punk band, Minor Threat, whom they hang out with at the Dischord house for about a week near the end of their ill-fated tour.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk (2017)
Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk spans over 30 years of the California Bay Area’s punk music history with a central focus on the emergence of the inspiring 924 Gilman Street collective. This diverse group of artists, writers, organizers and musicians created a do-it-yourself petri dish that changed the punk scene... and the world at large.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & documentary
Afro-Punk (2003)
This film, which many may assume is a historical punk documentary, actually is an honest and needed treatment of race and identity. Punk and Hardcore music is simply the microcosm in which it is told. First time Director, James Spooner, in telling this story, has opened new dialogues on these crucial subject both intra and interracially. Many times funny, sometimes sobering, a wake up call to America. An examination of the duality of racial identity that DuBois called "double consciousness." What could have been "The Bad Brains Story" is a story about kids, alienated by two cultures and two communities. Many of these punk and hardcore kids have never questioned their role in the punk scene or the black community until their interviews, and it's obvious as they struggle on camera to reconcile a fragmented self.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Pick It Up!: Ska in the '90s (2019)
Pick It Up! is an independent documentary film about the rise in popularity of ska music in the 1990s and the subsequent return to the underground. The film features members of Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, Sublime, Save Ferris, Goldfinger, The Specials, Less Than Jake, Hepcat and many more.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Who the Fuck Is That Guy?: The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago (2017)
The astonishing story of a gay Puerto Rican kid growing up in a Hasidic Brooklyn neighborhood, who got on the subway one day and began a musical odyssey that helped shape the musical landscape across N.Y.C. and around the world. Directed by Drew Stone and produced by Michael Alex the film tells the incredible story of a cherished New York City icon. From rubbing elbows with N. Y. scene makers as an teenager at Max's Kansas City and CBGB, to being the architect of a rock 'n' roll renaissance as the 19 year-old talent booker at the legendary Ritz, to making history as a 24 year-old A&R exec, signing the biggest metal band in a generation in Metallica, Michael Alago was on fire.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & documentary
Kill Your Idols (2004)
A 2004 documentary on thirty years of alternative rock 'n roll in NYC.Documenting the history from the genuine authenticity of No Wave to the current generation of would be icons and true innovators seeing to represent New York City in the 21st century
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBetter Living Through Circuitry (1999)
A documentary about rave culture and the Electronic Dance movement of the '90s. It is the first such full-length documentary on the topic. It was produced by Cleopatra Pictures and Entertainment Group, presided by Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera. The film features interviews with BT, The Crystal Method, Electric Skychurch, Genesis P-Orridge, Frankie Bones, DJ Spooky, Roni Size, and DJ Keoki.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
The Filth and the Fury (2000)
Julien Temple's second documentary profiling punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols is an enlightening, entertaining trip back to a time when the punk movement was just discovering itself. Featuring archival footage, never-before-seen performances, rehearsals, and recording sessions as well as interviews with group members who lived to tell the tale--including the one and only John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten).
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSalad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC (1980-90) (2015)
"Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC (1980-90)" examines the early DIY punk scene in the Nation's Capital. It was a decade when seminal bands like Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Government Issue, Scream, Void, Faith, Rites of Spring, Marginal Man, Fugazi, and others released their own records and booked their own shows-without major record label constraints or mainstream media scrutiny. Contextually, it was a cultural watershed that predated the alternative music explosion of the 1990s (and the industry's subsequent implosion). Thirty years later, DC's original DIY punk spirit serves as a reminder of the hopefulness of youth, the power of community and the strength of conviction.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & documentary
Hated: GG Allin and The Murder Junkies (1993)
An overview of the life of the most shocking, vile, and notorious of punk rock legends.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Punk Singer (2013)
A look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne and W.A.S.P..
Why it matches: Same series: The Decline of Western Civilization · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisScratch (2001)
A feature-length documentary film about hip-hop DJing, otherwise known as turntablism. From the South Bronx in the 1970s to San Francisco now, the world's best scratchers, beat-diggers, party-rockers, and producers wax poetic on beats, breaks, battles, and the infinite possibilities of vinyl.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
The Fearless Freaks (2005)
Equal parts punk and psychedelia, the Flaming Lips emerged from Oklahoma City as one of the most bracing bands of the late 1980s. The Fearless Freaks documents their rise from Butthole Surfers-imitating noisemakers to grand poobahs of orchestral pop masterpieces. Filmmaker Bradley Beesely had the good fortune of living in the same neighborhood as lead Lip Wayne Coyne, who quickly enlisted his buddy to document his band's many concerts and assorted exploits. The early footage is a riot, with tragic hair styles on proud display as the boys attempt to cover up their lack of natural talent with sheer volume. During one show, they even have a friend bring a motorcycle on stage, which is then miked for sound and revved throughout the performance, clearing the club with toxic levels of carbon monoxide. Great punk rock stuff. Interspersed among the live bits are interviews with the band's family and friends, revealing the often tragic circumstances of their childhoods and early career.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & documentary
Punk's Not Dead (2007)
On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, shopping malls and stadiums where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Filmage: The Story of Descendents/All (2013)
Long before Green Day and Blink 182 inflicted punk-rock's puncture wound on the map of mainstream music, the Descendents were at home concocting the perfect mix of pop, angst, love, and coffee. FILMAGE: The Story of DESCENDENTS/ALL follows drummer/square-peg Bill Stevenson and his 'caffeinated retardedness' as he pushes his rotating door of bandmates to 'achieve ALL,' his philosophy of going for greatness at all costs. Stevenson is a force to be reckoned with--not even grapefruit-sized brain tumors can keep him down.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both music & documentary
Get Thrashed (2006)
Get Thrashed traces the rise, fall and impact of thrash metal; from its early years, through its influence on grunge, nu metal and today's heavy metal scene. It is the story of the heaviest, hardest music of the 80s and early 90s as told by the bands who lived it, the fans and bands that grew up on it and by the artists that carry the "thrash metal" flag today.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story (2019)
Murder In The Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story. In the early 1980’s, a small group of dedicated Bay Area headbangers shunned the hard rock of MTV and Hollywood hairspray bands in favor of a more dangerous brand of metal that became known as thrash! From the tape trading network to the clubs to the record stores and fanzines, director Adam Dubin reveals how the scene nurtured the music and the music spawned a movement. Murder In The Front Row is told through powerful first person testimony and stunning animation and photography. The film is a social study of a group of young people defying the odds and building something essential for themselves. Featuring interviews with Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Possessed and many more! Narrated by Brian Posehn.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
A Fat Wreck (2016)
Fat Wreck Chords... The influential music label proud to say they've spent the past 25 years "ruining punk rock". A Fat Wreck tells the story of founders Fat Mike (of the legendary punk band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin Kelly-Burkett, spanning the birth, growth, struggles, and survival of the Fat Wreck Chords label.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 (2015)
The wild West Berlin of the 1980s became the creative melting pot of pop subcultures: music, art and chaos. Before the Iron Curtain fell, anything and everything seemed possible.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeef (2003)
A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Alive and Kicking (2017)
Alive and Kicking gives the audience an intimate, insider’s view into the culture of the current swing dance world while shedding light on issues facing modern American society.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary & music
Sunset Strip (2012)
Home to the biggest sounds, iconic images and cultural movements experience the Strip from its origins in the 1920’s with Prohibition through the Mafia Wars, Teen Riots, Punk, Hair Bands, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop and Grunge to today’s resurgence.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III?
The closest matches to The Decline of Western Civilization Part III are One Nine Nine Four (2009), American Hardcore (2006) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Decline of Western Civilization Part III?
People who watched The Decline of Western Civilization Part III most often go on to One Nine Nine Four (2009), American Hardcore (2006) and Hype! (1996).
What is the newest movie like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III?
Murder in the Front Row: The San Francisco Bay Area Thrash Metal Story (2019) is the most recent release on this list.
Is The Decline of Western Civilization Part III part of a series?
Yes. It belongs to The Decline of Western Civilization, which includes The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) and The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988).
Are there English movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III?
Yes: One Nine Nine Four (2009), American Hardcore (2006) and The Decline of Western Civilization (1981).
How are movies similar to The Decline of Western Civilization Part III chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Decline of Western Civilization Part III, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.