Movie: Debt Begins at 20

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    With music by The Cardboards, The Shakes, Hans Brinker and The Dykes. By combining semi-fictionalized and documentary material, this film is as definitive a record of the Pittsburgh punk scene during its nascent underground as anyone could hope for. Beroes' band footage is radical departure from the gimmickry of stereotyped rock band documentary in its use of pans and slow dollys, capturing small glimpses of the musicians at work that a 'PR' film would have avoided at all costs. The cinematography demands a reconsideration of the rock band documentary's hoary technical vocabulary. From the time this film was made changes have already taken place in Pittsburgh punk-dom as the bands have moved from an insular salon society to more 'legitimate' venues. Some say things are better than ever, others mourn the passing of Pittsburgh punk's innocence. Beroes in Debt Begins at 20 has produced not only entertainment, but also a small and very precious time capsule.

  • Release Date

    1980-01-13

  • Average

    6

  • Rating:

    3.0 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

    English
  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

A Band Called Death
72%

A Band Called Death(en)

2013-06-27

Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was Death. Formed in the early '70s by three teenage brothers from Detroit, Death is credited as being the first black punk band, and the Hackney brothers, David, Bobby, and Dannis, are now considered pioneers in their field. But it wasn’t until recently — when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of Bobby’s attic nearly 30 years after Death’s heyday — that anyone outside a small group of punk enthusiasts had even heard of them.

The Decline of Western Civilization Part III
69%

The Decline of Western Civilization Part III(en)

1998-11-13

A musical study of Los Angeles in the late 90s, where homeless teens roam the streets and profess to live a punk lifestyle of music, drugs, and flouting authority.

Justin Bieber's Believe
70%

Justin Bieber's Believe(en)

2013-12-19

A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.

End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
76%

End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones(en)

2003-01-19

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.

Gimme Danger
68%

Gimme Danger(en)

2016-08-05

No other band in rock'n'roll history has rivaled The Stooges' combination of heavy primal throb, spiked psychedelia, blues-a-billy grind, complete with succinct angst-ridden lyrics, and a snarling, preening leopard of a frontman who somehow embodies Nijinsky, Bruce Lee, Harpo Marx, and Arthur Rimbaud all rolled into one. There is no precedent for The Stooges, while those inspired by them are now legion. The film will present the context of their emergence musically, culturally, politically, historically, and relate their adventures and misadventures while charting their inspirations and the reasons behind their initial commercial challenges, as well as their long-lasting legacy.

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert
59%

Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert(en)

2008-02-01

In this concert film, 'Hannah Montana' star Miley Cyrus performs a slew of hit songs, including 'Just Like You' and 'Life's What You Make It.'

Daft Punk Unchained
72%

Daft Punk Unchained(en)

2015-06-24

Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.

The Last Waltz
77%

The Last Waltz(en)

1978-04-26

Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
85%

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me(en)

2022-11-04

After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.

Joy Division
76%

Joy Division(en)

2009-01-28

A chronological account of the influential late 1970s English rock band.

Stop Making Sense
83%

Stop Making Sense(en)

1984-10-19

A concert film documenting Talking Heads at the height of their popularity, on tour for their 1983 album "Speaking in Tongues." The band takes the stage one by one and is joined by a cadre of guest musicians for a career-spanning and cinematic performance that features creative choreography and visuals.

God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
78%

God Bless Ozzy Osbourne(en)

2011-04-24

Featuring never before seen footage uncovered from the archives and interviews with Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee and others, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to take viewers inside the complex mind of rock's great icon.

The Who: The Kids Are Alright
73%

The Who: The Kids Are Alright(en)

1979-06-15

Through concert performances and interviews, this film offers us a comprehensive look at the British pioneer rock group, The Who. It captures their zany craziness and outrageous antics from the initial formation of the group in 1964 to 1978. It notably features the band's last performance with long-term drummer Keith Moon, filmed at Shepperton Studios in May 1978, three months before his death.

The Velvet Underground
68%

The Velvet Underground(en)

2021-10-15

Experience the iconic rock band's legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with dazzling archival footage.

Milli Vanilli
72%

Milli Vanilli(en)

2023-06-10

The story of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, who became fast friends during their youth in Germany. With Rob coming from a broken home and Fabrice having left an abusive household, they shared a similar upbringing, as well as a future goal: to become famous superstars. In a few short years, their dreams came true. Rob and Fab, better known as Milli Vanilli, became the world's most popular pop duo in 1990 and won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist. However, their ascension to success came with a devastating price that ultimately led to their infamous undoing.

The Devil and Daniel Johnston
77%

The Devil and Daniel Johnston(en)

2006-03-31

This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
62%

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle(en)

1980-09-11

A rather incoherent post-breakup Sex Pistols "documentary", told from the point of view of Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, whose (arguable) position is that the Sex Pistols in particular and punk rock in general were an elaborate scam perpetrated by him in order to make "a million pounds."

Happiness Continues
78%

Happiness Continues(en)

2020-04-23

A live concert experience and exclusive look into life on the road with The Jonas Brothers during their Happiness Begins concert tour.

The Decline of Western Civilization
72%

The Decline of Western Civilization(en)

1981-07-01

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.

The Last Repair Shop
75%

The Last Repair Shop(en)

2024-02-16

In a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four unforgettable characters whose broken-and-repaired lives have been dedicated to bringing so much more than music to the schoolchildren of this city.

Similar Movies

There Is No Authority But Yourself
52%

There Is No Authority But Yourself(en)

2006-01-01

A Dutch documentary about the history of the anarchist punk band Crass. The film features archival footage of the band, and interviews with former members Steve Ignorant, Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher.

Stockholms negrer
0%

Stockholms negrer(sv)

1986-10-30

The film is about the band Stockholms Negrer, but also about what formed their music, about being Swedish but still being viewed as an outsider.

Dare to Dream: Anarchism in England in History and in Action
0%

Dare to Dream: Anarchism in England in History and in Action(en)

1990-01-03

Dare to Dream was directed by Marianne Jenkins, a film student from Goldsmiths' College, University of London, in 1990. It looks at the history of anarchism in the UK and beyond, as well as the state of the movement in the tumultuous year the poll tax uprising finally led to the resignation of Thatcher. Among the anarchist heavyweights interviewed are Albert Meltzer, Vernon Richards, Vi Subversa, Philip Sansom, Clifford Harper and Nicholas Walter, as well as a host of lesser known but equally committed dissidents. The film also features the miners strike and class struggle, squatting and social centres such as Bradford's 1in12 club, animal rights and feminism.

The Pogues Live at the Town and Country
80%

The Pogues Live at the Town and Country(en)

2004-11-15

The Pogues playing on St. Patrick's Day in London's Town and Country serves to remind fans why we loved the band and possibly why their breakup was inevitable. A thoroughly sloshed Shane MacGowan mumbles and screams his way through most of their hits to that point in time. Of course, real fans like the mumbling and the screaming. Lots of energy, great guests - The Specials, the late Kirstie MacColl and especially the late great Joe Strummer - who not only gets up on stage for a stirring rendition of London Calling, but serves as a kind of host for the evening as he discusses what made the Pogues so great. The video times in at a paltry 60 minutes which leaves you begging for more, but between the singalong Wild Rover and the silly string silliness of Fiesta, it is a jam-packed entertaining piece of music history.

Hardcore El Picante
0%

Hardcore El Picante(en)

2013-05-02

A short Doc/Music Collage of the DIY shows at Taqueria El Picante. Featuring bands from all around DFW, Houston, Chicago, and Canada too. During editing, it became a story about Alli, Pat, and good ass music.

What Difference Does It Make?
51%

What Difference Does It Make?(en)

2014-02-17

A documentary that explores the challenges that a life in music can bring.

Night Lunch
50%

Night Lunch(en)

1975-12-09

This is Poe and Král's first effort, shot on small-gauge stock, before their more well-known endeavor The Blank Generation (1976) came to be. A "DIY" portrait of the New York music scene, the film is a patchwork of footage of numerous rock acts performing live, at venues like Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the dive bars of Greenwich Village and, of course, CBGB.

Finding Joseph I: The HR from Bad Brains Documentary
70%

Finding Joseph I: The HR from Bad Brains Documentary(en)

2017-11-03

"Finding Joseph I" is a feature documentary chronicling the eccentric life and struggles of punk rock reggae singer, Paul "HR" Hudson, a.k.a. Joseph I, the legendary lead singer from Bad Brains.

If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a Fuck
70%

If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a Fuck(en)

1978-02-17

Legendary documentary of the 1977 package tour arranged by David Robinson and Andrew Jakeman ("Kake Riviera") after they founded Stiff Records in London, England for five of their artists, and the bands that they concocted for the tour.

The New Music
60%

The New Music(en)

2019-10-12

After a Parkinson's diagnosis a classically trained pianist embarks on a path of self discovery leading him to a punk band. Their rebellious lifestyle and music provide a distraction to his troubles and a sharp contrast to his old life.

Punk Girls - Die weibliche Geschichte des britischen Punk
80%

Punk Girls - Die weibliche Geschichte des britischen Punk(de)

2024-04-12

London 1976: Between economic crises and the Silver Jubilee, something is brewing in the squats and basement clubs of West London: Punk. A promise, a new beginning. Punk meant self-empowerment, especially for the women in the scene. For the first time, women picked up guitar, bass and drums, formed bands and wrote their own songs.

SLC Punk
71%

SLC Punk(en)

1998-09-24

Two former geeks become 1980s punks, then party and go to concerts while deciding what to do with their lives.

Last Fast Ride: The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess
80%

Last Fast Ride: The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess(en)

2011-03-10

Henry Rollins narrates Lilly Scourtis Ayers' no-holds-barred profile of volatile Bay Area punk legend Marian Anderson, whose hypnotic beauty, devil-may-care rebellion and shocking sexual exploits onstage launched her to infamy before tragically dying of a heroin overdose at the tender age of 33.

Nana
67%

Nana(ja)

2005-09-03

Two girls named Nana meet on a train to Tokyo. Nana K. aims to reunite with her boyfriend and Nana O. hopes to make it big in the music business. Despite their differences, the pair hit it off and become roommates.

AFI: I Heard a Voice
68%

AFI: I Heard a Voice(en)

2006-12-12

I Heard a Voice is the first live DVD from AFI that was released on December 12, 2006. The concert was filmed at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California on Friday, September 15, 2006. Part of the Decemberunderground Tour, the crowd was the largest AFI had ever headlined with over 13,000 people in attendance. The title of this DVD is lifted from a line of poetry in the decemberunderground CD booklet. Underneath the song 37mm, it says: "The power went out. I turned on the radio. The power went out. I turned on the radio. The power went out. I turned on the radio....I heard a voice." The moth on the case is also from the decemberunderground booklet.

Nazi Hate Rock
0%

Nazi Hate Rock(en)

2006-11-09

Donal MacIntyre investigates the secretive world of white power music and how the money made helps fund far right political organizations in many countries, including the British National Party in the UK. In this documentary, the crew gained access to the men and women behind one of the most disturbing musical movements. It reveals how British neo-Nazis and skinheads plan to launch 'Project School-Yard' in Britain after a similar scheme was tried out in the United States. In the UK, the team follows one of the most infamous British white-power bands, Whitelaw, as they prepare for one of the biggest gigs of their career. The band are filmed on stage, with riot police surrounding the venue, performing as the forces of law and order move in to shut down their hate-filled act. The film also contains shocking images of hate rock concerts in the USA where, thanks to the first amendment protecting freedom of speech, anything goes.

Dogs in Space
57%

Dogs in Space(en)

1986-12-18

The place is Melbourne, Australia 1978. The punk phenomenon is sweeping the country and Dogs In Space, a punk group, are part of it. In a squat, in a dodgy suburb, live a ragtag collection of outcasts and don't-wanna-bes who survive on a diet of old TV space films, drugs and good music. And the satellite SKYLAB could crash through their roof at any moment...

Punk the Capital: Building a Sound Movement
74%

Punk the Capital: Building a Sound Movement(en)

2019-06-29

An in-depth exploration of a seminal moment in DC music history (circa 1976 to 1984) and the rise of harDCore. The film is made up of a mix of rare archive material, conversational interviews, and a collage editing style. Features early DC punk and hardcore bands like Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Slickee Boys, The Faith and more.

Sum 41: Don't Try This at Home
0%

Sum 41: Don't Try This at Home(en)

2011-08-01

The making-of documentary of the fifth studio album by Canadian punk band Sum 41, "Screaming Bloody Murder".

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts: Real Wild Child - Video Anthology
0%

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts: Real Wild Child - Video Anthology(en)

2003-11-11

The career-spanning anthology features more than 35 videos, tracing Jett's record-breaking career as the front woman of the Blackhearts. Both concert footage and classic videos are presented in chronological order on REAL WILD CHILD, with no-holds-barred commentary from Jett and longtime manager/partner Kenny Laguna, as well as rare and previously unreleased bonus material.