UK Subs - Punk Can Take It

UK Subs - Punk Can Take It is an eccentric, yet impactful film directed by Julien Temple, that hit the big screen in 1979. This rather crude but real portrayal of the 70s punk rock scene features an ensemble cast that includes Julia Binstead, Tony Higgins and Jonathan Kidd. Released in the final throes of the British punk revolution, the film delivers an immersive experience of that era, wrapped in the rawness of the UK Subs music and fierce counterculture ethos.

The film brings into focus the dynamic punk group, UK Subs, known for their relentless passion for music and rebellious stance toward societal norms. Julia Binstead assays the role of a sharp-witted and mischievous journalist who is fervently following the band. Tony Higgins slips into the shoes of the band’s nonchalant yet edgy keyboardist, adding to the flavor of the film's mise-en-scène. Jonathan Kidd, on the other hand, plays a notorious yet slightly lost punk who has a groupie-like obsession with UK Subs.

More than a biographical documentation of UK Subs or any particular member of the band, the film explores the bare, unflinching dynamics of the punk rock scene adopting a quasi-documentary style. It perfectly captures the raucous spirit of punk, the live performances, the riots, the mayhem but also the humanity, the camaraderie and vulnerability that is often hidden behind the hardcore exterior of a punk rock band and its fanbase.

Punk Can Take It is built on the premise that punk was more than just a music genre - it was a form of social or political protest embedded in the identities of the youth who identified with the movement. The film delves into the band's roots in the working-class neighborhoods of London, the birthplace of their hard-edged music and rebellious attitude. It takes the viewer on an intense journey through the smoky clubs, rebellious gigs, and chaotic house parties that marked the punk-era landscape. The film's raw, electrifying footage of on-stage performances and riotous punk music is a significant weight in its overall appeal.

Director Julien Temple seamlessly integrates music and narrative, painting a distinct and vivid portrait of punk culture's social and political implications. It’s a thought-provoking watch that showcases the lifestyle of 1970s punk rockers while highlighting the music that was the soundtrack to a generation’s rebellion against societal norms and expectations.

The film's soundtrack features a variety of tracks from UK Subs, providing an engaging and aural treat for both punk fans and music lovers in general. "Stranglehold," "Tomorrow's Girls," and "Warhead" are some of the band's well-known tracks that power the film and evoke a sense of this revolutionary time in the music industry. The black-and-white aesthetic of the film further gives it a DIY, anti-establishment feel that sits right in tune with the punk rock ethos and the rebelliosity of UK Subs.

The film’s title, Punk Can Take It, can be seen as a defiant proclamation signaling the resilience and resistance of punk youth culture. By showcasing the raw and unvarnished world of punk and its denizens, the film makes a purposely-pointed statement that punk isn't just a passing phase, but a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Unique to the punk experience, this film offers dark humor, infused with the rebellious spirit of the punk revolution, which is presented as a mix of live, wildly chaotic music performances interjected with surreal and satirical moments. The band's journey, captured vividly in the film, is made intimately relatable and human with an array of emotions - from sheer jubilation to deep exhaustion - conveyed through the articulate performances of the cast.

UK Subs - Punk Can Take It presents an unadulterated picture of a vibrant and tumultuous music phenomena at its height, providing not just a spectacle for fans of the genre, but also a significant cultural statement on the unyielding spirit of punk rock culture that, as the film suggests, can take whatever is thrown its way. Whether one is a punk rock enthusiast or just a music lover with an insatiable curiosity for different genres, Punk Can Take It ultimately comes across as a nostalgia-infused, insightful and raw observation of one of the most revolutionary periods in rock music history.