Punk on Film: Before Blank Generation
Punk made its way into film with rebellion, nonconformist beauty, and existential chaos. Before Blank Generation explicitly pioneered the “Punk Film” genre, there were these films that told stories of anti-authority and made viewers think critically. This compilation spotlights a handful of movies that deserve the punk moniker despite not explicitly leaning into a more blatant punk aesthetic.
They carry the spirit of rebellion, anti-authority, cultural sabotage, and generational anger. These embody the soul of punk and are not hung up on costume or dogma, just formally anarchic, feminist, mischievous, or politically subversive. Plus, they are all extremely watchable gems.
1. The 400 Blows (1959, France)
Adults are assholes is the shortest synopsis I can give of this. For Antoine life is full of challenging and frustrating situations that are never softened by his neglectful parents. Luckily Antonine has a friend, Rene, and their plans for escape make hope feel somehow possible…for a minute… you can taste the “fuck authority” flavor this is serving up, it’s palpable and relatable
2. Daisies (1966, Czechoslovakia)
If you’re not familiar with this duo of naughty, whimsical anarchists, get un/comfortable. These young women are formal chaos and gleeful destruction with pigtails. They toy with men in suits for amusement, destroy a fancy dinner party, and subtly make a point about gender roles and a mockery of polite societal norms. Playful nihilism as political sabotage.
3. If.... (1968, UK)
Before Malcom McDowell freaked out the masses with a bit of the ol’ ultra violence in A Clockwork Orange… there was If… and I would argue with Steven Spielberg who suggested that it was Clockwork that took the title of “First Punk Film.” Prior to the iconic image of a single dolled-up eye making its appearance on a big screen, there was If… Set in a rigid boarding school, this film explodes into surreal revolution. Stylish, sharp, darkly funny, and edgy.
4. The Girls (1968, Sweden)
A group of thoughtful women struggle to put on a staging of Lysistrata, too high brow for their own good. Each of these individuals tear themselves away from their own lives to do something they feel is meaningful. No easy task, that shines a light on how the patriarchy quietly inserts itself into women’s lives. By the time the play is being showcased, the reactions are disappointing. Mediocre men just can’t or won’t embrace the art. Get ready to feel not just irritated but enraged. Intellectual rebellion and feminist bite.
5. Medium Cool (1968, US)
Taking place in Chicago, this story follows a bored TV news cameraman, John, and his sound recorder, listlessly grabbing images of car accidents rather than helping the victims. The setup is bleak and disconnected, something akin to “clickbait” by today's standards, just a guy looking to document something with shock value while seeming dead inside. When John finds out that his news station has been providing the stories and information to the FBI, something shifts; he wakes up, and that gets him fired. Over the course of the rest of the movie his journey becomes more meaningful, and the activism going on in the streets becomes less background noise and more the point.
Bonus: Z (1969, France)
Considered by some as the best movie ever made (that no one saw). Instead of my humble synopsis, here’s a quote from the film maker, Costa-Gavras, explaining his reasons for making Z (1969):
"The main reason for making Z was my Greek origins, of course. I can’t see how anyone without those origins could have made such a film. I had been concerned about the Lambrakis murder ever since it occurred in 1963, but after the military coup of 1967, I wanted to do something concrete against the dictatorship..."
And wouldn’t we all like to do something concrete against a dictatorship these days? Just me?
This short list is in no way comprehensive but highlights some watch-worthy cinema that may have flown under the radar. All five arrived before the punk cultural rupture that would later be soundtracked by Blank Generation. Before safety pins, handmade flyers, and basement shows, these directors were sharing the same message, challenge authority, mock institutions, and let young protagonists test the limits of a world that can feel so hollow. These films spotlight punk before it had a name.
