From devastating character piece Sid and Nancy to eye-opening documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, the rebellious world of punk rock has invaded cinema for decades. After a notable spike in the mid-80s, the sub-culture has been woven into multiple film genres over the decades.
One genre punk has had an interesting relationship with is horror. While metal often steals the limelight in horror due to its frequent use of Satanic themes and gothic aesthetic, the marriage of punk and horror on screen often results in something no other film could offer. The following films are prime examples of punks fighting for their lives, so they can get back to fighting the system.
'Green Room' (2015)
While on the road in the DIY music scene, a punk band is forced to take a gig in a shady bar run by even shadier people. Before leaving when their set is finished, the band witnesses a murder, setting the stage for an all-night standoff between themselves and the neo-nazis that run the place.
Jeremy Saulnier's modern midnight masterpiece is a throwback to punk horror of the 80s, as well as a commentary on the risks bands are willing to take just to commit to their specific ideology and lifestyle. After a suspenseful crescendo in the first two acts, viewers are treated to a crowd-pleasing finale that plays like a mosh-worthy punk rock encore.
'Return of the Living Dead' (1985)
After three warehouse employees accidentally release a toxic gas that's part of a government experiment, the gas begins turning unsuspecting victims in zombies. Meanwhile, a group of punks gets caught in the fallout of the incident.
In many ways, The Return of the Living Dead feels like two unrelated films cut together. The punks' subplot almost feels superfluous, but the style, soundtrack and gory gags utilized in these segments give the film an edge that sets it apart in the over-saturated zombie sub-genre. While it doesn't come close to reinventing the wheel, director Dan O'Bannon and company sure know how to take the wheel for a joyride in this re-watchable cult classic.
'Uncle Peckerhead' (2020)
Up-and-coming punk band Duh quit their jobs to take their band on the road in hopes of becoming legends in the scene. When circumstances leave them without a van, their search for a replacement leads them to a man named Peckerhead (David Littleton), who offers to drive them in his van as an acting roadie. The tour starts off smoothly, until "Peck" is revealed to have a bizarre secret that rears its head when the sun sets.
Matthew John Lawrence's Uncle Peckerhead employs the same scrappy energy in its filmmaking that can be felt from a blaring punk song, making great use of its modest budget and resources. Similar to Green Room, though taking a much more comedic approach, the film explores the dicey situations newer bands have to navigate in order to "make it big". Crafted with a clear love for both punk and horror, not to mention a killer soundtrack by one of its stars, Jeff Riddle, Uncle Peckerhead is a rare film that reaches out to the modern punk community, embracing them with open (and blood-soaked) arms.
'Wild Zero' (1999)
On one fateful night, a meteorite lands in the Japanese city of Asahi, plaguing it with the threat of zombies and alien spacecraft. What these extraterrestrial invaders don't anticipate, however, is a power rock trio named Guitar Wolf, who happens to have the special abilities to stop them.
Released amid one of many waves of extreme Japanese cinema, Wild Zero is a gonzo ode to horror, punk rock and late-90s sub-par CGI. Even the weaker elements work in perfect harmony with the rest of the film to forge an infectious B-movie energy, with the film following its own logic and rules throughout. If magic guitar picks and exploding zombie heads sound like a good time, then Wild Zero is the punk/horror/alien epic for you.
'The Ranger' (2018)
Punk rocker Chelsea (Chloe Levine) flees with her outlaw friends and takes shelter in a cabin while on the run from the law. The only thing standing in their way is an unhinged park ranger (Jeremy Holm) who wants Chelsea caught, who will seemingly stop at nothing to accomplish his mission.
An exercise in no-frills storytelling, The Ranger is refreshingly simple in the unfolding of its plot, all while providing just enough substance before the breezy runtime reaches its climax. Levine steals the show as the only likable punk of the core group, a choice that seems wholly intentional, in order to show the fine line between a rebellious lifestyle and an outright destructive one. Taking place entirely in a stylized world that feels pulled straight from an 80s classic, The Ranger embraces its influences, and works all the better for it.
'Nomads' (1986)
Dr. Flax (Leslie-Anne Down) relives the memories of the last week of French philanthropist Jean Charles Pommier's (Pierce Brosnan) life when she is treating him in the ER. She learns Pommier and his wife were harassed by a group of street punks, who he would go on to investigate, eventually suspecting them of being evil spirits.
This bizarre and hallucinatory psychological thriller mostly only cribs from the aesthetic of punk, but it's a look that's cleverly weaponized to instill a sense of danger throughout the film. In contrast with most punk-horror, the punks in this film are the villains, acting as a legion of hive-minded ghouls. Wonky French accents and thematic overload aside, Nomads remains a creepy and atmospheric gem for anyone looking for a subversion of the punk-horror blend.