NEW BREED DOCUMENTARY 1989 (2016)

This is a much better NYC centered film than the 2017 NYHC movie. I like how this story was told. I never thought of "New Breed" as referring to people who came in after the first wave of hardcore, but that's definitely what this film points to. I started getting into HC in 1985, so I can relate to most of the stories from people talking about first going to shows and really feeling like you stuck out as a newb. I assume everyone feels that way to a point at first, but my generation was really the first new people. So there were the ones who were there from the beginning and then a small group of us.

The film interviewed people involved in the bands on the New Breed comp tape that Freddy Alva and conspiracy theorist do your research guy Chaka Malik released in 1989. The interviews were mostly good and they had some great insights. It started with them getting into HC and then moved through starting bands and finally to the tape. It was structured really well.

The absence of women was very noticeable. I don't think there was a single woman interviewed. I don't remember seeing any women even pictured, until I think the very last frame. I'm not sure if that says more about the scene at that time, the people that put together the comp, or the filmmaker, but it's pretty glaring.

Outside of that, there is not much to criticize here. I enjoyed watching this.