Movies Like The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years is a 1988 documentary, music film from Penelope Spheeris with a MovieMagicScore of 6.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Decline of Western Civilization and The Decline of Western Civilization Part III.

Documentary Music

The Decline of Western Civilization

1981

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.

7.1

MagicScore

The Decline of Western Civilization Part III

1998

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.

6.9

MagicScore

American Hardcore

2006

Inspired by Steven Blush's book "American Hardcore: A tribal history" Paul Rachman's feature documentary debut is a chronicle of the underground hardcore punk years from 1979 to 1986. Interviews and rare live footage from artists such as Black Flag, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, SS Decontrol and the Dead Kennedys.

6.8

MagicScore

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

2005

The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture.

7.6

MagicScore

Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989

1989

Live concert from the "Damaged Justice" tour. Recorded at the Seattle Coliseum, Seattle, Washington, on August 29 and 30, 1989.

8.5

MagicScore

Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind

1980

Three lazybones friends manufacture a firebomb and place it in a cinema. Pearl, a sadistic young girl, has observed the scene, follows the bombers and starts to manipulate them. The four criminals plan more and more daring acts.

7.1

MagicScore

Global Metal

2008

In GLOBAL METAL, directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn set out to discover how the West's most maligned musical genre - heavy metal - has impacted the world's cultures beyond Europe and North America. The film follows metal fan and anthropologist Sam Dunn on a whirlwind journey through Asia, South America and the Middle East as he explores the underbelly of the world's emerging extreme music scenes; from Indonesian death metal to Chinese black metal to Iranian thrash metal. GLOBAL METAL reveals a worldwide community of metalheads who aren't just absorbing metal from the West - they're transforming it - creating a new form of cultural expression in societies dominated by conflict, corruption and mass-consumerism.

7.3

MagicScore

The Violent Four

1968

A detective is assigned to head a manhunt for four violent bank robbers.

6.5

MagicScore

Sons of Norway

2011

It’s not easy to rebel when your dad wants to join the party... One day (in 1979), Magnus and his son Nikolaj hit the wall in their new terrace house in Rykkinn. Magnus is an architect, hippie and free spirit, a glaring exception in a community where equality and conformity is the norm. He always stands up for his son, supporting him unconditionally, even when Nikolaj decides to stop giving a damn.

6.6

MagicScore

#10

Maggie's Plan

2016

Maggie's plan to have a baby on her own with a sperm donor is derailed when she falls in love with John, an older married professor, destroying his volatile marriage to the brilliant and impossible Georgette. But three years later, married to John with one daughter, Maggie is out of love and in a quandary: what do you do when you suspect your man and his ex-wife are actually perfect for each other?

5.7

MagicScore

#11

Get Thrashed

2006

Get Thrashed traces the rise, fall and impact of thrash metal; from its early years, through its influence on grunge, nu metal and today's heavy metal scene. It is the story of the heaviest, hardest music of the 80s and early 90s as told by the bands who lived it, the fans and bands that grew up on it and by the artists that carry the "thrash metal" flag today.

7.0

MagicScore

#12

Wild

2016

An anarchist young woman breaks the tacit contract with civilization and fearlessly decides on a life without hypocrisy or an obligatory safety net.

6.1

MagicScore

#13

Full Metal Village

2007

The film describes the microcosmos of the small village Wacken and shows the clash of the cultures, before and during the biggest heavy metal festival in Europe.

6.7

MagicScore

#14

The Punk Singer

2013

A look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.

7.2

MagicScore

#15

Punk's Not Dead

2007

On the edge of the 30th anniversary of punk rock, Punk's Not Dead takes you into the sweaty underground clubs, backyard parties, recording studios, shopping malls and stadiums where punk rock music and culture continue to thrive.

6.1

MagicScore

#16

The Blot

1921

Professor Griggs, teaching at the college, doesn't get paid a living wage; his next door neighbor, successful shoemaker Olsen, has money and plentiful food, while the Griggses have hardly any. When the professor's rich student Phil West falls for beautiful Griggs daughter Amelia and also befriends the poor Reverend Gates (a young man who is also in love with Amelia), he observes the difference in his life and theirs and tries to help make a difference.

6.2

MagicScore

#17

Wayne's World

1992

The adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne and Garth. From Wayne's basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called "Wayne's World" on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive who wants to produce a big-budget version of "Wayne's World"—and he also wants Wayne's girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra. Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra.

6.7

MagicScore

#18

Suburbia

1984

When household tensions and a sense of worthlessness overcome Evan, he finds escape when he clings with the orphans of a throw-away society. The runaways hold on to each other like a family until a tragedy tears them apart.

6.7

MagicScore

#19

Smithereens

1982

A narcissistic runaway engages in a number of parasitic relationships amongst members of New York's waning punk scene.

6.4

MagicScore

#20

Ghost Town

2008

Bertram Pincus, a cranky, people-hating Manhattan dentist, develops the unwelcome ability to see dead people. Really annoying dead people. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy, a smooth-talking ghost, who pesters him into a romantic scheme involving his widow Gwen. They are soon entangled in a hilarious predicament between the now and the hereafter!

6.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years?

The top films similar to The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years by MovieMagicScore are The Decline of Western Civilization (7.1), The Decline of Western Civilization Part III (6.9), American Hardcore (6.8). Each shares documentary/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years worth watching?

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.8/10 from 78 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years?

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) is a documentary, music film directed by Penelope Spheeris, starring Dave Mustaine, Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Holmes.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more documentary recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part III Movies like American Hardcore Movies like Metal: A Headbanger's Journey Movies like Metallica: Live Shit - Binge & Purge, Seattle 1989 Movies like Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind

About movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

This ranked list pairs The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988), a documentary and music film from Penelope Spheeris, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Dave Mustaine take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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