X: The Unheard Music (1986)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Captivating movie !

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

As more of a casual X fan, I'd never heard of this (thank you Amazon Prime). I thought I was gonna get a flabby, pretentious, or just poorly-made film around some vintage concert footage. Oh, how pleased I am to have been proved wrong. I loved this movie.The director and editors create a rhythm that evokes the feel of early 80's LA, and of post punk in general. We also get to hear from each of the band's four members; loved the backstories on all of these talented musicians. They speak well, they perform, they entertain. And all with a sincere joy and respect for the music they play.Most importantly, the concert footage is Kick Ass! X in their prime (1982/3 I think)...really great rock n roll!If you like X at all, or 80's-era Los Angeles, or this style of music in general, you need to see this.

Before I present my review, please note that I have been an X fan since 1979, and was a first-generation American punk rocker. I do not state this as credentials, but rather because I am going to directly contradict some of the views of other reviewers who were there. Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, but - in my opinion - seeing "The Unheard Music" only as a tribute/biopic/fan movie about X misses the point by a wide margin. The genius of "The Unheard Music" is that it simultaneously provides a solid biography of X and an indictment of the American popular music industry - two stories which are, unfortunately for X, inescapably connected. As an X fan, I especially appreciated the artistry of the film - which nicely mirrored Exene's aesthetics and poetry, and highlighted her as both John Doe's muse and, in many ways, the driving force behind the band. X was an almost leader-less group. With Billy Zoom - a very talented RnR/Rockabilly guitarist, John Doe - an excellent bassist and song-writer, DJ Bonebrake - a solid and innovative punk drummer and Exene - the brilliant bizarre and strangely beautiful poet and lead singer, they really did not need a leader. The film depicts and appreciates each band member's personalities accurately, and unlike most fan films, does not soft-soap them or go out of its way to make them all look good. X was fascinating in concert - the juxtaposition of Billy's endless stiff smile and totally suppressed energy, Exene's inexplicable obsessive weirdness and often avant-garde vocal style, John's wild energy and exceptional vocal talent, and DJ's pounding rhythms - all welded into tight, exciting and loud but still very melodic and musical Rock and Roll. X, like many punk and old school hardcore bands, sincerely enjoyed their own gigs - and it was apparent. The band had great chemistry and excellent presence. All of this shows up nicely in the film's occasional live clips. The film's story is nicely summed up in their classic song "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts""Will the last American band to get played on the radio please bring the flag"and"Woody Guthrie sang aboutb-e-e-t-s, not b-e-a-t-s"X welded traditionalism (both in lifestyle and musical form), patriotism and radicalism (much like the libertarian political philosophy of the American founding fathers) and punk DIY ethics harmoniously. This hybridization produced a remarkably distinctive, original, yet familiar and fun musical repertoire. Unsurprisingly, the music industry was not ready for them. Despite critical acclaim and a few 'album of the year' awards, only an open-minded independent label would sign them early-on, and they were systematically mismarketed and mishandled by distributors. The flip-side of this, however, is that X was not and would never be a sell-out. Unlike more contemporary 'popular punk', X retained their uniqueness, their originality, their obscure politics, and their artistry, throughout their largely successful career. It is worth comparing this film to Jim Fields' "End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones" (2003). Though the Ramones were a larger commercial success than X, End of the Century paints much the same story for them. I believe that this is a trope which has come to identify post-punk sentiment. There is a considerable amount of whining to be done about the injustices of the pre-home-studio-cheap-cd music industry, for sure, but perhaps we should try to remember what happens to the musical integrity of almost every band that actually does emerge from the underground to the harsh light of commercialism - The Clash, Metallica, etc. Think about it - most people really don't have a great deal of taste when it comes to music. They simply want something to dance to, or something to distract them from life, or something undemanding in the background. I liked the Ramones DESPITE their commercial success. I loved X because of what they did, who they were, and how they sounded. I can't say the same about any of the neopunk groups signed to major labels and spreading expensive designer 'punk' fashion all about magazine covers today. What is a looming commercial monolith on the surface is a barely recognizable shadow in the underground.Nicely filmed, wonderfully edited and compiled, with never a dull moment. X: The Unheard Music is a great introduction to X, the music industry, and American punk. Highly recommended.

I just saw a recent screening of a new 35mm print of this film, at the Museum Of The Moving Image, in New York. It was, in my humble opinion, a transcending experience, in other words, it was freaking awesome! The director, W.T. Morgan, was there afterwards, for a question and answer session, and that made it even more compelling.As someone who's been into Punk since 1977, and has seen X live many times over the years, lastly in 2006, I couldn't believe how much new found respect and admiration for the band I came away with. The band members are so talented yet humble, they give sincere props to those at the musics roots, probably not what many would expect. This movie was the embodiment of the punk DIY spirit, (do it yourself); W.T. Morgan saw them play live and was so blown away, he decided to make a film about them. This film was a labor of love, that took about five years to put together, always tottering on the edge of the abyss; from financial ruin, to technical issues, to personal reasons, as explained afterwards by the director. As so well and humorously put forth in the film, mainstream record companies wouldn't touch X with a ten foot pole, then Ray Manzarek,(The Doors and former UCLA film student), stumbled across, fell in love with, and opened a few doors for the band, (pun intended). This is the best band documentary I have ever seen, and the soundtrack is simply amazing; most songs are played in their entirety and if I'm not mistaken, there's one or two that are film exclusive, (not on vinyl). At the start of the film, on screen it says, "Play Really Loud". That they did! As mentioned in the screening, this film has been added to the Sundance Collection for eternal preservation, a great honor, given that films selected are the embodiment of the indie landscape. Due to ownership issues just recently resolved, a new, special edition DVD is going to be put out in the very near future, (there's one currently available, but it's bare bones; wait for the new one). This film was WAY ahead of it's time and has aged well. It needs to be widely re-released for viewing on the big screen, but shy of that, the new DVD should do. As an added bonus for us old-timers that were there, there's some unbelievable archival footage and montage, that begs to be seen using the pause button of the remote. Just remember: "Play Really Loud"!!

A rock film, interspersing interviews and performances of X. Exene Cervenka, John Doe, Billy Zoom, DJ Bonebrake, 4 incredibly talented, extremely charismatic people who formed a rock band in LA that should have been the biggest band in the world. They're definitely the greatest. This film, one of the greatest rock movies ever made, is extremely well shot, but after its over you long for MORE.It doesn't capture the excitement of seeing X live, but if you're a fan, you'll love it. SEE also: Urgh!a Music War(l981).