I know I got on the whole Gregg Araki bandwagon pretty late; it may be because I started with one of his newer films - Smiley Face- and even though the dark humor and general wackiness were there, the sheer teen angst and despair and 90s nihilism were gone. Not to mention the amazing hues that digitally shot films simply cannot replicate.
So after being practically blown away by Nowhere, I decided it was about time to see the rest of the trilogy. Hence The Doom Generation.
This is one of those movies you feel like screencapping through - the hair, the outfits, the production design and just hyper-stylized directing style are just hypnotic.
Sure, it may seem vapid, self indulged and simply hollow, but isn't that what makes teen movies SO great?
It's a nod to Pulp Fiction, French New Wave, Bonnie and Clyde road movies and pretty much a big middle finger in the face to all his detractors being dubbed 'a heterosexual movie' though I can't remember seeing THIS much homoerotic tension on screen recently.
And, ultimately, it's FUN! In a dark, gory, apres moi le deluge sort of way.
Pretty much not anyone's cup of tea. And yet you can understand movies like Springbreakers of pretty much any of Xavier Dolan's glossy music video grandiosity so much better.
Of course Nowhere is the masterpiece of the trilogy, but this is a pretty good starting point with bleak and drony 90s music and dream-like night scenes. Not to mention cute 60s with chronic bitchface and just the most badass grungy outlaw guys.
These shots should probably give you a taste - or better yet just watch the trailer.
And of course there's the NOWHERE collection to shop if you're vibing the all these moods as much as I am and want to get an even blunter bob and dye my hair in a slimy color and wear cateye sunglasses, Doc Martens and transparent raincoats (I mean HOW cool was that outfit???) after seeing these.
If you see anything you fancy, remember everything is on sale until Tuesday.
You can't face the apocalypse not properly dressed now can you?
