User reviews

Really interesting film for anyone familiar with the hardcore music scene that deals with the problems and moral dilemmas of a reunited band. The problem is the movie is mismarketed as a comedy. Humor in the movie is quite present though dark and dry (though still very funny). This movie is actually quite a bit better than spinal tap. It's not mocking a bad band of a genre, but exploring the problems of the scene by looking at what's viewed to be a good one. The only similarity between this film and spinal tap is the narrative framework, which is that of a documentary, though in this film, that device becomes less obtrusive, and in all honesty could have been removed. Also, this movie has much more of a human heart than a film like spinal tap or fear of a black hat (another movie that got lumped into the "mockumentary" genre). The big problem I think is that this movie is represented as a comedy, and it's as dramatic as it is humorous. Terrific ending too. Recommended to those who enjoy dark comedies and punk rock.

Let's get it over with right from the beginning: the only thing that "This Is Spinal Tap!" and "Hard Core Logo" have in common is the documentary set up. While Spinal Tap was a comedy that - as the name of the genre "mockumentary" suggests - mocked the heavy metal scene, "Hard Core Logo" is a character study that takes an honest look at a band and life on the road. Actually, the whole framework is rather unnecessary in this movie as it serves no real purpose and characters didn't act like they were in front of a camera (unlike say "The Office", where people behaved as if they were aware of being filmed). Besides, the pictures are shot too beautifully anyway for this to feel like a real documentary. That's not to say "Hard Core Logo" isn't realistic, though. The movie gives us a quite real impression of being in a punk band, caught between different agendas, personalities, power struggles and the sheer need to survive. This is why, apart from a few moments that will make you chuckle, "Hard Core Logo" isn't really trying to be funny, either. Just like real life the tragic moments outweigh the comedic ones by far. The acting is great and the soundtrack is accurate, two very important things to make a movie about punk rock work. Apart from maybe the drummer the band members aren't over-subscribed and you can really see guys like Joe Dick or Billy Talent playing in actual bands (guess what, Hugh Dillon actually was the singer of his own band, The Headstones). "Hard Core Logo" works on every level and is very entertaining to watch, too. There are quite a few details in the story hinted at rather subtly, which you're probably not going to get the first time around, so a second or third viewing is recommended.

I don't know if this movie is meant to be a mockumentary in the sense of satirizing punk bands or punk music documentaries. I'm not familiar enough with either to know, though I had seen the documentary Another State of Mind about thirteen years ago, for what that's worth. I've also seen this director's Highway 61, which was a lot of fun.

I wouldn't say it's like Spinal Tap, which while I enjoyed it, was more silly than funny. I liked Fear of a Black Hat more than Spinal Tap, perhaps because I was more familiar with the music it was poking fun at. Spinal Tap and Fear of a Black Hat have more in common than with Hard Core Logo. HCL has some funny moments, but no more so than one would expect from a documentary of a real band. The songs are not goofy either: there's no "Big Bottom" (Spinal Tap) or "Booty Juice" (Fear of a Black Hat) here.

I'm not sure what some have identified as "Canadian" about this film, apart from the locations. I don't think there was anything I didn't follow. Perhaps there were some things I didn't get without knowing that there was something to get?

It resembles "Spinal Tap" only in that it's about a fictitious rock band on its way down. This is a more ambitious movie, and its mood is much darker -- while it has its comic moments, it's not a film to watch when you're feeling down.

This particular American viewer had no trouble with the Canadian references -- yes, we can tell Canadian cities apart and know exactly which Quebeckers the bassist was talking about. In fact, the Canadianness of the movie was part of its appeal, and I'm not just talking about the stunning scenery. I do have to admit overlooking the angle about Canadian musicians selling out to the American scene -- I was more attuned to the sellout on the personal rather than national level. Bands in the States lose musicians to L.A., too.

At its core, this is a movie about friendship and betrayal, and in the end, betrayal wins. It's a hard, honest movie, not easy watching but worth the effort.

(Parents, this one isn't for the kiddies -- lots of obscenity and some violence, though none of it is gratuitous to the story.)

To try and comment on this film without mentioning Spinal Tap would be hard considering not only all the comments that have gone before but also the synopsis provided on this site. And the fact that not even real Rockumentary's can be reviewed without mentioning it hints at the brilliance of that film. Hard Core Logo, is not, however, Spinal Tap......and it's none the worse for it.

Hard Core Logo is an intelligent drama (with the occasional comic moment) about the intense love between two friends and their mutually destructive force on each other when their paths once again entwine together years after the dissolution of their band.

The copy I watched was pretty pore so I can't really comment on the cinematography but I can imagine, from the fuzzy version I did see, that its strikingly beautiful in it's own slightly decrepit way. The plot line is almost non-existent leaving the main focus on the four members of the band, mainly founding members Joe Dick and Billy Talent.

So without good actors this film would sink. As it is the director has pulled fantastic, three dimensional, heart rending performances from both Hugh Dillon and Callum Keith-Rennie. Hugh Dillon's Joe Dick is a self destructive black hole that pulls in those around him. His love for Billy can never be doubted but he can't stand to think he's been left behind and will do almost anything to bring Billy back into his life. Dillon's energy and screen presence is quite extraordinary.

Billy on the other hand is trying to get out, not just for money reasons but because he sees it as a way of salvaging his life from his group of self destructing band mates. Keith-Rennie's performance is all in the close ups of his face or his performance in the background of a scene while watching those around him. Billy talks crap but his face never lies.

well, at least that was my take on this film...and that really is where Hard Core Logo comes into it's own. With so much of what the characters actually mean not being said (they chose, instead, to spout the generally expected views of a rock band) it really does depend on the viewer what film they watch. Bruce McDonald is a director that knows the beauty of well acted silence. They don't need to say anything for us to know exactly what these characters are feeling. Truly spectacular.

But I'm rambling, seriously, watch it, don't watch it, but if you don;t you're genuinely missing out!!

This is easily all around one of the best Canadian films ever

made. Yes it is a mockumentary, yes it is follows around a rock band

(rockumentary) but for every other reason this really should not be

compared to Spinal Tap. It really isn't a comedy, although it has some great moments in it.

It's also not about a band "struggling with fame" which is what

EVERY OTHER rock movie is about (Almost Famous, That Thing

You Do, Spinal Tap, The Doors, you name it). Just four guys

holding on to a dream that should have faded years ago, all the

while trying not to kill each other. I always knew Hugh Dillon was really the lead singer for the

Headstones, so I realized it wasn't really a documentary but

thought Hard Core Logo the band might still have existed and this

was a tribute. Not the case, but that takes nothing away from the

movie. They say not to watch this movie if you're in a band because it'll

make you never want to play. At the same time, I think anyone who

has been in a band will appreciate it that much more picturing how

their little arguments would be amplified to 10 years later. It's an

overall great gut check to picture just ow much you love playing

music, especially if noone wants to listen.

If you are not a Western Canadian, you might miss a lot of the "inside humour" in this film. Knowledge of the music industry would also be an asset. The movie doesn't deserve some of the rave reviews its been getting, but it is worth watching. My favourite scenes were the views from the road (trees, mountains, prairie with hay bales, etc) which are completely authentic and something I've never seen on film before.

Someone once asked me if I were stranded on a desert island and could only watch one movie for the rest of my life, what would it be? Without question, it would be this mockumentary gem from The Great White North. Cheers to all those involved: to Hugh, Callum, John, Bernie, and Julian, whose performances are all top-notch; to Noel and Michael, whose writing exemplify true Canadian talent and spirit; and to Bruce, who brought it all together beautifully. If you haven't seen this movie, FIND IT. You'll laugh, you'll cry, it'll move you.

Hard Core Logo never made it off the ground. It was a simple idea badly executed and finalized by a rushed statement about the music industry. Director Bruce McDonald has crafted, well … crafted is too decent of a word, he has actually jumbled together a mess of a film that attempts to give us that raw, cutting edge, emotion that demonstrates that corporations don't own the music we listen to. Actually, I am not sure that was the point at all with this feature, in fact, I am not sure I quite understood what anyone, from the actors to the director himself, was trying to accomplish with this devastating mockumentary. From the high-school theater acting to the rushed ending, you feel lost and used throughout the course of this entire film. You want to witness both the high points and struggles for this band, but it is extremely hard when you care nothing about the band from the beginning. We have seen the punk band film recreated in Hollywood over and over, and this takes no new punches. Sure, the "spitting" is gross, but does that really define a character? I wanted unique characters that brought with them a passion and a history, not just clichéd moments that could be witnessed outside of every coffeehouse in America.

To begin, the story. Where was it? What was the central focus of this film? It was nothing more than a rehashed version of The Blues Brothers, but instead of Jake insinuating that religion forced the band back together, we have Joe Dick demonstrating that corruption and popularity keep the world floating in a circle. The sad part is that there is no direction. Director Bruce McDonald tries hard to show the raw power of this band, but instead just creates cheap realism bounded by a confusing structure. McDonald, as both the director and "voice of God", intervenes too often in this film giving us this fake sense of truth. Unlike the Christopher Guest films, we are reminded often that a camera crew is following this band. While McDonald may be attempting to make the point that punk rockers hate the publicity and media hype, it seems as if the members of "Hard Core Logo" want nothing more than to be ever-present on the camera. It is a genuine slap in the face for true revelers of the punk rock genre. I feel as if McDonald embarrassed both this genre and those punk rockers. Either he didn't do his homework, he didn't care about the topic, or he just was trying to recreate the excitement of This is Spinal Tap, but he failed. This film from the beginning scene never worked due in a major part to the lacking story and structure, but also because of the poor choice of actors to helm this project.

If this was to be a comedy, as boasted on the cover of the DVD, than one could safely assume that there was going to be actual bits of humor laced between the storyline. I am here to confirm that there was nothing funny about this film at all. I don't believe I uttered one minuscule chuckle through the entire journey. It just wasn't funny. I do not doubt that audiences were rolling around with laughter during the "huge" cliché drug sequence, but to me it just seemed so forced and recycled that by that point in the film my mind was controlled by apathy. I didn't care. The actors were completely devoid of their characters. When I watch a film I expect to see an actor bring something new to the table with their character, or better yet, at least bring their character to the table, but in Hard Core Logo, nobody did. I kept seeing actors playing the part of the punk rock band members. I witnessed no back-story dedicated to understanding these members of the band prior to this failed reunion tour. I witnessed nothing that placed my heart with this band as they traveled through Canada searching to rebuild their status. Thanks to the poor direction of Bruce McDonald (and the complete lack of meaty characters), nothing felt honest, real, or even emotional about these guys.

Finally, another issue with this film is that it feels dated. I realize that with documentaries or even mocumentaries there is an understanding that perhaps years from now you will look back and laugh at how much the world has changed. Sadly, with this film, it began in a Goodwill Store, and never quite found its historical value. There are better films out there that depict the punk rock era than Hard Core Logo. I was hoping to remember some of my youthful tunes and the power of disrespecting a corporate nation, but with this film I just felt cheap. I felt dishonest about the true nature of a very innovated music movement.

Overall, I thought this was a horrible film. Those that have quoted the ending as being fantastical, I would wonder how they were able to fully develop themselves into these characters. The director was poor, the production was generic, and the full disrespect to the genre of punk rock was hitting me so hard in the face I nearly wanted to get angry at this film. I guess I did have some emotion with this film, but not what McDonald wanted to convey. I do not suggest this film, but instead think that you should go out and find your old NOFX albums or Rancid album and truly enjoy what this genre of music has to offer.

Grade: * out of *****

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) is generally regarded as the quintessential rock 'n' roll mockumentary—a hilarious look at the inept trials and tribulations of a heavy metal band. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Hard Core Logo (1996), a no frills balls-to-wall look at a fictitious punk rock band. Where Tap is a funny satire, Logo has a much darker undercurrent that gives it an unpredictable edge.

Retired for some years, legendary Canadian punk rock band, Hard Core Logo reunites for a one-off benefit concert for their mentor, Bucky Haight who supposedly had both legs amputated after being shot by a crazy fan. The gig goes so well that the band's charismatic lead singer, Joe Dick convinces everyone to go on a mini-tour across Western Canada with a documentary crew tagging along for the ride. It takes no time at all for all the old gripes and grudges to resurface, most significantly, the fact that lead guitarist, Billy Talent is close to signing on with Jenifur, an MTV-friendly band that has made it to the cover of Spin magazine. This doesn't sit to well with Joe who comes from the old school of punk rock that refuses to sell-out to major labels or appear in glossy corporate magazines. As the tour progresses, the friction between the band members becomes more palpable until it achieves a critical mass.

Hard Core Logo is the third film in Bruce McDonald's informal rock 'n' roll road movie trilogy that started with Roadkill and Highway 61. While something of a minor sensation in Canada, McDonald's films have been largely ignored in the United States, due mostly to lack of proper distribution. This changed somewhat with Logo when Quentin Tarantino saw it a film festival and liked it so much that he bought the US distribution rights under his Rolling Thunder vanity label.

There is a certain raw vibe that permeates Logo and this is perfect for its rough around the edges subject matter. The unrefined attitude is due in large part to the presence of Hugh Dillon as Joe Dick. Not a professional actor but rather lead singer of the Canadian blues punk bank, The Headstones, Dillon's lack of formal training gives his performance a certain unpredictability that is perfect for his character. He obviously drew a lot on his own real life experiences of being in a band and this makes everything he says and does that much more believable.

The interplay between the rest of the band is also very well done. Callum Keith Rennie plays the gifted, low key guitarist who has clearly surpassed his bandmates, Bernie Coulson is the crazy drummer who seems clueless but knows what to do when it counts, and finally John Pyper-Ferguson is the terminally burnt out bass player whose road diary provides the film's voice-over narration. The way these guys joke and argue with each other—like adults who refuse to grow-up—is so good that it feels like they've really been in a band together for many years.

Filmmaker Bruce McDonald keeps this all together with his solid direction. He has an excellent sense of pacing—the movie never gets boring—and he instinctively knows that the essence of any good rock 'n' roll movie is, as he puts it, "extremely loud music and cool shots." Cinematographer Danny Nowak uses the shaky, hand-held camera-work that documentaries are known for and he also shoots the band in cool slow motion shots that emphasizes their iconic status.

Along with the aforementioned Spinal Tap and Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, Hard Core Logo is one of the best fictitious rock 'n' roll movies ever made. It has a genuine appreciation for music and an acute knowledge of the conventions and clichés of the genre. Like Spinal Tap, McDonald's film isn't afraid to make fun of these conventions and like Almost Famous, there is an authenticity to how the band is portrayed and the music they make. Forget the Miramax version and hunt down a copy of this new special edition—it's definitely worth those extra Canadian dollars.

After the wit and liveliness of Highway 61 and Roadkill I expected this movie to shine, but it was as bloated and self-deluded as the hard-rock stars it parodied. The pace dragged, not helped by an over-long hallucination sequence, the characters were flat and unmemorable, and Art Bergmann is no Jello Biafra. I had to poke myself to stay awake.

This is a dramatic comedy, and more than any other type of dramatic comedies, it''s dark and very real. Though there are quite a few jokes, many inside jokes, it melts into the tension of the four guys like a fast gliding bird would melt into a brick wall in a cartoon. Worthy to be a classic. Hugh Dillon is a great actor and has perfect chemistry with Callum Keith Rennie.

I love "Hard Core Logo", a fine black comedy. Hugh Dillon, Callum Keith Rennie, John Pyper-Ferguson, Bernie Coulson, and Julian Richings as Bucky Haight all did a great job portraying an aging band that never lived up to it's own ambitions. Frankly, I am so tired of "This is Spinal Tap", a film I liked the first two times I saw it. It wore thin on me all too quickly. I still love HCL, and that has to be because it is based on Michael Turner's book. Turner's own experiences in the Hard Rock Miners informed his writing and that legitimacy was kept in tact in the film. Also, from a Canadian point of view, I liked it because it was a straight up story and a straight up film. Far too often it seems that Canadian filmmakers feel that they have to go out of their way to make odd/disturbing films that just come across as pretentious and 'faux-Euro', or make films designed to pander to the lowest common denominator of the Hollywood market. MacDonald made his own film for himself and I for one am grateful.

The second best Canadian movie of all time. (The best is Going Down the Road.) Here is why Hard Core Logo ranks so high:

1. It moves. Canadian movies in general are terribly, terribly slow. Hard Core Logo is 100 miles per hour.

2. It deals with places/contexts that other Canadian movies don't, i.e., it is not about growing up in a small town.

3. The heroes, although they are in a band, aren't a group of teenagers trying to make it big. They are "grown-ups," at least in terms of years on the planet. Their struggle, their demons aren't glossy.

4. This is existential stuff. The main characters' struggles aren't confined to the world of music, or to a small sub-culture of it. Pigeonholing the movie as a music movie or as a comedy in the style of Spinal Top misses what is really going on here. This isn't a comedy, not even a black comedy (which is usually code for a comedy that isn't funny.) Instead, here you get to see Sisyphus -- right at the top of the mountain.

Hard Core Logo, much like every other Canadian movie, is a purely original movie. It takes a look at Vancouver's favourite bad boys of punk, Hard Core Logo. Bruce McDonald's direction is simply amazing and Callum Rennie and Hugh Dillon are brilliant as Billy Tallent and Joe Dick. The frenzied music drives the picture and Noel S. Baker's writing shows just what a first-time script writer can do with a little persistence and many script rewrites. Hard Core Logo has been compared to This is Spinal Tap. Although there are similarities, HCL's furious, biting, raunchy humor, wit and believability crushes Spinal Tap and leaves it flapping in the wind like yesterday's news.

I have seen this movie over three times. I bought the movie because I love it so much. All the little Vancouver references are cute. I couldn't believe my eyes when Joey Shithead Keithley of D.O.A. appeared on screen! The stars of the show are Hugh Dillon and Callum Keith Rennie respectively. I can see why this film now gets American distribution...because it quite simply kicks ass! The ending was ruined for Canadian fans, so just go out and see this thing for yourself. You'll either love it or hate it!

I have enjoyed Bruce McDonald's previous road movies 'Roadkill' and 'Highway 61', both of which I recommend. 'Hard Core Logo' is another winner. I do feel that it has been incorrectly marketed as a punk Spinal Tap, which may disappoint first time viewers expecting something different. The movie shares a similar vague concept of a "rockumentary", but that's about it. 'This Is Spinal Tap' as much as I love it, was a bunch of comic scenes strung together and not much else. 'Hard Core Logo', while it has plenty of laughs, has much more ambition, and is ultimately a much more serious movie. The unexpected ending, which I won't spoil, takes it to a much different level.

So leave your preconceptions at the door, sit back and experience this superbly acted rock'n'roll morality tale(?) One of the best music related movies in YEARS!

The quality of this film is so high on every level...What more can I say...See Hard Core Logo again and again and again.

This is one of my favourite movies. It is a cult punk rock masterpiece. People compare it to Spinal Tap and I can see why, but I think they are very different movies. Spinal Tap is one of the funniest movies ever made, it is consistently hilarious from start to finish, this movie definitely has some funny moments, but it is a.lot more serious.

Spinal Tap are ridiculous people, that is what makes them great, but this band are actually cool, I wish they were a real band, every character is great and they are very entertaining, the plot is simple but very effective, the characters are so interesting and charismatic that I am happy to just watch them travel around causing mischief. The ending still hits me hard even though I know what is coming.

All of the characters are great but Hugh Dillon as Joe Dick and Callum Keith Rennie as Billy Talent steal the show. Spinal Tap is silly comedy genius, but this film is actually surprisingly deep and philosophical. They just don'y make movies like this anymore.

Well... I really like this movie! I'm not going to go into the whole "Yay Canada" bit... because, well... we know we make good movies, no need to constantly pat ourselves on the back. Hey, just look at "American Beer"... love that too! Anyway, on to business... this was a great movie... Hugh Dillon is a great actor, as well as an accomplished musician (Headstones rock!!!), and does a great job. He really knows the role... being the lead singer for a band himself... he brought something unique to the role... something a conventional "actor" couldn't have, which I liked.

I must comment on the ending... it completely blew me away... I sat there while the credits began to role wondering what had just happened. That is what makes this movie so great... very few movies can do that for me. Congratulations go to Kevin MacDonald, he did a fine job!!

**** out of *****

A Punk Rock Mockumentary. A strange little film. Not a slap your thighs, roll around on the floor kinda funny. Very dry actually. The Cameo's by various Celeb's is worth a look. The late great "Joey Ramone" even puts in an appearance. Alot of the humour will be lost on many unless you've spent some time in Canada and understand the various rivalries between different parts of the country. Unapologetically Canadian.

I was taken for a 3000 mile ride that simply rocked. The band portrayed reminded me in many ways of bands I have been with in the past; they set the scene very believably and the writer deserves several pats on the

back. The punk scene was captured well, as were the rigors of touring & staying together and focused on a common interest. The plot developed quite well, and the characters were simply dead-on. I liked the

documentary aspects, the way they included the 'crew' in shots. And kudos to the twist at the very end. Brilliant picture.