Debt Begins at 20 (1980)

With music by The Cardboards The Shakes Hans Brinker and The Dykes By combining semifictionalized and documentary material this film is as definitive a record of the Pittsburgh punk scene during its nascent underground as anyone could hope for Beroes band footage is radical departure from the gimmickry of stereotyped rock band documentary in its use of pans and slow dollys capturing small glimpses of the musicians at work that a PR film would have avoided at all costs The cinematography demands a reconsideration of the rock band documentarys hoary technical vocabulary From the time this film was made changes have already taken place in Pittsburgh punkdom as the bands have moved from an insular salon society to more legitimate venues Some say things are better than ever others mourn the passing of Pittsburgh punks innocence Beroes in Debt Begins at 20 has produced not only entertainment but also a small and very precious time capsule