The Age of Commercialism

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Like many other people past and present I was drawn to Los Angeles attracted by the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, and like many other people the first thing I did when I arrived was drive down the Sunset Strip. I remember seeing the billboards and feeling the energy of knowing that amazing things were happening, and that I was far removed from my mountain roots. Although I was fascinated by the strip I always wanted to learn more about its history. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard about this documentary. I rushed to my computer, bought the film and screened it that moment on my laptop and let me say I was not disappointed! The history of the strip from its formation to the speakeasies of the 20s up through present day is covered through interviews with the people who lived it. You really see how the sunset strip was shaped by, but also influenced culture and the personalities! A great film and I will make sure to watch it again soon!

The Sunset Strip started out as a strip of land that connected Beverly Hills to the studios of Hollywood, but feel out of the jurisdiction of both. That pretty much sums up the history of this iconic strip of land. Whether it was the speakeasies of the 20s or the counter culture of 60s the sunset strip as always had an intriguing outlaw vibe that has attracted people from all over the world. "Sunset Strip" tells the story of the strip through interviews with the people who lived it. Anecdotes are shared and the viewer learns that the sunset strip has mirrored and also influenced society. As a music fan I found myself engrossed from start to finish. Maybe someday I'll buy a ticket and head to the strip, but until then this doc will keep my daydreams alive!

I've always been fascinated by Hollywood, and the Sunset Strip. I remember leafing through magazines and dreaming about walking up and down the strip, catching great music and meeting some interesting people. I haven't been able to make it out there yet, but this doc is the next best thing. The film covers the Sunset Strip from its inception as a no man's land between the studios in Hollywood and Beverly Hill up until present day. Throughout you learn that the Sunset Strip has been instrumental in shaping from the speakeasies of the 20s, to the hair metal bands of the 80s. I had no idea how many famous and interesting people have been through this little strip of land.

"Fragmented Hell" "I have never started a Review with -Closing Credits, but I will do so here! An several minute animated sequence that runs for the Principal Closing Credits is much better done than the Movie I just screened. As a matter of fact, if this Filmmaker would stick to animation.. wonderful stuff.But lets get on with it.. this Fragmented hell and Chronological nightmare is a big mess. You don't know what the date is anyone is referring to, switching in seconds from the 1960's to the 1980's and then its Today! And the testimonials don't help you get there either. The biggest problem is the management of the time periods discussed. There is plenty of content biased as it is. And most of that content I found to be very interesting. But the order everything is makes this film a one time event for me.The Sunset Strip is much more than the History this Doc tells. I suppose one must think of George Hickenlooper's "Mayor of The Sunset Strip" to see one of the most thought provoking Docs on this subject. But this "Sunset Strip" does not even deserve to be named such a film. A handful of mostly has-been actors and burned out rock stars tell you their stories with lovely graphic details such as Blowjobs under the tables of the bars they preformed in. What I really hated is that this film glorified drugs, sex and rock & roll to the point of a comical display. "Only in America can woman be tortured by members of the Band Led Zepellin and dig it! Seeing Peter Fonda being thrown into a paddy wagon basically sums up that era.. and then there is Pryor and the cocaine jokes throughout the film which made me physically sick as if I was on a week long binge myself. I actually did not think I was watching real people any more but a facsimile or empty shell of people that once were actually artistic in their lives. When they were funny, I cried, and when they were serious.. I laughed out-loud. Is this really what the Filmmaker wanted? "Sunset Strip" strips you of your own identity and throws in your face just how cool it was to be so stoned you could not even remember going to the gig let alone playing it! I was not surprised that every stoner and x-stoner you can think of came out for this show. It was a who's who of; "Wow, can't believe that guy is not dead! The stars of Sunset Strip are the buildings, the clubs and that horrible ugly Tower Records where deals were made in the parking lot. That, I won't take away from this Filmmaker.. which he Documents well. But the never-ending jump cuts and complete schizophrenic time-lapses was like a bad LSD Trip in the Editing Room.I suppose this was one stoned out wrap party, but my first screening went straight to hell! JEV / CSPS-MEDIA