A fat singer, covered only by bad tattoos, filth and a pair of Doc Martens, beating up a couple of fans on his way to stage, defecating and throwing his faeces into the crowd before being dragged off by the police may not be everybody's idea of entertainment but it certainly was what the general fan expected from a GG Allin show.
Mind you, few self-described Punk fans – generally sporting coloured Mohawks, "The Sex Pistols" tee-shirts and a dog collar – either don't know GG Allin nor would they necessarily identify with GG having been a punk. A punk in the truest sense of the word: a misfit, degenerate and completely free of compromise, even if that meant having to live and die in the gutter.
So, what is "Hatred"? A modern freak-show, allowing us to gloat at a human train-wreck and his equally dishellved entourage? A "Best of" drunk vomiting, defiant behaviour and throwing poo at the willing audience? Yes, "Hatred" contains all that but director Todd Phillips doesn't concentrate on those antics but rather takes it as part of the package. His real focus is on the people, mainly GG himself, his band, "The Murder Junkies", musicians like Dino (the naked drummer) and supporters like Unk, who both come across as bizarre, real and unpretentious, at the same time.
As for GG's music: you won't find any hidden classics among Allins repertoire. This isn't a documentary about a forgotten genius (like the Roky Erickson documentary "You're Gonna Miss Me"), in fact, apart from some song- and concert fragments, there's preciously little music in "Hatred". Allins music was a mix of simple, noisy Punk-songs with touches of country music, the lyrics laden with obscenities and a misanthropy that few other bands have matched. Yet, as simple and sleazy as the songs may be, there's something haunting and memorable that can only be described as authentic.
And that's the keyword about the whole documentary: everything here is authentic, free of compromise or pretentiousness. That's more than can be said about most contemporary, mainstream-embracing Pop, Rock and Punk bands. "Hatred" is neither pretty nor glamorous but authentic.
Still, if you're more of a Simon & Garfunkel or Bee Gees-type, you might find language, music, people, topic and the flinging of faeces slightly offensive and should consider watching something else.
8 authentic points from 10.
Mind you, few self-described Punk fans – generally sporting coloured Mohawks, "The Sex Pistols" tee-shirts and a dog collar – either don't know GG Allin nor would they necessarily identify with GG having been a punk. A punk in the truest sense of the word: a misfit, degenerate and completely free of compromise, even if that meant having to live and die in the gutter.
So, what is "Hatred"? A modern freak-show, allowing us to gloat at a human train-wreck and his equally dishellved entourage? A "Best of" drunk vomiting, defiant behaviour and throwing poo at the willing audience? Yes, "Hatred" contains all that but director Todd Phillips doesn't concentrate on those antics but rather takes it as part of the package. His real focus is on the people, mainly GG himself, his band, "The Murder Junkies", musicians like Dino (the naked drummer) and supporters like Unk, who both come across as bizarre, real and unpretentious, at the same time.
As for GG's music: you won't find any hidden classics among Allins repertoire. This isn't a documentary about a forgotten genius (like the Roky Erickson documentary "You're Gonna Miss Me"), in fact, apart from some song- and concert fragments, there's preciously little music in "Hatred". Allins music was a mix of simple, noisy Punk-songs with touches of country music, the lyrics laden with obscenities and a misanthropy that few other bands have matched. Yet, as simple and sleazy as the songs may be, there's something haunting and memorable that can only be described as authentic.
And that's the keyword about the whole documentary: everything here is authentic, free of compromise or pretentiousness. That's more than can be said about most contemporary, mainstream-embracing Pop, Rock and Punk bands. "Hatred" is neither pretty nor glamorous but authentic.
Still, if you're more of a Simon & Garfunkel or Bee Gees-type, you might find language, music, people, topic and the flinging of faeces slightly offensive and should consider watching something else.
8 authentic points from 10.