THE DOOM GENERATION: A Masterpiece Wrongfully Doomed.

THE DOOM GENERATION:

A Masterpiece Wrongfully Doomed.

The Doom Generation directed by Gregg Araki is a rad pop-culture, acid-washed Picasso. As the title suggests it speaks to a specific generation and an even more specific audience. As part of Araki's Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy (including Totally Fucked Up and Nowhere) The Doom Generation falls in the middle, yet manages to stand alone. It has been wrongfully criticised and by some of the most respected film critics including Roger Ebert. Whos "zero star" rating can only attribute to how bizarre and boldly speaking it is to a culture of youths. This is something Ebert can't possibly understand. That probably isn't a bad thing considering the film's mosaic canvas is fashioned from a drug-induced paintbrush.

The "Bonnie and Clyde" road-movie storyline takes a backseat to the very original characters and their situations with one another. As well as the overall atmosphere of the kaleidoscopic world they live in. Rose McGowan made her splash as Amy Blue the speed-junkie lover of the alternatively attractive Jordan (James Duval, of the magnificent Go). When their club night spins into tragedy they pick up a bad-boy drifter Xaiver (Jonathon Scheach) who has more on his mind than just a ride. A homo-erotic spark flares between Xaiver and Jordan. When Xaiver realizes he can't get Jordan to succumb to his advances he seduces the jealous Amy.

The director is brilliant in the fact that he knows how to tease us. The two male leads nearly kiss numerous times and each time we buy into it. The dangerous hunger between them fuels the rest of the film into a murder and escape routine. Rose McGowan perfectly up-plays the jealousy card just enough that you get the feeling the thought of the two males together also turns her on. You see-- Amy doesn't want her lover Jordan to fuck around with Xaiver but she knows that to alleviate her guilt of having slept with the drifter-- it is inevitable.

When the taboo tests us to the limit and the two guys begin to act on their desires in an abandoned warehouse, the message of the film ignites like a firestorm. A homophobic pack of roughnecks stumble upon them, we are bound for an excruciating and unexpected climax. The highly-stylized film comes full circle by the gay-bashing statement of the final act. Fully equip with crude references to the American flag and body-painted Nazi Swastikas.

What makes me smile about such films as this is the absolute trust the actors and crew clearly gave up to a director with a nonlinear scattered vision. That trust is how true works of art are made and in this case filmed. Interestingly enough Gregg Araki went on to direct the gay romantic comedy Adam & Steve 10 years later. A hilarious and heartwarming nod to the gay romance scene or a much needed addition to the unfortunate lack their of in cinema. The movie Co-Stars the great Parker Posey-- who cameos here. Which is my sole complaint with The Doom Generation. Her character should have appeared at the end of the film for a subtle bow-tie. But the desire to broaden the cameo is basically like polishing the silver. If Araki, who once fashioned films of this dark nature and went on to impress with the linear fluidity of Adam & Steve, keeps successfully changing visions in the future-- he is certainly a director that merits grand attention.

The Doom Generation was made in 1995. A final bow to the years of grunge in the main-stream created by the likes of such alternative forces Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It speaks to that generation of youth, as well as throws forward to a newer artistic generation in the wake of the abstract Lady Gaga stylings. One wants to say it was ahead of its time (another part reason that Ebert didn't "get it") but rather it has been able to hold itself by finding a cult audience that bashed its lukewarm critical reception. Well worth noting is a worthy Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Rose McGowan as Amy Blue who, a year later, went on to cement her fame into the "Scream" franchise.

Stylistic movies that include dark-tones such as drugs, sex and violence often times scare people. Therefore they lash out or rather don't bother to understand that the director was speaking for a different person-- a certain generation. It scares them because they don't understand the world it is trying to portray. But rarely do we ever dissect and solve the unusual correctly-- even with famous works of art. Take the notorious portrait "The Scream" by Edvard Munch into consideration. We can only speculate the grim purpose and why the brush strokes are so darkly psychedelic. Maybe that outside wonder is part the point. Perhaps we should question why we are so intrigued. Even intrigued to hate or bitterness. As far as The Doom Generation is concerned, even as an outsider we are left with this puzzling film portrait. A portrait we are meant to admire on a whole other level-- because, like behind the wheel of Amy's car, it moves us into an uncertain direction.

Grade: A