God Save the Queen: A Punk Rock Anthology

I'd like to think that the one minute of black screen that appears roughly halfway through God Save the Queen: A Punk Rock Anthology is a purposeful bit of cheek, but given this slapdash compilation's uneven-looking footage and widely varying sound levels, I sincerely doubt it. Featuring punk performances of indeterminate date by Iggy Pop & the Stooges (the classic “I Wanna Be Your Dog”), X-Ray Spex (“Identity”), and 999 (performing the early punk staple “Homicide” on what looks to be a reunion tour of more recent vintage), among others, this 19-song assemblage mixes live performances, music videos, and interviews—the latter ranging from a so-so reminiscence from Marky Ramone (of the original punk band, the Ramones) to a semi-hostile one-on-one with Johnny Thunders (who died of an apparent drug overdose in 1991). The few brighter moments here actually come from newer neo-punk bands, such as the Toy Dolls' playful “Nellie the Elephant.” Those looking for a punk retrospective would be much better served by starting with the highlight clips found in the excellent documentary Punk: Attitude (VL-11/05). Not a necessary purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)