Sex Pistols: There'll Always Be an England

They had a handful of great songs, a grand total of one official album, said “fuck” on a British chat show, gobbed their audiences (who gobbed right back), and splintered very shortly after their little comet blazed across the working class sky (after which one of their members drugged himself to death). Yet, here we are, three decades later, still talking about the Sex Pistols. For good reason, as viewers will discover in this 2007 concert film—recorded at London's Brixton Academy, and directed by Julien Temple (The Great Rock ‘n' Roll Swindle)—which reunites the original Pistols lineup (with pre-Sid Vicious bassist Glen Matlock joining guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook, and vocalist John “Johnny Rotten” Lydon). Granted, the Pistols can never have the same impact they had in the ‘70s, but this is buckets o' fun nonetheless, with the audience (including many who weren't even born back in the band's heyday) in full celebration mode from the first notes of “Pretty Vacant.” On these 19 songs—not just the inevitable “God Save the Queen” and the brilliant “Anarchy in the UK” but also Never Mind the Bollocks in its entirety (everyone knows the words and shouts gleefully along)—the band grinds away with gusto, and Rotten, now in his early 50s, plays it to the hilt, prowling the stage while taunting and bantering with the crowd (he's no longer a genuine provocateur, but is perfectly suited to the role of eminence grise of punk attitude). Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, DVD extras include an entertaining featurette spotlighting the musicians and their favorite haunts. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)