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Urgh! A Music War

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
793
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Urgh! A Music War (1981)
  • Documentary
  • Music
Live performances from dozens of leading early-1980s musical acts - rock, punk, ska, reggae - it's all here.Live performances from dozens of leading early-1980s musical acts - rock, punk, ska, reggae - it's all here.Live performances from dozens of leading early-1980s musical acts - rock, punk, ska, reggae - it's all here.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
793
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Derek Burbidge
  • Stars
    • Wall of Voodoo
    • Stan Ridgway
    • Marc Moreland
Top credits
  • Director
    • Derek Burbidge
  • Stars
    • Wall of Voodoo
    • Stan Ridgway
    • Marc Moreland
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 29User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro

    • Photos

    1 sheet
    1 sheet movie poster
    Urgh! A Music War (1981)
    Urgh! A Music War (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Wall of Voodoo
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    Stan Ridgway
    Stan Ridgway
    • Self - Wall of Voodooas Self - Wall of Voodoo
    Marc Moreland
    • Self - Wall of Voodooas Self - Wall of Voodoo
    Chas T. Gray
    • Self - Wall of Voodooas Self - Wall of Voodoo
    Bruce Moreland
    • Self - Wall of Voodooas Self - Wall of Voodoo
    Joe Nanini
    • Self - Wall of Voodooas Self - Wall of Voodoo
    Toyah Willcox
    Toyah Willcox
    • Selfas Self
    • (as Toyah Wilcox)
    Joel Bogen
    • Self - with Toyah Wilcoxas Self - with Toyah Wilcox
    Pete Bush
    • Self - with Toyah Wilcoxas Self - with Toyah Wilcox
    Charlie Francis
    • Self - with Toyah Wilcoxas Self - with Toyah Wilcox
    Steve Bray
    • Self - with Toyah Wilcoxas Self - with Toyah Wilcox
    John Cooper Clarke
    • Selfas Self
    Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
    Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    • (as Orchestral Manoeuvres)
    Paul Humphreys
    • Self - Orchestral Manoeuvresas Self - Orchestral Manoeuvres
    Andy McCluskey
    • Self - Orchestral Manoeuvresas Self - Orchestral Manoeuvres
    David A. Hughes
    • Self - Orchestral Manoeuvresas Self - Orchestral Manoeuvres
    Malcolm Holmes
    • Self - Orchestral Manoeuvresas Self - Orchestral Manoeuvres
    Chelsea
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    • Director
      • Derek Burbidge
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Punk, New Wave, Reggae and Techno bands from Europe and the US recorded live in several locations in 1980. The biggest names on the bill are the Police and UB 40 but every performance is a jewel, a time capsule of the influenced and the influential in rock music right up to today. —Raymond Clay <banquosa@concentric.net>
    • psychotronic film
    • band
    • rock music
    • punk
    • reggae
    • 11 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Live it... 'Cause You Can't Stop It!
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • Music
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Dave Thompson's 2000 book Alternative Rock: Third Ear, all three Copeland brothers were involved in the making of this film. All the acts featured were represented by Miles Copeland's IRS management company and booked by Ian Copeland's FBI Booking agency, and with three songs, drummer Stewart Copeland's the Police are featured more than any other act in this film.
    • Alternate versions
      The 94 minute theatrical version widely released in America by Filmways Pictures omits 10 songs and artists that appear in the 124 minute version released to U.S. home video. The selections missing from most theatrical prints are:
      • John Cooper Clarke - "Health Fanatic"
      • Chelsea - "I'm on Fire"
      • Athletico Spizz 80 - "Where's Captain Kirk?"
      • Magazine - "Model Worker"
      • The Members - "Offshore Banking Business"
      • Invisible Sex - "Valium"
      • Pere Ubu - "Birdies"
      • John Otway - "Cheryl's Going Home"
      • Skafish - "Sign of the Cross"
      • Splodgeness Abounds - "Two Little Boys"
    • Connections
      Featured in The Nomi Song (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Driven to Tears
      Written by Sting
      Performed by The Police

    User reviews29

    Review
    Top review
    Those were the days
    By that time, my friends were listening to ugly music like Styx or Emerson Lake and Palmer. They thought I was kind of crazy to listen to X and the Cramps. I had also the big chance to have this film on tape. I also got the double LP of the music. Some of this stuff is still good to listen to (Wall of Voodoo, X, Fleshtones, Police, Cramps) but to see this film is also an incridible experience. See zany John Otway! But for me, the Cramps performance of Tear it up is one the greatest moment of pure rock and roll catch on film. And who was that strange girl of the Alley Cats? Who were the Alley Cats? Their song is amazing! Seems like all these people have a lot of fun back then.
    helpful•3
    1
    • MarioB
    • Apr 7, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 1982 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Уф! Музыкальная война
    • Filming locations
      • California Theatre, San Diego, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Lorimar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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