Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
Coalition Films
Not part of a collection.
American Punk started with a Germ
The true-life story of Darby Crash, who became an L.A. punk icon with his band The Germs. Along with Lorna Doom, Pat Smear, and Don Bolles, Darby Crash completely transformed the L.A. punk scene, while sacrificing everyone he loved, his career, and ultimately his life.
John Chard
Aug 10, 2014 · via TMDB
Jan Paul Beahm (September 26, 1958 - December 6, 1980) Who? Well quite, and that may well be the problem for any casual movie fan who happens to like musical bio-pictures. Jan Paul Beahm during his short run for fame was better known as Darby Crash, lead singer and founding member of Los Angeles punk band The Germs. Firmly picking up on the punk ethic for doing it yourself, Crash and his band made waves across L.A. for a short period of time. Much like The Sex Pistols back in the UK, The Germs were blighted by being unable to play venues as their reputation preceded them. With Crash growing ever more erratic as he tried to execute the various strands of his so called 5 year plan, those around him invariably suffered. Here director Rodger Grossman attempts to tell the "true" story of the life and death of an enigmatic young man on a "crash" course to oblivion. With low production values and a choppy attempt at being a semi rockumentary, What We Do Is secret is really only of interest to fans of the band or those wishing to bone up on American punk rock circa 1976-1980. Even tho myself, an ageing old British punker, quite liked The Germs, this film only exists because of two major factors. For the facts are that outside of L.A. they were hardly known at the time. It's only because of Crash's subsequent suicide at a young age {on the day John Lennon was shot and killed} and guitarist Pat Smear's future involvement with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, that the band have had a reappraisal. With minimal input cut onto disc, one has to wonder if someone is trying to build up a legend that doesn't actually exist? What can be said with confidence is that the film at least brings the L.A. punk scene to notice. With all the historical talk about the New York punk scene that was born out of CBGB'S and Max's Kansas City, it often gets forgotten that L.A. had its moments too. The cast here are pretty much the run of the mill performers one expects from such a production. Ranging from adequate (Shane West as Crash) to very decent (Rick Gonzalez of Coach Carter fame as Smear), Grossman's film will not be remembered for any great thesping. And since Crash is not very likable, or engaging on an intellectual level, the finale is unlikely to strike you with a sadness born out of the waste of a young life. However, the soundtrack crackles with punk vibrancy and emotive potency, and definitely some of the concert sequences have the look and feel of the original punk rock era. But ultimately the piece remains only worth an interest to an undemanding and small selection of music fans. Oh and 70s fashion guru's as well one thinks. 6/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Amazon Video
Amazon Video
Shane West
Darby Crash
Rick Gonzalez
Pat Smear
Bijou Phillips
Lorna Doom
Noah Segan
Don Bolles
Tina Majorino
Michelle
Ashton Holmes
Rob Henley
Keir O'Donnell
Chris Ashford
Lauren German
Belinda
Ray Park
Brendan Mullen
Sebastian Roché
Sebastian Roché
Katharine Leonard
Jena Cardwell
Amy Halloran
Becky Barton / Donna Rhia
Missy Doty
Amber
Azura Skye
Casey Cola
Michele Hicks
Penelope Spheeris
Chris Pontius
Black Randy
J.P. Manoux
Rodney Bingenheimer
Sara Rivas
Shannon
Leslie Grossman
(uncredited)
Zack Duhame
Stunts
Jay Scully
Casting
Damon Martin
Executive Producer
Shane West
Executive Producer
Bruce Wayne Gillies
Line Producer
Bigflo & Oli, le concert événement
Die Toten Hosen: Auf die harte Tour - Live im SO36
A Night without Light
Forrest Gump
Volbeat - Let’s Boogie! Live from Telia Parken
There We Were, Now Here We Are... The Making of Oasis
Gorillaz | MTV World Stage
Olivia Ruiz : Chocolat show !
Alpha Blondy & The Solar System - Live in peace tour
The Kotsiubynsky Family
The Royal Waltz
Alice Cooper: Raise the Dead (Live from Wacken)
Dancer in the Dark
Kate Bush Christmas Special
Almost Crying
Def Leppard: And There Will Be a Next Time - Live from Detroit
The Dancing Millionairess
Dolly Parton: Here I Am
The Last Full Measure
Los gatos del callejón
The Spiders: The Reckless Operation
Don Henley - Live Inside Job
Ammonite
Tomorrow We Are Free
Against the Law
Radioactive
Kill the Day
Elephants
Borstal
Texas - Paris
Freedom
The First Motion of the Immovable
The Eternal Feminine
Cuban Pete
The Dream Syndicate: How Did We Find Ourselves Here?
Sam Smith at the Proms
Eput the Movie
Last Days
The Disco Years
The Passion of Ayn Rand
Talking Heads - Chronology
A Little Bit of Heaven
Diferente
Red Violation
The Maiden and the Princess
Bekar en concert aux Vieilles Charrues 2025
Horizontal Francis en concert aux Vieilles Charrues 2025
Nina Kraviz en concert aux Vieilles Charrues 2025
Sting, Daniel Hope & Freunde in Berlin Mit Golda Schultz, Bruce Liu u.v.m.
Gautier Capuçon à l'Olympia
Pamela en concert aux Vieilles Charrues 2025
Tayori 1st Live 春を待つ
Gino: A Child of War
Space Dogs: The Musical
The Cape God Digital Concert
Atelier 20th Special Live
Big Foot Mama: 15 years live with guests concert
Alejandro Sanz - La musica no se toca (En vivo)
The Greatest
Big Foot Mama: Let 25 Concert
Clika
The Joker is Wild
Requiem for a Dream
Trainspotting
Better Man
Menace II Society
Almost Famous
Blow
Rocketman
The Five Heartbeats
La Bamba
American Satan
Stomp the Yard
The Doors
Cadillac Records
Drugstore Cowboy
Born on the Fourth of July
Notorious
Quadrophenia
Out of the Blue
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
To Write Love on Her Arms
The Outfit
All Eyez on Me
The Bikeriders
Suburbia
Gotti
Tigerland
The Runaways
Luckiest Girl Alive
I'm Not There
Hounddog
Times Square
Less Than Zero
Miles Ahead
CBGB
Switchblade Sisters
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Mammal
Bugsy
Joe the King
Blonde
Jun 23, 2007
© 2025-2026 MovieNight. All rights reserved.
Versus
Sign in to play →
Wasting, sinking, dazzling, floating
2024
That Model from Paris
1926
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
Versus
Sign in to play →
Wasting, sinking, dazzling, floating
2024
That Model from Paris
1926
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
We use essential cookies to run MovieNight, plus analytics (Google Analytics) and advertising (Google AdSense) cookies. By continuing to browse, you agree to this — or click No and we won't. See our Terms & Privacy Policy to learn more.