Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways
Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways is a 2005 documentary that was produced and directed by former Runaways bassist Victory Tischler-Blue. Edgeplay chronicles the history of the all-teenage-girl rock band The Runaways, whose members included future rock stars Lita Ford and Joan Jett.[1][2]
Kim Fowley, the band's original manager, originally asked for $10,000 appearance fee in order to appear in the film, but eventually agreed to appear for free if he could sing his answers to questions, with a guitarist accompanying him. Vicky Blue agreed and this is how his appearance was originally shot. However, he then informed her that each of his answers was a song that would require a separate license. Coincidentally, Fowley was shooting a segment for VH1 at about that time, so Blue sent her questions to the VH1 folks, who agreed to let her use their footage.[1]
Conspicuously absent from the movie was Joan Jett who refused to participate, and as Jett wrote or co-wrote most of the Runaways music, there is not much Runaways music on the soundtrack, which features mostly music by Lita Ford or Suzi Quatro.
In a 2006 interview with the Montreal Mirror, Joan Jett said:
- "To me, the Runaways is my baby, so you have to understand my perspective. If there’s gonna be a Runaways movie, it should be about what we accomplished, the tours we did, the bands we played with, the people we inspired. I’m not gonna participate in a Jerry Springer fest, bottom line. With any band, you’re gonna have interpersonal conflicts, but if that’s what they thought the Runaways were about—about breaking a bass or putting on make-up—well, it’s very disappointing. Very, very disappointing. I wanted nothing to do with it because that’s not the band I was in. [The film] was a totally different take on what went down."[3][4]
Shortly after the movie was released, Sandy West, the band's drummer was diagnosed with cancer. She died on October 21, 2006.[5]
Reception
- "Tischler-Blue has pulled-together a harrowing tale of ’70s rock’n'roll excess and shattered dreams that rivals any rock documentary ever made... the showbiz veneer is replaced by a kind of brutal honesty that doesn’t make it to the silver screen much these days. “Edgeplay” dodges the usual pre-sweetened rock’n'roll clichés, and goes straight for the jugular." (Chris Parcellin, Film Threat, 2005)[6]
- "Edgeplay adheres to a very linear structure, starting off with the germ of an idea that would bring the band together and concluding with the events that split them apart, but after a lengthy retelling of how these five girls became The Runaways, it's more or less wall-to-wall dirt." (Adam Tyner, DVD Talk, 2005)[7]
- "Blue employs crafty editing techniques to recreate some of the more memorable events in the band history as told from the perspective of each member. It’s like a rock n’ roll Roshomon, with the truth being relative to the teller of each tale." (Karman Kregloe, AfterEllen.com, 2005)[8]
See also
The Runaways (film)
References
- ^ a b Devenish, Colin (July 29, 2004). "The Runaways' Sad Song". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-runaways-sad-song-20040729. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- ^ Shey, Brittanie (April 9 2010). "Edgeplay... The Other Runaways Movie". Houston Press. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2010/04/edgeplay_the_other_runaways_mo.php. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- ^ Barry, Chris (August 3, 2006). "Rad reputation". Montreal Mirror. http://www.montrealmirror.com/2006/080306/cover_music.html. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- ^ Itter, Scott (July 2005). "Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways". areuonsomething.com. http://www.areuonsomething.com/print_edgeplay.html. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- ^ "Sandy West, 47, Runaways Drummer". Associated Press. October 25, 2006. http://www.nysun.com/obituaries/sandy-west-47-runaways-drummer/42194/. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ Parcellin, Chris (April 28, 2005). "GIRLS INTERRUPTED: THE CONTROVERSIAL NEW RUNAWAYS DOCUMENTARY". Film Threat. http://www.filmthreat.com/interviews/497/. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ Tyner, Adam (April 3, 2005). "Edgeplay - A Film About The Runaways". DVD Talk. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/15127/edgeplay-a-film-about-the-runaways/. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
- ^ Kregloe, Karman (October 13, 2005). "Edgeplay - A Film About The Runaways". AfterEllen.com. http://www.afterellen.com/archive/ellen/Movies/2005/10/edgeplay.html. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
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