Watch Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways For Free

Overrated and overhyped

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The Runaways 2010 movie is somewhat entertaining, but it is just that, a Hollywood movie. It takes tons of liberties with the truth, focuses on the lives of Cherie and Joan, creates aggregate characters, and leaves out some pertinent components of the Runaways history. It is a movie based on the Runaways, it is not the story of the Runaways.The documentary Edgeplay, by latter day Runaways bassist Vicki Blue, is essential viewing, but be forewarned, this is not some bloated rock star bragging about how many chicks he laid and how many drugs he took. Today's youth likes to talk about "being real", this is as real and raw as it gets, and it is mind-bending.The most riveting segment is the interview with Sandy West. West is driven upon release from a prison term by Fox to a location where she is interviewed by Blue. She's not fully stable, perhaps even a bit disoriented she asks for permission to smoke a cigarette, becomes emotional in discussing the demise of the Runaways and her own life after the band, and discloses elements of a harrowing criminal life, till she finally breaks down saying "I just wanted to be a drummer in a rock band." The emotional intensity is off the charts. The camera zooms in and the deep lines in her face reflect the harshness of the life she has lived.At times, the participants ask for the camera to stop rolling, but it appears the camera continues to roll a bit. Currie, Williams (West's mom), and West all had remorse about some of what they disclosed during the taping of the movie and tried to appeal to Blue to not include certain content, so much so that West showed up at Blue's house one night high out of her mind with a gun and a thug accomplice in an attempt to get the tape back from Blue, the LAPD with police helicopters removed West, Blue didn't press charges against West, Blue fled L.A. in lived out in the desert out of fear.The only Runaway interviewed that does not appear to have not suffered emotional damage is Ford. However, in the past couple years (after this movie was made), Ford's life has taken a bizarre twist and a whole movie could be made just about that.I cannot overstate how compelling (and disturbing) I found this movie. I've watched it several times, it is so brutal and honest, people disclosing sins and discussing things one would expect them to take to the grave. I can understand why some, such as Joan Jett, refused to participate in the movie due to it's Springer-like qualities at times. However, on Springer, the participants are instructed to act up for the cameras, none of the participants in Edgeplay were encouraged to ham it up for the camera, which is why it is so scary. The circumstances surrounding the making of this movie and the years it took for the film to come to light is a story unto itself. I generally disdain rock band reunions, find them almost pathetic, but I think the Runaways situation is an exception, and it would be in their best interest to reunite, although Sandy is unfortunately no longer alive. With the renewed interest in the Runaways in the aftermath of Edgeplay, the Runaways movie, and Currie's Neon Angel book, history pertaining to how they were received in 70s is being altered a bit, as if the Runaways were a huge commercial success with critical acclaim heaped upon them. But the Runaways were laughed at and treated derisively in more circles than they were admired in during their time. When I revisit their albums today, they are astounding, particularly when considering they were recorded by 16 & 17 year old musicians on limited budgets, and provide a bridge and glimpse into what was approaching on the music scene. Their first two studio albums and Live in Japan were released before the Sex Pistols "Never Mind the Bullocks". A reunion (if done correctly) would allow them to stake their claim in rock history they so richly deserve that they were denied in the 70s. Also, the Runaways did not make a lot of money during their initial career, a reunion could bring them a windfall of money, that in all fairness, they deserve. (Although I think they're all multimillionaires now anyway). If it is to happen, it would have to be soon, as the clock is ticking.Sorry for going a bit off track, back to Edgeplay. If you are looking for the traditional trite schlock rockumentary with clips of hit songs and musicians falling all over each gushing with praise, you're not going to find it Edgeplay. There isn't even any Runaways music in it because the rights were withheld (by Jett I believe). I can't think of anything like it I've ever seen for comparison. It is stunning beyond description. I strongly recommend.

The greatest strength of this very good-but-flawed documentary is honesty. Four of the five members of the most famous version of the group (excluding Joan Jett) provide extensive on-camera interviews, as does replacement bassist Vicki Blue (also the director), and they are mostly no holds barred. Instigator/original manager Kim Fowley also appears for guarded but unvarnished commentary. The original Runaways are all interviewed separately, and each provides her reminiscences. It is quite clear from the interviews that all the the original members look back at both the other members and the overall experience with a mixture of ambivalence, bitterness, and regret. Taken as a whole, their reminiscences provide a Roshoman-like perspective from which a net truth can be pieced. This is as close to that truth as we have gotten, and much closer than we get in the more recent bigger budget Runaways movie.To anyone interested in the Runaways story, or interested in the sordid machinations behind the Svengali fueled star-making machinery of the music business, this will be engrossing and will be essential viewing.That said, this documentary falls a bit short of great, due in varying degrees to a paucity of archival material, Joan Jett's failure to participate, and a somewhat too narrow, too inside approach to the story.OK, let's take those three points one at a time: 1) Limitations on the archival source material. Joan Jett declined to participate. As a result, vintage Runaways songs co-written by Jett were not available either for the soundtrack, or for video. Therefore, for example, footage of the Runaways performing is limited to two cover songs. The soundtrack is populated mostly by Lita Ford (solo) and Suzi Quatro songs. Perhaps more significant is the absence of vintage footage of the Runaways at press conferences, in TV interviews, etc. The contrast between the middle aged women the Runaways have become and these women as teenagers would have added tremendously to the film.2) Joan Jett's lack of participation. As noted, this resulted in the lack of vintage performance materials. But it also means we are not treated to Jett's perspective on the days of the Runaways. Surprisingly, this is a relatively modest loss. The interviews with the other former members are (seemingly) honest enough that they paint a pretty complete picture. One doesn't actually sense that her lack of interview participation leaves as large a hole as might be expected.3) A too narrow, too inside approach. The film takes as almost a given that the viewer is invested in the Runaways as cultural icons, and that there is little need to investigate their place in the development of pop music. While that's OK for die hards, it unnecessarily limits the appeal of this film. Where is the essential commentary contemporaries of The Runaways--from artists with whom they toured or co-mingled, such as The Ramones, Cheap Trick, Blondie, etc? Where is the back story on the girls, which might explain how 14 year old girls were hanging out at nightclubs by themselves, available to be exploited? The meat of this movie would always be the interviews with the women themselves, of course, but framing is critical to make something more universal.Despite these limitations, if you have an interest in The Runaways, the film still packs a punch.Compared to the slick, bigger budget Runaways docudrama (which was produced with Joan Jett's participation, and which reflects a mostly Jett-centric view, and an almost entirely Jett Currie focus), this is most certainly the deeper film.That said, the sad thing is that this documentary contains the outline of a GREAT docudrama: Young, naive girls with doe-eyed dreams taken in by a predatory Svengali, used, abused and discarded, with the most fulfilling part of the story how they ultimately dealt with the collapse of those early promises. There's plenty of sex, drugs, and rock and roll to spice it all up, of course. But I think that's the far less interesting story. Too bad that's the story that, for the most part, the big budget Runaways film chose to feature. Contrasting how the different members of the group dealt with the collapse of the Runaways offers a fantastic mix of success, failure, reinvention, the triumph of tenacity, and tragedy of being unable to reconcile childhood dreams with adult realities, specifically: Jackie Fox, the smartest one (and the one who would always have the most options available to her), drops out of the group first, goes off the grid, finds herself, goes back to college, Harvard law, and becomes a successful attorney.Vicki Blue, replacement bassist, leaves and becomes a successful video auteur.Joan Jett and Lita Ford: Prospects outside the music world might have been minimal, but they were driven and lucky, and ultimately found legitimate success in music on their own terms.Cheri Currie: Directionless but benign girl has her innocence and childhood evaporate as she becomes the sexed up jail-bait singer for The Runaways. She buys into the image and lifestyle, but finally quits in disgust, eventually finding a certain peace in a modest (figuratively) just outside of Hollywood existence.Sandy West: Fox had the brains, Blue the artistic and personal perspective, Jett and Ford had the musical talent and drive and Currie was scrappy enough to find her way. West just wanted to play drums. When that went south, her life trajectory was one of deepening decent into darkness: drug dealing, jail, etc. Her interview for this film reveals that nearly a quarter of century later, she still wondered "what happened?" and was waiting for that Runaways reunion that would never come. (West died a couple of years after this film was completed).If you've seen The Runaways movie, and you're interested in further back story, this documentary is a must. The Runaways is adequate entertainment. But there's a lot more heart in this film.

"'Jail bait' rockers The Runaways tell their own tale -- their hopes, dreams and eventual implosion due to incessant media hectoring, infighting among the band members and chronic drug use. Directed by Victory Tischler-Blue, the film shows what it was like for six teenage girls to gain notoriety in an era hostile to female musicians. Includes live performances, a special appearance by Suzi Quatro and new songs by Quatro and Lita Ford."Note the most important line in this review from Netflix: "shows what it was like for six teenage girls to gain notoriety in an era hostile to female musicians." Finally, someone who is telling it like it was. That's it in a nutshell. Thank God (some of) those times have changed... on second thought, have they? The whole new crop of girls have probably gone through exactly the same thing. Christina Aquilera, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Rhianna, what's the difference, really? Some things never change. And worst of all, we do it to ourselves. We imprison OURSELVES. We buy in to the promise of "fame and fortune," and to "be somebody." That's all it takes for the devils of the world - the Kim Fowley's of the world - to capture one's soul and "make them mine." Fowley was their notorious manager who practically destroyed these girls, stole their money, hearts and soul... yet these girls have somehow managed to survive. Bravo to them for telling their true tale even at this late date. The truth will set you free!Pretty incredible film. Glad I never got trapped; at least not in that world. I escaped by the skin of my teeth and the Grace of God and all the angels above. Somehow I made a slightly different choice and somehow survived. All it took was "NO" at the moment of truth, the moment of commitment, and the Devil had no hold. And then some pretty fast running! Hahahahahah to all the Kim Fowleys of the world - and a big middle finger holding straight up!Ten stars for this film, and the women themselves have my GREATEST ADMIRATION. Bravo to you ALL!

Very raw and revealing insight into a young band that was being abuse behind close doors. I would have loved to hear what Joan had to say, giving her take on the band to make this documentary feel complete and finally see all band mates on some level of togetherness but very surprise that everyone involved had compliments for her. Jackie seem to be the most revealing and comfortable talking about the band. There is obviously rivalry and coldest between Cherie and Lita but it sounds like they have gotten pass it with years passing or else they wouldn't have done this documentary. However, out of all the interviews the most heartbreaking and personal depth shown was Sandy's account, especially towards the end bringing me to tears, it was very touching emotionally, making her account so real that it's hard to forget the damage that was done. Also, it's sad that this band isn't recognized for it's influence in music, paving the way for female rock bands, which Vicki has done an excellent job making this of importance!