Justin Timberlake

L-R: The Runaways Director Floria, the real Joan Jett, Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and the real Cherie Currie.

Why is importrant to see the biopic film The Runaways? While leaving the theatre, we overheard two teenage girls saying: "Wow! I didn't even know that song, "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" was by Joan Jett. The two versions of the song I know are that one and Britney Spears' version."

Wait! Hold on! Stop the (digital) presses! For any young girl who appreciates her independence, loves to play music loud, and is enchanted by Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry, or even pop stars like Lady Gaga, they should see the film The Runaways to know the path that was blazed by the all-female hard rock band The Runaways in the 1970s. Like rock equivalent of feminist bra-burners, the corset-wearing, electric guitar-blaring group helped pave the way for the independence of female musicians today (and indeed females in general) by breaking all industry and societal rules of their time.

As for why males should see the film? There's almost 2 full hours of young chicks rocking in corsets and leather, sweating on an electric guitar. Nuf said.

Dakota Fanning on left; Kristen Stewart on right

Based off of the book, Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway, (co-written by Cherie Currie), the film - which opens nation-wide on April 9th - is engrossing. Within the golden-tinted sun of the bell-bottomed '70s, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning are a convincing mix of niave and deviant as Joan Jett and blonde bombshell Cherie Currie. Meanwhile, tall, brazen Michael Shannon debuts as the film's comedic break out character, as their eccentric manager/producer Kim Fowley, strutting and hollering witty profanities while sporting a thick layer of David Bowie facepaint.

At this year's SXSW, we met Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and first time director Floria Sigismondi. Afterwards, we coincidentally sat next to the still charismatic, 'slightly' lunatic 70-year-old Kim Fowley on the plane from Austin to LA. From those insider scoops, we've assembled a comprehensive list of behind-the-scenes quotes from the stars and legends of The Runaways. Enjoy:

Behind-The-Scenes Quotes About The Runaways

Kristen Stewart on playing Joan Jett: 

"You do one movie for a million reasons, but somebody said, "Hey do you want to play Joan Jett?" and I was like “yeah!!!".....and then I got really freaked out afterwards bc you realize all the stuff that goes along with that. (laugh) [But] to a T, the most I’ve ever seen  anyone be comfortable with themselves, Joan is comfortable with herself, even though she’s shy."

Director Floria on how she prepared for the film:

"I did a ton of research. But also that’s the period that I love from music. For the girls, I just kind of went back into my childhood, and sort of picked at things that I remembered that felt right…"

Kim Fowley on Floria's direction:

"She did a good job. But she wasn't making a documentary. That's not what she signed up to do.  She had a book; she made a movie of a book. It must be hard for her because we're still living."

The real Runaways posing in the 70s (Joan and Cherie in front)

Floria on the rock aesthetic:

"For me, it was very important for the girls to play their instruments so everybody had lessons, [and] bonded together as a band. I made sure that happened every day like four hours a day for two weeks….so they were able to really feel what it was like. I wanted to give it an energy."

Floria on the explicit aspects of the film:

"If this was a PG movie, I would have been completely unfaithful to The Runaways and to those girls. I think the thing that made it so instrumental [was] how young they were - thrown into this world [with] no parental guidance, plucked away from their families on tour. Can you imagine?!? You are at that age when you want to just try everything - [not to mention] in the 70s."

The Runaways' Film Trailer

Dakota Fanning on wearing THE corset:

"I really loved the corset. It was exactly like the one [Cherie Currie] wore. I felt the most in character in the corset.  If you know who Cherie is, you think of her performing in that corset so it was really an exciting moment for me."

Floria on Michael Shannon playing Kim Foley:

"Oh my god, he just knew how to play it! [His dialogue] was so wordy, and in the wrong mouth - my god - it could have been awful! [But] he played it in a way that was menacing but funny and condescending. There’s so many things that were a little bit more complicated in his dialogue. I thought he nailed…."

Kim Fowley on training Michael Shannon:

"Michael met me off set. Joan suggested that he should meet me to get the character research thing going on. Since they didn't let me on the set, they had to meet me at Denny's. Micheal and his assistant, Kristin Stewart, Joan Jett, an Associated Press and my ex-girlfriend showed up. I said to Micheal I have 28 personalities. I used them all on these girls. Clown, pimp, idiot, monster shrink...I wasn't dad, I wasn't the priest, but I was the PR guy. I was the roadie. I was all over."

Kristen Stewart on the 70s setting:

"I’ve always been really nostalgic for the 70s, even though I’ve never obviously lived in them. So I was excited to live in the 70s for a while."

The Real Joan Jett and her movie substitute Kristen Stewart

Dakota and Kristen on what soundtracks they listened to while filming:

Dakota: "I listened to a lot of The Runaways and Joan and David Bowie on set."

Kristen: "Joan put together little playlists. The make-up trailer was pumping."

Kim on Joan Jett:

"Joan and I are comfortable with each other talking and that's why in the movie Kristin Stewart and Kim could converse like we're conversing. I believed in her. It was just her and me before the other ones came along."

Floria on the ending:

"I think this ending is inspirational. I think Cherie’s story is very inspirational; she listens to herself and gets out when she can. I think it would have ended the other way if she had stayed.

Hopefully it gives [the younger generation] some courage to follow that little voice inside of them, telling them you should really be doing this…"

 

Will the real Kim Fowley please stand-up? Michael Shannon on the left. The real Kim Fowley on the right back in the 70s.

 

 

The real Kim Fowley, on the plane from Austin to LA, March 22nd, 2010. (Photo: Faith-Ann Young)

Photos Courtesy of Getty Images unless otherwise indicated.

The Runaways Website

PS The real Cherie Currie - a chain-saw sculpturer in California - is rumored to be opening onstage for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, along with her 19-year-old son, this August.

Great footwear = half your outfit. This is especially true when it comes to Fall fashion, so we thought we'd plan our 'back to shool' look from the bottom up instead of the other way around. Here are 5 new pairs of kicks that caught our attention. What do you think of them?

 

THE PROGRESSIVE LOOK: Love Brigade X Rob Roy X Converse

Without a doubt, this pair of jet black Chuck Taylors is the runaway hit of the Summer.

 

Perfect for a night out in the park, these punky kicks were brilliantly custom-designed by Brooklyn-based coop Love Brigade to celebrate the album release of Florida native singer & songwriter Rob Roy. Groupies not included. ;-)

 

THE ARTSY LOOK: Basquiat X Reebok

Just when we thought we'd overdose if we saw any more graffiti art on pumps, Reebok comes up with an interesting new tribute piece: playful Top Downs sneakers inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat neo-expressionist, urban paintings. Now these are collectible.

 

 

THE MODERN CLASSIC LOOK: Tretorn's Skymra 

Ok, so we all need extravaganza once in a while, but the keyword of a healthy wardrobe is: balance. This elegant, mimimalist shoe from Tretorn is constructed out of rich leather, and it features elastic straps instead of the usual shoelaces. A perfect middle ground between classic and modern styles. We're glad they kept the studs!

Pssst - check out the Tretorn giveaway on this.hearts.on.fire.

 

THE CRAFTY LOOK: Holy F Designs

What first reminded me of a funky Ed Hardy-like design is in fact the meticulous work of Bangalore-based designer Bhakti Dakshinamurthy, who started her line of hand crafted sneakers, HolyF, under the premise that shoes are 'not something you wear, but something you dare'. We like women with an attitude. Via Highsnobette.com

 

THE SUNNY LOOK: Lacoste Dot Fade pack

Oh, summer ain’t over ‘til it’s over... Here’s our girliest pick. We can't get enough of gradient design in fruity Starburst-esque colors. Perfect for a sunny day on the golf course! Via SneakerFreaker.com

 

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Did we miss your favorite style of kicks? Let us know what you will be wearing when September comes!

NEXT POST: Summer Shenanigans At 6-Man In LA

In these days of Photoshop, it's hard to discern reality from fantasy. In reaction, West coast photographer, Dina Goldstein is taking your childhood fairytales and giving them a stiff dose of realism. In her photo project, “Fallen Princesses”, Goldstein unravels the mystique behind classic Disney princesses and proposes a different kind of ending-- one that is anything but “happily ever after.” Check it:

 

 

Snow White may get her prince, but she also gets knocked up with four of his ‘lil’ brats’.

 

Belle battles a new beast, Age, with a painful dose of plastic surgery.

 

Sleeping Beauty ends up in retirement home...with her Prince?

 

This may strike you as embittered work, until you learn that the project was inspired by Goldstein’s experience as a mother, and hence, role model for her children. After witnessing the fascination that young girls have with Disney movies and their predictably unblemished heroines, Goldstein thought that these old fashioned fables needed some debunking. (After all, who's more heroic? A mis-proportioned rosy-cheeked cartoon? Or the woman who birthed and burped you!?)

NEXT POST: THE BRITISH INVASION (IN HEELS)

 

 

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