The women at the Fusion Film Festival at NYU invited me to their screening last week of The Runaways. I’ll talk more about the movie when it opens but I really enjoyed being exposed to a slice of women’s history that I never knew about. My relationship to Joan Jett began in the 80s when she came out with I Love Rock and Roll. Never even knew she was in a breakthrough girl band in the 70s.
Joan attended the screening and talked a little bit about what it was like to have created the first all girl rock band.
Here are some of the bits that Joan shared:
She is very proud of the Runaways and believes they did something important.
The Runaways were more successful in Japan and Europe and she believes that they were popular in Japan because of how women were treated there at that time.
When they got off the plane in Scandinavia they were greeted by thousands of blonde girls sucking on pacifiers but she never knew why.
People were really dismissive of the band in America because they were threatening. She got such hate for trying to make art.
She doesn’t believe much has changed in the last 30 years.
It’s got to be the same in the film business- getting taken seriously. It’s any area you get into. I don’t think it’s just in the music business, it’s pervasive. For some reason people are afraid of powerful women. I don’t really get it.
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Love her! It’s true, Americans are much more misogynistic than many people realize. There is a lack of respect for female musicians– especially if they are rock n roll, punk rock, heavy metal, or hip hop– and they refuse to fit in the mold of POP DIVAS who are nothing but corporate puppets decked out in fake hair, expensive dresses and make-up.
The RUNAWAYS is a great band that needs to be RECOGNIZED. I am so excited for the film, although I hate Kristen Stewart, she is such a horrible actress.
Joan Jett’s amazing and this looks like it will ROCK.
“Love her! It’s true, Americans are much more misogynistic than many people realize. ”
This is incredibly true and it’s not just in Hollywood but Hollywoods portrayal of women on screen whether it’s TV or Film just reinforces that. Watch TV shows like Desperate housewives or any RomCom.
On a side note I want to know why they were so popular in Japan at the time and oddly at the time they were up and coming was the height of the feminist movement or soon after – the 70′s. Why such resistance?
Any speculation on the pacifiers thing? I would love to know what is really behind that.
Katie– me too, I am curious about why they were so popular in Japan in the 1970s, as well.
Westwood– I know, the pacifiers thing is so weird! I need to find out more about this…
Saw it Fri. Loved it! Full review closer to Opening Day. Meanwhile a shout out to Joan Jett: Had a difficult relationship with a very strong male boss in the mid-80s. Used to put on Joan’s CD & dance around my room screaming at the top of my lungs: “I hate myself for loving you!!!” But I learned a whole lot from this guy. Somewhere in the mid-90s, we became friends, & we’re still friends today. So thanks, Joan: YOU helped me cope & I’m a better person for it today :-)
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