Editor’s Note: These interviews were conducted in January as part of the Sundance Film Festival. They are being re-run in conjunction with the wide release of THE RUNAWAYS.
Here is our audio interview with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning talking about their new film THE RUNAWAYS premiering here at Sundance. We’ve got five minutes here.
Now quit dilly dallying and take a listen!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
It is pretty safe to say you can’t have Rock N Roll without a little bit of anarchy. Actually, “safe” might not be the appropriate word to run right alongside Rock N Roll. Rock N Roll isn’t safe. It isn’t supposed to be considered safe. The Runaways, for the four years they dominated the music scene in the late ’70s, certainly were anything but safe. It’s just unfortunate that THE RUNAWAYS, the movie based on their rise and fall, is. In fact, as far as rock group biopics go, it’s fairly standard, running along lines that have already been paved from years of similarly themed motion pictures, lines that have, in recent memory, even been parodied.
The film is definitely edgy. You can’t take that away from it. In the opening shot, we are made privy of 15-year-old Cheri Currie, played by Dakota Fanning, getting her first period. Her childhood has left her, and, with that, come the pains of puberty, of not knowing your place in the world. Then comes along Joan Larkin, played by Kristen Stewart, who has since christened herself in the name of seeking rock stardom Joan Jett and Kim Fowley, played by Michael Shannon, eccentric and boisterous Rock producer. Together, along with three others, they create The Runaways, make a number of hits, get caught up in drugs, and, inevitably, break apart.
Floria Sigismondi, who has made a name for herself crafting music videos for such unguarded and fearless artists as Marilyn Manson, The Cure, and David Bowie, seems the perfect choice for finding the voice of The Runaways. Unfortunately, the standardized type of storytelling at work in THE RUNAWAYS doesn’t sound like The Runaways at all. There are some nice shots, to be fair, and a few scenes throughout feel like edged gems swimming in a pool of languid water. The water might not be still, but it’s nothing we haven’t waded through several times before.
The scene early on where the band is coming up with the kick for the song “Cherry Bomb” is one such work of beauty, as Shannon’s Fowley sits in profile, lyrics evidently running rampant through his head, waiting for one set of them to spill out of his mouth. Another such scene is found late in the film, during a recording session that ends up being the catalyst for the breakup. Both sides of the sound proof glass are exploding with anger, frustration, and a general lack of wanting to progress forward, but each shot only allows us to hear one side of any, given argument.
Of course, there is one element that each of these scenes, granted in most of the scenes found in THE RUNAWAYS, have in common with one another. That is the fearlessness, the absolute domination, Shannon has over the Kim Fowley character. Shannon, more so than even Sigismondi, I believe, knows anarchy, understands the hazardous nature of Fowley and the plans he has for these girls. Unable to hide behind the eye shadow or the flamboyant clothes, not even wanting to hide within the character, really, Shannon commands every shot he is on screen. You know full well the presence someone has within a film in the scenes where they are absent, and Shannon’s absence throughout THE RUNAWAYS is noticeable.
Stewart and Fanning work through their respective roles without any qualms. They are fine actresses doing fine work here, even if this is mostly Currie’s film and not Jett’s. We know very little about Joan Jett, in fact, other than she is rebellious and yearns for the uncertainty that lies in the life of a rock star. A romance between the two is necessary. It actually happened. Unfortunately, the way it is set up and knocked down almost feels like a afterthought on life, one more connection between the two that, for some reason, needed to be established. Little else is given between the two, and, while their own roles are met with veracity, the chemistry between Stewart and Fanning is anything but overpowering.
And that is what much of THE RUNAWAYS gives us, little snippets of artistry at work running right along the thankless and common woe of Rock N Roll. It comes down to telling us about something rather than showing it to us. Anyone can read a book on Rock N Roll, but it takes someone who truly knows how to exercise the form to take that book, light in on fire, and kick it screaming across a sound stage. It’s all about anarchy. Michael Shannon understands the anarchy of Kim Fowley. I just wish Floria Sigismondi understood more the anarchy of The Runaways.
I would say that this is easily the biggest film at Sundance 2010, and because of that it was hard as shit to get into. Lucky for us, a fellow film journo had an extra ticket which I snagged from her. Working off only 3 hours of sleep I rolled out of bed and onto this adventure.
The movie stars Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett, and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie, the two famous faces of The Runaways. It chronicles the events leading up to them coming together as a band, the first tour, getting signed and the eventual breakup. There isn’t a whole lot of synopsis I can give you that you probably don’t already know.
The film isn’t perfect. Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning give great performances and I cant really say anything bad about them.The only downfall of the movie is how they tell the story. They spend 3/4 of the movie showing the band form, start writing songs and play their first shows. Then the final 1/4 of the film is the demise of the band and Cherie leaving. The ending felt super rushed, like they had to cut so much to get it to some time constraints.
Of the two, I would say that Kristen Stewart gives the better performance as Joan Jett. I was also a little bothered by the uneven telling of Cherie Currie’s story, and less of Joan Jett’s. It didnt really even out in the end, and Dakota Fanning is on screen for much more time which might be way I prefer Stewart’s performance.
I am going to take a moment to RAVE about Michael Shannon in the role as Kim Fowley, the band manager/producer. He literally stole the film with every scene he is in. He demands your attention, and this is one of Shannon’s greatest performances to date. Looking at photos of the real Kim Fowley, Shannon pulls off the look to perfection.
I absolutely loved the first 3/4 of the film, its shot beautifully and does a great job of telling the story of how the band came to be. If it weren’t for how rushed the last 1/4 of the film felt it would be damn near perfect. The music in the film is a collection of songs from The Runaways, and a bunch of classic 60’s/70’s songs mixed in. Its a great rock biopic that I wish they had made a little bit longer instead of rushing the end of the film/story.
Here is our audio interview with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning talking about their new film “The Runaways” premiering here at Sundance. We’ve got five minutes here. Sorry for the hiccup earlier. Now quit dilly dallying and take a listen!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
THE RUNAWAYS brings us a child actor all grown up, and a teenage actor all grown up in Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. I didn’t think I would be really impressed with Dakota Fanning once her cute little child acting wore off, but after seeing her in PUSH I was quite impressed. Lets not even get started on my love affair with Kristen Stewart…even in TWILIGHT, but especially in ADVENTURELAND. How they will do playing rock legends Cherie Currie and Joan Jett have yet to be seen… they look the part, and I have a feeling its going to kick some major ass.
Of all the bands to come out of the 1970s Los Angeles music scene, The Runaways are by far the most uniquely fascinating. This is partially due to their music but more so to the fact that they were teenage girls whose wild and reckless lifestyle was the stuff of legend.
Focusing on the duo of guitarist/vocalist Joan Jett and lead vocalist Cherie Currie as they navigate a rocky road of touring and record-label woes, the film chronicles the band’s formation as well as their meteoric rise under the malevolent eye of an abusive manager.
6:30 PM Sun, Jan 24 Eccles Theatre
8:30 AM Mon, Jan 25 Library Center Theatre
9:00 PM Sat, Jan 30 Temple Theatre
How much better could Joaquin Phoenix have played Johnny Cash if had actually gotten to hang out with him before his death? Well Kristen Stewart is doing just that, she is preparing for her role as Joan Jett by hanging out with… Joan Jett!
I think its pretty badass that she would actually go to the source to prepare for the role, it speaks volumes of the ‘Twilight’/’Adventureland’ star in my opinion. Not only is she hanging out with Joan Jett, but she has also apparently altered her hairstyle to match that of Jett’s when The Runaways were at the height of their success.
Thanks to Celebuzz for the photo.
Still smoking from the explosion of box office sales from ‘tweeners and twits, Kristen Stewart is set to star as Joan Jett in a new biopic about the woman of rock in ‘The Runaways’. The film was written by Floria Sigismondi, who will also direct. Joan Jett herself will serve as an executive producer, along side Bill Pohlad and John and Art Linson.
The Runaways were hugely influential as the first successful all-girl hard rock band; its members included guitarists Jett and Lita Ford, drummer Sandy West, singer-keyboardist Cherie Currie and bassist Jackie Fox. The band was brought together in late 1975 by impresario Kim Fowley, who thought a novelty act of teenaged girls performing in leather and lace would be an easy sell, but the girls ended up proving to be serious and influential musicians with songs like “Cherry Bomb.” The band lasted about four years together, falling apart over management and money issues.
Jett continued her rock career into the ’80s, forming the Blackhearts and scoring with such hits as “I Love Rock N’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” She continues to record and tour. — Variety
The film, which is tentatively looking to begin production in 2009, will focus on Jett and Currie and follow the band’s stellar rise and eventual breakup. The film’s production is apparently going to work around Stewart’s schedule for the next ‘Twilight’ installment.
[source: HollywoodReporter.com]
