BAD REPUTATION (2018)
Label: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: R
Duration: 93 Minutes 29 Seconds
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.78:1)
Director: Kevin Kerslake
Cast: Joan Jett, Miley Cyrus, Billie Joe Armstrong, Kristen Stewart, Iggy Pop
Bad Reputation (2018), the career spanning doc about iconic rock 'n' roller Joan Jett and her band is directed by Kevin Kerslake (the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake) starts off with Jett speaking about growing up into 1970s Los Angeles, wanting to start an all-girl group after hanging out at Rodney Bingenheimer's teen hangout the English Disco in Hollywood, and noting that her her mind was blown by Cabaret after seeing the film wit her mom, and how meeting infamous producer Kim Fowley lead to the formation of all-girl group The Runaways, who started off as a trio before solidifying the line-up with singer Cherie Curry.
We get stories of a transformative trip to UK and seeing the Sex Pistols and punk culture, Jett went there as a glitter rocker came back as punker, and going to Japan where's they were mobbed by young girls and seeing how they empowered women around the world. It gets into how cracks started forming in the band after an ill-conceived lingerie photoshoot in Japan of Currie in Japan, which directly lead to Jackie and Churrie leaving the band, and Jett taking over lead vocals, and the band firing Fowley, before it all came to an end.
We get the tales of Jett self-destructively drinking post-Runaways, even getting a heart infection and being hospitalized, before cleaning up her act, meeting producer Kenny Laguna, and making the first Joan Jett record, but really struggling to get the album released, self-releasing the 1st album in the US despite having a foreign label, and eventually hitting it big with a cover version of The Arrows' "I Love Rock n Roll", and the video getting huge on MTV, followed by a meteoric rise in popularity for the band.
Other topics covered include her detour into acting with The Light of Day (1987) with Michael J. Fox, the 90's era of the band when they were scraping by, surviving on smaller gigs, before a well-deserved resurgence when the band joined the Warped Tour '06, and her eventual induction Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Aside from the Jett interviews there's loads of talking head interviews from familiar faces that add context like Don Bolles of The Germs who talks about Jett producing The Germs album, DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, Iggy Pop who humorously describes Fowler as looking like Frankenstein on crack, archival audio interviews with Kim Fowley, Churrie Curry, and Sandy West, Debbie, Jett;s sister Anne Larkin. Managers Toby Maria (76-79) and Elliot Salamanca ('80-'06), Kenny Laguna & wife Meryl Laguna, The Who's manager Bill Curbishley, bassist Gary Ryan and
drummers Eric Ambel and Thommy Price guitarist Dougie Needles, Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill, Ian Mackay of Fugazi, Mike Ness of Social Distortion, producer Thom Panunzio, Miley Cyrus, Allison Mosshart from The Kills, actors Kristen Stewart and Michael J. Fox, drummer Thommy Price, UFC Dana White, U.S. General Burns, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me, and even former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and U.S. Col. Burns. Some of my favorite stuff here are the clips of Jett and Kenny bickering like an old platonic couple, the scene of them discussing who will be wearing a cape during a performance is worth the price of admission alone.
Additionally there's a wealth of vintage performance clips from TV programs like the Old Grey Whistle Test, old photos from the early days, TV interviews, concert footage, and some live audio peppered throughout. It's a very handsome and well made doc, the blend of old and new makes for a terrific watch, the music obviously kicks ass. and the vintage performance clips of both The Runaways and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are pretty thrilling.
Audio/Video: Bad Reputation (2018) arrives on MOD pressed-disc Blu-ray from Magnolia, presented in 1080p HD in 1.78:1 widescreen. The source mixes new interviews with vintage archival footage and audio, so it's varied but well within what a typical doc looks like. Audio comes by way of English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround with optional English subtitles, the track is clean and well-balanced, like the video there's a mix of new and archival audio elements, but they are presented and mastered in such a way that the levels are consistent and pleasing throughout.
There are some terrific extras here, we get a 7-min Acoustic Theater Performance of "Bad Reputation" & "Fresh Start" (6:49) acoustic set; 7-min of an at home Sound Check for "Bad Reputation" & "Fresh Start" featuring the band working through the acoustic arrangements; a 3-min Backstage: Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony (3:06) which features the aforementioned Joan and Kenny humorously arguing over who's wearing the cape, plus a selection of 7 Music Videos spanning the band's career; a couple of them featuring some of the worst 80s lip syncing you've ever seen, and a selection of Magnolia Home Entertainment Trailers.
Special Features:
- Theater Performance - "Bad Reputation" & "Fresh Start" (6:49) acoustic set
- Sound Check "Bad Reputation" & "Fresh Start" (7:11) working through the acoustic arrangements
- Backstage: Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony (3:06) arguing over who's wearing the cape, priceless!
- Music Videos: Any Weather (3:29), Bad Reputation (2:47), Change the World (3:19), Fake Friends (3:17), Fetish (Live) (3:38), French Song (3:36), and Little Liar (Concert Version) (3:55)
- Magnolia Trailers: Joan Baez: I Am a Noise, The World According to Allie Willis, The Stones and Brian Jones, Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson & The Band (9:35)
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