THE RUNAWAYS: MORE THAN JUST A KISS

I love it when Film and Music come together, especially when it's done right. Apparition/River Road Entertainment's first collaboration The Runaways is a biopic based on the popular mid-70s punk band of the same name.  The film stars teen heavyweights Kristen Stewart (Panic Room, Twilight) and Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam, The Twilight Saga: A New Moon) and has already received rave reviews at Sundance Film Festival this past January, where it premiered.  

The Runaways follows the teen years of Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, both Valley Girls, who transform into punk-rock legends in defining an era of teenage angst.  Together they opened the doors for many women in rock music today.

In addition to acting in the film, both Stewart and Fanning who play Jett and Currie respectively, actually sing in the film.  Fanning performs two solo numbers on the soundtrack including covers of Cherry Bomb and California Paradise.  The two collaborated on four remakes for the film's soundtrack, which will be released March 23, 2010 via Warner Music.  Joan Jett jumped aboard the project as Executive Producer, so that any authenticity concerns can be alleviated.

The film features a much heralded girl-on-girl kissing scene between its two lead actresses.  Intriguing, yet absolutely Pervalicious.  "It wasn't that big of a deal. It's just another part of the story. This kiss was passionate - Joan and Cherie were just as close as two could get", said Fanning at the Sundance Film Festival Q&A. 

I know it is somewhat closed-minded of me, but I've been watching Fanning since she was a six year-old in I Am Sam.  Her choice of roles lately are tapping into that edgy/dark territory which perhaps I'm just not ready for, like playing a little girl who gets raped in the name of Elvis tickets in 2007's misguided Hounddog.  Or maybe this is just another reminder that I'm getting older and that's what scares me more....  

The Runaways will receive a screening at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas on March 18, 2010 and open in wide release across North America the following day.  Are you going to see it?

Here are some shots I got of the effervescent Fanning late 2008 at TIFF promoting film The Secret Life of Bees:

(Photo credit: MR. WILL-W.)