Roller Derby Documentaries
November 18, 2013 2:33 PM Subscribe
Which roller derby documentaries would you recommend as a 60th birthday gift for my mother?
My mom was a tom boy growing up in the fifties and sixties. She always wanted to be a roller derbyist(?). I think she went to one match as a kid, and hasn't stopped talking about it since.
Unfortunately, for health reasons she can't travel very far or leave the house for very long. This means I can't buy her tickets to a match with any expectation that she'd actually use them, even though she lives in a suburb of LA.
So I'm thinking documentary, or other roller derby related merchandise. I see a few documentaries that look good, but I'm wondering if folks have recommendations.
The one factor that may make this a bit more difficult is that she's not going to be very open to anything that emphasizes the sexuality of the women participating. I don't really know if that's common in the sport or these documentaries, but the descriptions of the few documentaries I came across did make a point of mentioning "burlesque" costume, which she'd find uncomfortable. I'm not particularly interested in pushing Mom's buttons in this area. I think she would be okay with some sexy costumes, just so long as they weren't emphasized.
Let me just close by saying it's really awkward to try and describe your own mother's sexual hang-ups. Thanks in advance.
My mom was a tom boy growing up in the fifties and sixties. She always wanted to be a roller derbyist(?). I think she went to one match as a kid, and hasn't stopped talking about it since.
Unfortunately, for health reasons she can't travel very far or leave the house for very long. This means I can't buy her tickets to a match with any expectation that she'd actually use them, even though she lives in a suburb of LA.
So I'm thinking documentary, or other roller derby related merchandise. I see a few documentaries that look good, but I'm wondering if folks have recommendations.
The one factor that may make this a bit more difficult is that she's not going to be very open to anything that emphasizes the sexuality of the women participating. I don't really know if that's common in the sport or these documentaries, but the descriptions of the few documentaries I came across did make a point of mentioning "burlesque" costume, which she'd find uncomfortable. I'm not particularly interested in pushing Mom's buttons in this area. I think she would be okay with some sexy costumes, just so long as they weren't emphasized.
Let me just close by saying it's really awkward to try and describe your own mother's sexual hang-ups. Thanks in advance.
Best answer: Demon of the Derby, about Ann Calvello.
posted by adamrice at 3:12 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by adamrice at 3:12 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Not a documentary but if she's able to watch youtube videos then wftda.tv has loads of archived videos of bouts and there is pay-per-view live streaming. Unfortunately I think you will need to wait until next year to get a season pass so probably not a great birthday present but something she might be interested in.
posted by missmagenta at 3:59 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by missmagenta at 3:59 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Your mother might enjoy Rollergirls, a documentary-style reality show that aired on A&E in 2006. I don't remember it being particularly sexual, but you might want to vet it first if you're worried.
It's available on DVD.
posted by Georgina at 4:28 PM on November 18, 2013
It's available on DVD.
posted by Georgina at 4:28 PM on November 18, 2013
Best answer: Roller Derby Chronicles covers old-school derby. If she'd like something from the current evolution, I'd suggest the WFTDA.tv videos.
posted by Lucinda at 5:50 PM on November 18, 2013
posted by Lucinda at 5:50 PM on November 18, 2013
Also - depending on when her birthday is, I could procure some merchandise from my league and send it to you - MeMail me if you're interested!
posted by Lucinda at 5:52 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Lucinda at 5:52 PM on November 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hell on Wheels
Hell or High Water: The Story of the Nashville Rollergirls
Blood on the Flat Track: The Rise of the Rat City Rollergirls
I've seen Hell on Wheels (it's great!) and I do not recall a lot of emphasis on sexuality, rather the athleticism, cameraderie and competitive spirit of the women; I haven't seen the other two but their PR material seems to emphasize the women's athletic ability and teamwork more than their sexuality.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:55 PM on November 18, 2013
Hell or High Water: The Story of the Nashville Rollergirls
Blood on the Flat Track: The Rise of the Rat City Rollergirls
I've seen Hell on Wheels (it's great!) and I do not recall a lot of emphasis on sexuality, rather the athleticism, cameraderie and competitive spirit of the women; I haven't seen the other two but their PR material seems to emphasize the women's athletic ability and teamwork more than their sexuality.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:55 PM on November 18, 2013
Best answer: I would say no to Hell on Wheels (there's too much that will appeal only to those of us who are in the sport - think coverage of hours-long league meetings.) I think the Rollergirls series will be a little too sexual for her, but I also have only seen bits and pieces of it.
Derby Baby is probably ok. Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollergirls has a character that might be too sexual for her, but the main story arc is about the sport, and one particular season with Rose City's all star team.
WFTDA.tv videos are awesome, but if she doesn't know a lot about the game of today, may not be the best, as they are just archives of our games, with not a lot of overarching story/interview pieces, or explanation of how the game has changed since she remembers it.
Does it have to be a documentary? Drew Barrymore's Whip It is based on a YA novel written by a skater. And yeah, it's banked-track, which is a little rarer today, and has some fake fighting and other elements that just aren't part of the sport these days, and some poetic license for plot (teenager skating with adults) but it actually captures the spirit of derby pretty well.
I also have high hopes for Derby Crazy Love but I don't believe it's out yet.
In general, those of us who play (I'm an 8-years-and-counting-vet of Ohio Roller Girls) are just as annoyed with documentarians and journalists wanting to talk about our sexuality on camera, but, they ALL usually want to do it.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 8:13 AM on November 19, 2013
Derby Baby is probably ok. Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollergirls has a character that might be too sexual for her, but the main story arc is about the sport, and one particular season with Rose City's all star team.
WFTDA.tv videos are awesome, but if she doesn't know a lot about the game of today, may not be the best, as they are just archives of our games, with not a lot of overarching story/interview pieces, or explanation of how the game has changed since she remembers it.
Does it have to be a documentary? Drew Barrymore's Whip It is based on a YA novel written by a skater. And yeah, it's banked-track, which is a little rarer today, and has some fake fighting and other elements that just aren't part of the sport these days, and some poetic license for plot (teenager skating with adults) but it actually captures the spirit of derby pretty well.
I also have high hopes for Derby Crazy Love but I don't believe it's out yet.
In general, those of us who play (I'm an 8-years-and-counting-vet of Ohio Roller Girls) are just as annoyed with documentarians and journalists wanting to talk about our sexuality on camera, but, they ALL usually want to do it.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 8:13 AM on November 19, 2013
This Is How I Roll just came out on DVD. It's not about the burlesque aspect of derby at all--in fact, it's about men trying to break into the sport's current women-focused iteration. Full disclosure: the director of this is a former teammate and the producers are friends of mine, and I appear in it very briefly. I enjoyed it completely independently of my associations to the people involved.
I do not recommend Hell on Wheels at all. Even as a former skater (who was just finishing up her rookie season when I saw it as it first came out), I found it mind-numbingly boring and like sitting in on a PTA meeting. Brutal Beauty is OK, but it was frustrating to me because every other word out of skaters' mouths was "fuck". I swear a fair amount myself, but it was still bothersome. Blood on the Flat Track was probably the best out of the women-focused derby docs. I haven't seen Derby Baby but that's because I have no idea where it's being distributed--as far as I know it hasn't been in theatres near me, nor is it streaming anywhere or on DVD.
posted by Fuego at 11:08 AM on November 20, 2013
I do not recommend Hell on Wheels at all. Even as a former skater (who was just finishing up her rookie season when I saw it as it first came out), I found it mind-numbingly boring and like sitting in on a PTA meeting. Brutal Beauty is OK, but it was frustrating to me because every other word out of skaters' mouths was "fuck". I swear a fair amount myself, but it was still bothersome. Blood on the Flat Track was probably the best out of the women-focused derby docs. I haven't seen Derby Baby but that's because I have no idea where it's being distributed--as far as I know it hasn't been in theatres near me, nor is it streaming anywhere or on DVD.
posted by Fuego at 11:08 AM on November 20, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks, all. I ended up sending my mom Demon of the Derby, Roller Derby Chronicles, and Down and Derby. I also emailed her about WFTDA.tv
posted by postel's law at 10:35 AM on November 22, 2013
posted by postel's law at 10:35 AM on November 22, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you think she'd be interested in other media, she might like to read Down and Derby, which is about the history and evolution of the sport. There's also a photo book that "Axle Adams," one of the most famous roller derby photographers, has put out, if she'd enjoy that sort of thing.
I know you said that it would be difficult for her to travel to a game, but LA in particular has a ton of roller derby leagues, spread out in every direction - there's a chance that she may be closer than you think to an active league. Right now is actually the very end of the derby season, but if you want to send me a message, I might be able to recommend a nearby venue that she could go see a bout next season.
(Full disclosure, I'm a member of the Angel City Derby Girls, one of LA's flat track leagues, and I get a little excited when someone wants to talk about derby.)
posted by Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld at 3:06 PM on November 18, 2013