The Runaways: It may be 35 years too late, but I'm diggin' 'em

I've been on a kick. A Runaways kick.

A few weeks back I watched the newest biopic pic based on the late 1970s all-girl rock band, starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. Ever since watching that movie, I've check out the documentary "Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways," bought the band's "best of" album and even made their biggest hit "Cherry Bomb" my ring tone. Something about this band just totally does it for me. Maybe it's the women's empowerment of it all - teenage girls who took no (insert word suitable for print here) from anyone in an age when female rockers weren't taken seriously or given the time of day.

Technically the first all-girl punk-rock band, The Runaways isn't a band name that rings a bell like The Go-Go's or The Bangles. Those later bands are often assumed to be the first because of their commercial success, but The Runaways took charge before the days of MTV.

A History Lesson: The original line up of The Runaways included Joan Jett (rhythm guitar/back-up vocals), Cherie Currie (lead vocals), Lita Ford (lead guitar), and Sandy West (drums), with various bass players coming into play throughout their years. Jackie Fox was the most noted bass player - she joined during the ban's golden years.

Another name synonymous with The Runaways is record producer Kim Fowley, who had a hand in forming and managing the band, as well as finding girls at local night clubs and bars to audition. He was their sort-of recruiter. The Runaways wrote and created most of their own music, but Fowley managed to pen the band's so-called signature song "Cherry Bomb" on the spot with Jett at Currie's audition. He would also produce the band's first three albums.

The all-teenage Runaways hit the height of their popularity in 1977, embarking on a sold out show in Japan.At the time The Runaways placed forth in imported music acts in Japan in terms of album sales and popularity, only being outdone by ABBA, KISS and Led Zeppelin. No doubt, that's some pretty good company to be in, so one could only imagine the amount of fans being in that show produced.

But it would also be the catalyst to their undoing, the beginning of their end. Right before the show, Fox quit. And after the show, Currie quit after not being able to deal with the struggles of fame and drug addiction at the young age of 16.

From there, Jett took over on lead vocals, Vicki Blue replaced Fox and Fowley departed as their manager. Two more albums were made before the band called it quits in 1979 due to "creative differences."

Tragic, huh?

Released on DVD in July, 35 years after their start, "The Runaways" movie is based loosely on Currie's book "Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway."

Many complained - the movie is based more on the relationship between Jett and Currie than on the band as a whole. It isn't a bad side of the story to see, it just doesn't do the whole story of the band justice. Of course, that may have to do with the fact that Jett was an executive producer of the film.

Whereas, with the "Edgeplay" documentary, Jett had no role in the film whatsoever - no comments, no music, no appearance at all. She was the only member of the band to not give her honest view on The Runaways lifestyle. If the two films were combined, perhaps making a movie in faux-documentary style, maybe the full-on story of The Runaways would be realized.

But if the biopic is all you can get your hands on, at least the actors fit the roles to a T and not just in terms of dead-on look-a-likes. It doesn't hurt either that Stewart, 20, and Fanning, 16, are teens playing teens; it just makes it so much more believable.

Stewart as Jett fit the role like a glove. This is the type of stuff Stewart should be doing. Her acting was enjoyable to watch, and she really seems to have put a lot of effort into portraying Jett. Heck, she even learned how to play the guitar chords.

"Twilight" may have given her the push to be a leading lady, but she's so much better - and seems more comfortable and well-suited - for non-franchise, indie film acting.

Fanning is superb, as always. She's been a favorite actress of mine since she first portrayed Lucy in "I Am Sam" at the age of 7.

Now 16, Fanning made a bold move. And it played out for her.

She was able to potray Currie - all the sex, drug and alcoholic behavior included - without us losing respect for her as an actress. And she did a great job at it. Fanning also got to showcase her vocal chops in the film and really shadowed Currie's stage performance. Fanning truly was Currie. Let's hope Fanning never succumbs to the child-acting plague - which typically ends in early actor failure - and continues to move in the right direction.

Unfortunately, The Runaways couldn't find the direction they needed to get their feet off the ground long enough for most people to notice. But it's never too late to take a listen.