Sometimes hitting the multiplex just isn’t in the cards. That’s when Netflix steps in to provide a movie fix. But how to separate the wheat from the chaff? I’m happy to help; every week I’ll pick a flick from the Netflix Watch Instantly section and see if it’s worth your time. This week? “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains”.
Corinne Burns is a pissed off 15-year-old who lives in a small town in Pennsylvania, trying to start up an all-girls band. She and her bandmates (her sister Tracy and her cousin Jessica, aka Peg) get a big break when they manage to make their way onto a milk run of a tour by an aging metal band and their more talented opening punk rock act. As Corinne develops her on-stage persona, she amasses a cult of wannabes…but are The Stains a one-hit wonder or a true music phenomenon?
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains has been an underground/cult phenomenon for decades. Starring Diane Lane as Corinne, Laura Dern as Jessica and showcasing members of The Clash, The Sex Pistols and The Tubes, it’s no wonder. After the DVD release of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School in 2001, fans were hoping it was only a matter of time ‘til The Stains got their due. Finally, in 2008 the DVD was released, and it’s currently available on Netflix’s Watch Instantly list. But is this cult film any good? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. You want a slick, polished film with all the bells and whistles? Go watch Walk The Line. If you want a gritty look at what it was like to tour in the music-genre-soup world of the early 80’s? It doesn’t get any better than this. I loved the look back at life in the early 80’s, and they had it spot-on. (Probably because with a low budget, it’s easier to just film what’s there, rather than turning the set into some director’s fantasy. Saves on production costs. Their savings is our gain here.)
This film works well on many levels. It’s a mockumentary of a pseudo-The Runaways girl band. A scathing look at how so many people believe that in order to be different, they have to copy someone else. Best of all it’s a look at a young Diane Lane, who can currently be seen on HBO’s Cinema Verite, a film about the first “reality tv” family. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains and Cinema Verite would make a great double-feature. Afterward you could discuss how our view of instant fame has changed over the years. Or just take bets on where Ms. Lane keeps her Dorian Gray portrait; the woman has barely aged a day. Just sayin’.
Though this movie is really about riot grrrls and the lengths the public will go to find an identity (even if it’s someone else’s), I would have liked to have heard more music. With Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Paul Simonon, Vince Welnick and Fee Waybill? Yes, more music please. But this movie isn’t about killer chops, it’s about craptastic bands trying to get by. So the real musicians in this movie aren’t exactly giving real-life performances here. Maybe my wish for more music is because when they’re not on stage, the characters here didn’t hold my interest for long. I never really connected with Corinne and her family because there isn’t much character development in The Fabulous Stains. The girls are in a band, they get a tour, and before you know it, poof! Movie’s over. At an hour and twenty-seven minutes, there’s no real time to get into anyone’s head. Near the end of the film there is a glimpse of oncoming maturity, but the credits roll before anything comes of this change. Which is a pity, because even as teens, Diane Lane and Laura Dern give real life to their characters. It’s too bad that they weren’t given the chance to develop those characters a bit more.
Here’s the breakdown:
Would I watch it again?: Probably, with friends who have never seen the movie. This is the kind of movie that shows people why the 80’s were cool. Plus, a chance to see members of The Clash and The Sex Pistols ham it up as no-name musicians? Priceless.
Should you see it?: If you love live performances, This Is Spinal Tap or anything having to do with reality tv or documentary films? Most definitely. Plus, you can get mucho coolness cred by telling people about how Lady Gaga must have ripped off The Stains for much of her look.
Netflix average rating: 4 Stars — “Really Liked It”
My rating: 3 Stars — “Liked It”
