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Movies & TV

Brutal Beauty: Tales Of The Rose City Rollers

BRUTAL BEAUTY: TALES OF THE ROSE CITY ROLLERS (Cinema Purgatorio, 2010) D: Chip Mabry. Rating: NNN DVD package: NN Rating: NNN


Forget that mild-mannered Ellen Page vehicle, Whip It. This is the real roller derby, where grown-up women with major tattoos and names like Blood Clottia and Smack Ya Sideways slam into each other with total commitment, punk attitude and considerable joy.

Director Chip Mabry mixes talking heads with game footage to take us through the Rose City Rollers’ at-home battles against the Break Neck Betties and Guns ‘N Rollers, then follows their first entry into the regionals, when hunger for victory drives practice from two to five times a week.

Off the track, the roller girls talk about liberation, friendship, exhilaration, love of the game, choosing names and tattoos and serious injuries. They come off as sensible, fulfilled people.

On the track, they’re foul-mouthed furies. Mabry shoots from trackside and gets some expressive moments, but it helps that referee Rob Lobster explains the game using doughnuts.

Like the movie, the two music videos that make up the extras are low-to-no-budget and fun.

EXTRAS Two music videos. Widescreen. English audio. No subtitles.

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