Last Fast Ride - The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess

I was lucky enough to know Marian. She was one of those people who copes with deep injury through art. I contributed to this film, memorializing her life. I have bought copies of the film for several people who also knew and loved her, and a few who weren't lucky enough to meet her. The film is well-made. I believe that when a good person dies young, it's important to carry on their story, as inspiration and perhaps warning to others. Ms. Ayers has done that, in a caring, evocative way. The story is sad, but it speaks its truth.

I saw this was a Henry Rollins production so I decided to have a look at it. I love documentaries as I love non-fiction. I first streamed this as a rental but decided to purchase this compelling story. I had not heard of Marion Anderson or the Insaints before this film. It's haunting how you can hear and feel the influence of their music over the then budding punk rock scene.

Decent, worth checking out if you like rock documentaries. OK documentary on a relatively unknown early complex no hold bar musical performer struggling with life. 3.5 stars really.

I'm not much of a hardcore fan, so maybe I'm talking out my ass, but it seemed like a pretty macho scene from the outside. So it was pretty cool to see a real femme fatale (who appears to have been quite nice in real life) in that arena. Not being a hardcore music fan, the music didn't do too much for me; it would've been interesting had she lived and done the psychobilly thing with her later band-- I think it actually would've been pretty good. She did have a nice voice, and atonal-shout-singers don't always transition well into other genres that require real vocal skills. You can't always hear her voice in the recordings, until the slower stuff in the end. Having said that, I never really understood the hardcore revival(or as they said 'punk's not dead') of the 1990's- to me, while it's democratic and all that, it felt like a dead horse even in the 80s. But I guess it speaks to a lot of people and it seems (they will hate this comparasin to death) almost like the Grateful Dead phenomenon- the music might not be that great, but it's a social scene that keeps itself going by the bonds people build and they sustain the lifestyle pretty much forever. I'm a little ambivalent about that since it seems kind of limiting- I can see a misfit kid being very attracted to it- particularly one like Marian who was abused and had lots of mental health issues. It would be very liberating and cathartic. And I disagree with the criticism that the music was just 'venting'- isn't lots of punk basically venting? And aren't some of those vents valid? That was kind of the point in the beige '70s and why it was so refreshing and radical at the time during the first wave. And for a woman (or anyone really) to be open about molestation and abuse, I think that is a political & social statement. It's not just axe-grinding about some scene conflict, it's an important issue that affects a lot of people. However, back to my point, I think some aspects of the punk aesthetic seem like it could be a self-reinforcing cycle of perpetuating self-damage. As one of her friend's said, it's like she was looking for something, she didn't know what but she kept repeating certain patterns. If you know much about abused kids and the resulting behavior and how it shapes them, you'll really feel for why she subjected herself to certain things (prostitution). I also liked the fact that one singer was honest about her feelings about the sex industry, saying that she felt people sell a piece of themselves. She didn't look like some uptight prude, so it was refreshing to have someone go against the whole "goddess worship" sugar-coated rhetoric that I've always been suspicious of. You could see why Marian would be attracted to being a dominatrix, to turn the tables of powerlessness as a victim, but it still seems like it never could really resolve her conflicts. I especially liked hearing from her girlfriend Danielle; they made a cute couple and her story of butch-meets-bombshell was sweet. Yet it also seemed like they too got trapped by a certain type of punk mentality that encourages dysfunction- they end up degenerating into a couple that pull guns and knives on each other. For them, perhaps it was out of genuine emotion, but I couldn't help but feel that Danielle had a hint of "that was so punkrock" romanticism about it somehow. For example, they wanted to get counseling but thought anger management was BS. I guess it wasn' t "real" or "punk" enough. How did they expect to grow and stop the fights? I knew a couple like that, always trying to kill each other, calling the cops on each other- really ridiculous and they had that same romantic soap opera mindset- and of course, it would be fodder for more lyrics. It just seems stupid at some point. It's a perfect example of the arrested development aspect of some underground mentalities- anything other than stagnating in some pattern of teenage rage drama seems to be construed as 'selling out' or not 'keeping it real'. I was feeling the same way about Lydia Lunch the other day. That said, Marian did seem to be genuinely grappling with some serious issues, so it's a great thing that she found music as an outlet. That aspect of the DIY culture seems really valuable- it's just a shame that it has such a downside. Even one of her friends said that the things that saved her were the things that killed her. I'll also add that surprisingly, Henry Rollins' narration was not intrusive at all- I'm really ambivalent about him. Sometimes he's right on and sometimes he's such an overbearing blowhard that I expected him to insert his ego into this, but he was respectful and sympathetic.

Every misfit has a story. Very few of them ever get told, and even fewer get immortalized on film, but this one did. This is a fine film, and to me it holds a special interest since I come from the same town as it's subject: Marian Anderson. I didn't know her at all but we crossed paths at random intervals and had mutual friends. This film was done with a lot care and respect for Marian. She was abused by her father at a young age, which resulted in her living and working on the fringes of society, namely the sex industry. This film walks a fine line between telling it like it is and exploiting the shocking aspects of her life and her art, but it's all told from a place of understanding. There's a fair amount of adults-only images and references, but things are toned down enough to get an R rating. I think it works better this way. It's less GG Allin-esque. But I still think it's too candid for the Documentary Channel. Like I said, every misfit has a story, and Marian's is a war story. There's no happy ending. This film portrays real life, real punk, and real chaos. Not everyone will get it. If you're too privileged, or if you lack insight into child abuse, this film may not be for you. But if you have an interest in small town punk history (Modesto, CA) or happen to be a warrior yourself, this is essential viewing. And don't let the big names scare you (Henry Rollins, Tim Armstrong, etc.). This is not a watered down pop culture affair.

Having known Marian personally and been part of some of her antics, it was a real trip down nostalgia lane watching this vid...but it also disclosed for me things I never knew about her life. Especially the end, when many of us were wondering what the hell happened? Everything seemed like it was going well for her. But, now I have some of the answers. It doesn't fill the void that is left in our heart, but at least we can sort of understand what it happened. As for the documentary, I think it was well done, but I would have liked to have seen more interviews with people who really knew her back in the day like Ginger Coyote, and more from Texas Terri. Also, I don't think people will ever realize how close she and Daniel Deleon were...I think he was like her anchor in so many ways. It does touch on this, but I think it should be said that he was a true, blue friend, and stood by her side, through a lot of thick and thin. The world would be a better place if we all had a friend like Daniel. Somebody else posted a review that the music is "grating" and I would have to disagree. Other than her experimental music she did (at only 16) with Five Fingers, I think the music she did with the Insaints was awesome, angry punk rock and what little we have of The Thrill Killers shows just how much range Marian had as a singer and performer. Had things been different in her life, I think she could have gone very far musically. It is just too bad we will never know. RIP Marian. I never saw your insanity *other than on stage* just your sweet side. You were a true friend to those lucky enough to call you a friend. I hope people watch this and if nothing else, learn of the devastating effects abuse/sexual abuse has on children. Even the most gorgeous, seemingly strong person can be rendered helpless by it.

Very sad, but an incredible documentary showcasing Marians, incredible creativity, and big heart!

Great band...not so great documentary!