Have you ever wondered why roller derby has made a comeback? Well, when you look at the 1970s phenomenon that has now become part speed-skating, part hockey, and part porn film, what's not to love? At the very least, a female-dominated contact sport played on roller skates and quite often in short pleated skirts is both hilarious and badass.
However, it hasn’t always been the libido-inducing sport on wheels that it is today. Indie filmmaker Bob Ray wanted to chronicle the sport’s rise, fall, and recent rebirth, so he shot Hell on Wheels: The True Tale of All-Girl Roller Derby, Texas Style. The documentary chronicles a dramatic split in the Texas roller derby scene 30 years ago that sparked the modern resurgence of the sport.
Critics at 14 independent film festivals worldwide have received the movie with open arms, but for Valley residents wanting to see and judge for themselves, the film will screen at Chandler Cinemas.
Thu., Nov. 20, 8 p.m., 2008
