Customer Reviews

Blood on the Flat Track

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm fresh meat on a league in AZ. I find that roller derby has consumed me until it's what I want to eat, breathe, and live. Yet even as I go to practices, skate, and watch bouts it's not enough for me. I want MORE roller derby. More, More More, More. I want to read about it, see it, train for it, cross train for it, market it, talk about it, hear about it, learn about it, and watch it. If you have been afflicted with a roller derby addiction like me you will love this documentary. It shows the girls, the drama, the cameraderie, the physicality, the insanity, the frustration, the time commitment, and the joy of this sport. Regardless of what you think of their style of rough skating, it's compelling to watch. Plus as a newbie it inspires me to want to train harder, skate against them, and give those girls some blocks of my own. If you love derby or are thinking about doing derby, this is the movie that I think best conveys the passion people feel for this sport.

This is a great documentary of a critical and formative peice of the Women's Flat Track derby revolution. This film honestly and accurately gets to a lot of the core of why this is the fastest growing sport in the United States: Why it is more of a social movement than a sport and what it really involves. Ignore the packaging, or take it as camp. This film has some great derby footage and information and gives modern flat-track derby the respect it deserves. This film attempts, about as well as a documentary can, short of a full top-level live bout, of conveying the speed, power, sheer athleticism, emotion, and skill of modern women's flat-track derby. The film also does not shy away from the emotional and social aspects of flat-track derby and refuses to get hooked into the superficial [and usually sexist] "marketing" of derby that still haunts the sport. This is the film that cuts through the hype and gets to the truth, as all good documentaries do. Besides, the Rat city story, as is the KC [first national champions], and the Austin [inventors of the modern flat-track game] stories, is a great story in and of itself and thank god, someone documented it [with all due respect and full kudos to [...] TV for their part in documenting the Puget Sound flat-track phenomenon].

Despite the hideous 70's era porn packaging, Blood on the Flat Track is a fun documentary about the Seattle Roller Derby scene. It is a movie about dedication, athleticism, and the inspirational can-do attitude of a group of talented hard-working women.

It is unfortunate that it is being described as a "sexy" documentary, because selling it that way does a huge disservice to the film and to the women depicted in it.

Modern roller derby is the only sport I can think of where the athletes themselves make the decisions, book and run the events, and compete in them. It is a real shame that people think the only way to market kick-ass women is by showing them flashing their panties on the box cover.

I got a deal on this movie, so purchased it instead of downloading it. I've been on roller derby leagues for a while, but am with a brand new league now. The advice given in this documentary by Rat City is very helpful for leagues, I would advise watching a few times and sharing it with your teammates, which is why it was handy that I bought it. Another audience for this film would be people just wanting to learn about derby, and this is a good, fast-moving, short explaination about modern derby.

It's a great account of where derby started and how it has been revived with different tracks and different rules, etc. Really great video.

Everything you ever wanted to know about how flat rack derby came to be in the Seattle area. Featured are the teams of the Rat City Roller Girls and their struggle to get the league going. The early days of the flat track and what it is like to be a "derby girl". It tells the story of these women in a fun open way. Once you've seen the video, if you haven't been to a bout, you should go. You will become addicted just like myself and my room mate!!

The Rat City Rollergirls have become the most popular league in modern roller derby!. It's a fact! They just sold out their Season 6 Championship bout at Key Arena in Seattle (6885 fans!). This was a modern record only to be topped at Madison Square Gardens over 30 years ago! This film accurately depicts the awesome ladies of this league and the leagues formation, which has become a typical story for more recent leagues to follow. It all started at a small rink in White Center (Rat City) West Seattle and the attraction quickly became too big for the venue. The league moved into a large old aircraft hangar which was very urban and rogue and a perfect atmosphere for the cro-magnon version of the league. Our gals have worked so hard to make this a more recognized sport and have succeeded amazingly! This video is a must-have for a derby lover! I know these gals personally and this is them showing their true colors!

If you have something against pretty girls on rollerskates in short skirts and fishnets, you may be offended...just sayin. If so, keep on moving. If not??? Get yourself a 6-pack of PBR and watch some killer derby take place! Go Rat City!