Nostalgia Kinky

A double-barrel blast of pure punk-rock energy to the face, David Markey’s brilliant shot on Super 8 duo, Desperate Teenage Lovedolls (1984) and Lovedolls Superstar (1986) return via 2 new 4K restorations for Blu-ray. Packed with archival and new bonus features, this incredible double-feature collection from We Got Power Films and MVD, is a spectacular release for a legendary pair of underground classics.

A shot of pure adrenaline, the extremely fun Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is a trashtastic mini-masterpiece from director David Markey. A glorious ode to seventies sitcoms, exploitation films, and especially the local L.A. Punk scene of the early eighties, this remains as raw and rambunctious as ever. The follow-up to Markey’s documentary about California’s Hardcore music scene, The Slog Movie (1982), Desperate Teenage Lovedolls continues his often irreverent but loving look at one of the most important musical moments in American history.

Starring Jennifer Schwartz, Hilary Rubens, Janet Housden, and Kim Pilkington amongst many familiar faces from the L.A. Punk scene, Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is one of the best looks at a fictional band ever. Anarchic, funny, violent, and powered by a tremendous Redd Kross soundtrack, Desperate Teenage Lovedolls stands as a great reminder to the power of true renegade filmmaking, where neither permits nor respectability is requested.

Like a lot of Gen X kids, I first saw Markey’s awesome little punk-rock epic on VHS. Whether you were a punk kid, metalhead, or just a general part of a J. Mascis “Freak Scene” style group, somewhere a copy of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls was trading hands nearby. It is one of the few films that matched the sloppy energy of our collective record collections and, best of all, it felt authentic. I was watching this shit as a suburban midwest kid, and it made me feel a part of a wild scene I’d only read about in the pages of Maximum Rock n Roll.

Although several decades have slipped away since Desperate Teenage Lovedolls, Markey’s film remains as vital as the recordings of X, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, or any other trailblazing Punk band of the period. Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is also just a great tribute to the power of a group of broke but passionate friends who get a movie made just because they goddamn want to. In the immortal words of Black Flag, Markey and his entire small team “Rise Above” the need for any type of corporate sponsorship or compromise. Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is one of the most authentically Punk movies ever made.

Of course, one thing that helped Markey’s film immeasurably was the film’s popular soundtrack, which remains essential. While many people heard the soundtrack without seeing the film, it is impossible to imagine separating them. And who’d want to?

The only complaint I’ve ever had about Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is its brief run-time. Somewhere between a short and a feature, Desperate Teenage Lovedolls has a lot more story to tell, one reason the sequel remains so necessary. The film’s brief runtime made it perfect for high school and college parties. It also allowed the film to be screened alongside local punk gigs and made it perfect for Midnight double-bills, all of which is to say Markey made the correct call regarding the film’s levity. I’m just so grateful for the follow-up.

We Got Power, and MVD has done a fantastic job with this new Blu-ray edition. The film has never looked better via this properly framed 4K restoration, but thankfully, all of the glorious inherent ‘flaws’ of Super 8 haven’t been overly cleaned up. Extras include a fun commentary track by Markey, producer Jordan Schwartz & stars Jeffrey McDonald, Steve McDonald, and Jennifer Schwartz, plus deleted scenes, a Redd Kross music video, an archival making of and recent panel discussion. All of which add up to the definitive edition of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls. The follow-up film is also featured, with its own set of extras. I’ll be looking at that in a separate review.

For American Punk fans, Trash-culture enthusiasts, and fans of Super 8 guerrilla filmmaking, this new edition of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls is essential. Hopefully, it’ll lead to another generation discovering this special little film and its truly glorious continuation.

Lovedolls Superstar (1986) is the Godfather Part 2 of shot on Super 8 Punk productions. Taking everything about the original Desperate Teenage Lovedolls that made it an instant cult classic and upping the anarchic creativity in every way, Lovedolls Superstar is David Markey’s masterpiece and an American independent trash classic. The new 4K restoration of Markey’s preferred cut of the film is hitting Blu-ray via We Got Power and MVD, and it is an ideal way to experience it for the first or twentieth time.

Running nearly half an hour longer than the original, Lovedolls Superstar feels more like a ‘proper’ film. Markey uses the extra time well, expanding his Punk rock fable into a Manson-inspired swipe at the Religious Right of the eighties. It’s freaking awesome and, like the original, radiates authenticity.

Starring much of the original cast, alongside some memorable cameos by the likes of Punk legend Jello Biafra (playing the President of these United States), is more absurdist and satirical than the original. Again shot on glorious Super 8 with no permits or even desire to get one, Lovedolls Superstar is a delightfully unhinged film. Like an early John Waters film starring some Warhol superstars.

Like the original, the soundtrack to Lovedolls Superstar is as essential as the film itself. Redd Kross returns, and the likes of legendary bands like Sonic Youth, along with a slew of Hardcore and Punk bands, can be heard on the soundtrack.

Lovedolls Superstar is one of those unicorn sequels that I actually prefer to the original. More ambitious than the first, it still stays true to its intentions (on screen and off) and never offers a compromising sell-out. Markey delivered a really fantastic low-budget work here. It tips its hat to everyone from Stanley Kubrick to Russ Meyer and tips it well.

Lovedolls Superstar absolutely deserves to be as well-known as Desperate Teenage Lovedolls. Even though I don’t have the same nostalgic feel for the film as the original, since I discovered it later in life, I simply admire and enjoy this more. Curse the cinematic Gods for not allowing Markey to make his proposed third entry in the series.

Like the original, Lovedolls Superstar has never looked better than it does here. Thankfully, the restoration work doesn’t remove any of the Super 8 charm from the production on this very pleasing Blu-ray. A bunch of deleted scenes are available, some of which were seen in the earlier version of the film, I believe. We also get outtakes, a vintage tribute to Markey, and screening footage. We Got Power, and MVD have done a swell job bringing these indie jewels to HD.
Highly Recommended.

-Jeremy Richey, April 2026-

More information on this special edition Blu-ray can be found at We Got Power and copies can be ordered from MVD.

Enjoy this large selection of further clippings I discovered concerning these films.