A scene of no values, where climbing to the top means climbing into bed, cheap thrills fill the date book, and Rock 'n' Roll is Death & Destruction!

David Markey's Desperate Teenage Lovedolls (1984) and its sequel Lovedolls Superstar (1986), two underground Super-8 cult films together for the first time, rebuilt and remastered in UHD. Chronicling the rise and fall and the subsequent resurrection in the sequel of the fictitious all girl band, the Lovedolls. 'Kind of an all-girl Spinal Tap' said the Los Angeles Reader at the time of release. The positive critical response didn't stop there. 'This is worthy of a Joan Crawford vehicle' chimed The Village Voice.


Made on a micro-budget and cast with members of the Los Angeles punk scene (Redd Kross, Black Flag etc.), shot guerrilla-style on the streets of Hollywood and Santa Monica and Venice. This was a true Do-It-Yourself effort, made for the ragged fellow travelers on the scene at the time. It was also a testimony to inventiveness- made by disaffected kids without much resource, raised on junk food and trash television. The rags to riches story is one of classic Hollywood lore with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Produced for paltry $250.00, the film inspired a sequel with a budget 40 times that amount, made possible by Desperate Teenage Lovedolls success.


Lovedolls Superstar was an even more ambitious project with more expansive, if not completely out-there story telling. The parodies were even more pointed, confronting pop and rock culture of the time. No one was spared; from 'Brews Springstien' to Billy Jack, from feminism to cult behavior, and to punk rock itself. They were unafraid to poke fun at themselves!


The Lovedolls films offer an antithesis to the squeaky clean, conservative 1980's America. They display just how far you can go with very little. David Markey would go on to helm many film projects, notably documenting the Sonic Youth / Nirvana tour in 1991 The Year Punk Broke.

Bonus Materials

• 4K Restorations from the Original Super-8 Film Masters
• Desperate Teenage Lovedolls 40th Anniversary Panel (35 min.) - LA Times' Mark Olsen conducts Q&A with director David Markey and stars Jennifer Schwartz, Steven McDonald, and Tracey Lea
• Lovedolls Superstar at American Cinematheque, Egyptian Theater, Hollywood
• Commentary Tracks with director David Markey, producer Jordan Schwartz & stars Jeffrey McDonald, Steve McDonald, and Jennifer Schwartz
• Redd Kross 'Ballad of a Lovedoll' Music Video
• Deleted Scenes & Alt Takes
• Making of Featurette
• New Stereo & 5.1 Audio Mixes
• Remastered Theatrical Trailers

Cast & Crew

•       Jennifer Schwartz as Kitty Karry-all
•       Steven McDonald as Johnny Tremaine / Rainbow Tremaine
•       Hilary Rubens as Bunny Tremelo
•       Janet Housden as Patch Kelly / Patch Christ
•       Kim Pilkington as Alexandria 'Cheetah' Axethrasher
•       Jeffrey McDonald as Tears Brunel / Carl Celery
•       Tracy Lea as Tanya Hearst / Patricia Anne Cloverfield
•       Jello Biafra as Mr. President
•       Sky Saxon as (Self)
•       Victoria Peterson as Hippie mob killer / Jeannie
•       Jeannie Brooks as Okia / Sadie / Zwonga Jong
•       Annette Zilinskas as Switchblade Suzy
•       Michael F. Glass as Matt
•       Jordan Schwartz as Mother / Doctor / Brews Springstien
•       Dez Cadena as Flaco
•       Chuck Dukowski as Cultist/ NASA Security
•       Bob Moss as Slim Crowley

Director: David Markey

Additional Details

Label: Eclectic

Genre: Cult

Language: English

Run Time: 131 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 04/17/26

UPC: 760137204459