The Birth of All-Girl Roller Derby

Before the Lonestar Rollergirls, before the Texas Rollergirls, before the emergence of 300+ rollergirl leagues across the globe… before all of this, there were the pioneers.

In 2001 a rowdy group of Austin women were determined to ressurect an old sport, but with a new spin. This is the beginning of a revolution:

HELL ON WHEELS is the ###-kicking documentary film telling the story of a group of Texas women who band together to resurrect roller derby for the 21st century. Emerging from the Austin music and arts scene, these women create a rock and roll fueled version of all-girl roller derby that has spawned the derby craze that’s sweeping the nation.

Hell on Wheels

What's This?

What's This?

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Hell on Wheels

Release Year: 2009

Duration: 90 min

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Before the Lonestar Rollergirls, before the Texas Rollergirls, before the emergence of 300+ rollergirl leagues across the globe… before all of this, there were the pioneers.

In 2001 a rowdy group of Austin women were determined to ressurect an old sport, but with a new spin. This is the beginning of a revolution:

HELL ON WHEELS is the ###-kicking documentary film telling the story of a group of Texas women who band together to resurrect roller derby for the 21st century. Emerging from the Austin music and arts scene, these women create a rock and roll fueled version of all-girl roller derby that has spawned the derby craze that’s sweeping the nation.

Director

Bob Ray

Executive Producer

Werner Campbell

Co-Executive Producer

Bob Ray

Co-Producer

Jerelyn Orlandi

Cast

Dave Attell Himself

Lacy Attuso Herself (Whisky L'Amour)

Shawna Benson Herself (La Loca / Gun Smoka)

Nicole Brandt Herself (Tomcat)

Heather Burdick Herself (Sugar)

Amanda Fields Herself (Cha Cha)

Brian Gallagher Himself (Blade)

Laurie Gallardo Herself

Lane Greer Herself (Strawberry)

Denise Grimes Herself (Ivanna S. Pankin)

Kirsten Hager Herself (Hissy Fit)

Nancy Lynn Haggerty Herself (Iron Maiden)

April Hermann Herself (Queen Destroyer)

Connie Hopkins Herself (Connie Lingus / Annie Social)

Amy Hutchins Herself (Bloody Mary / Devil Girl)

Anya Jack Herself (Hot Lips Dolly)

Melissa Joulwan Herself (Melicious)

Ellie Kenworth Herself (Clownsnack)

Susann Keohane Herself

Amy Kessler Herself (Buckshot Betsy)

Hunter Kinsey Himself - League Photographer

Joe Koons Himself

Ashley Langford Herself (Horror Show)

Lonestar Rollergirls

Matt Looney Himself (Huge Jass)

Sara Luna Herself (Luna)

Jessica Maag Herself (Barbie Crash)

Lisa Mercer Herself (Lieutenant Feisty / General Lee Feisty)

Rachelle Moore Herself (Sparkle Plenty)

Tim Murphy Himself

Rebecca Ninburg Herself (Demolicious)

Heather Norwood Herself (Mean Streak)

Theresa Pappas Herself (Betty Rage)

Samantha Ramirez Herself (Chola)

Sarah Rodgers Herself (Ms. Conduct)

Laurie Rourke Herself (Wrench)

Derek Rowan Himself

Heather Russell Herself (Dinah-Mite)

Beth Sams Herself (Scarlot Harlot)

Roland Sanchez Himself

Amy Sherman Herself (Electra Blu)

Leslie Sisson Herself (Rolletta Lynn)

Amber Stinson Herself (Amber Diva)

Chelsea Taylor Herself (Pris)

Wendy Templeton Herself (Thora Zeen)

Texas Rollergirls

Stuart Thomajan Himself

Jonna Rose Turnbull Herself (Witch Baby)

Randy Turner Himself (Dr. Noodles / Biscuit)

Nicola Vendettoli Herself (Suzy Homewrecker)

Olivia Vernon Herself (Cherry Chainsaw)

Joy Wallis Herself (Tinkerhell)

Mike Whitely Himself

Sarah White Herself (White Lightning)

Jennifer Wilson Herself (Hydra)

Jean Curtis Lady in Bar (uncredited)

Original Music by

Britt Myers

Cinematography by

Bob Ray

Jen White

Film Editing by

Conor O’Neill

Cory Ryan

Sound Designer

Britt Myers

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Britt Myers

Ian Stynes

Graphic Designer & Animator

Chad Reddell

Camera Operators

Michael Bayer

Tracie Laymon

Trevor Nelson

Scott Perez

Matthew L. Wallis

Jen White

Cinematographer: Additional Videography

Viet Nguyen

Assistant Editors

Julie Espinosa

Viet Nguyen

Bob Ray

Christopher Roldan

Composer: Original Music

And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

Thanks

Louis Black

Kat Candler

Howard Carey

Mark Coffey

Julia Cuba

Anne Del Castillo

Matt Dentler

Sandra Guardado

Kyle Henry

Mike Judge

Marc Wiskemann

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Comments

Posted 10/11/09 by Derek

The Narrator didn’t say that Roller Derby “became” a full contact sport in 1960, he said that “by” 1960 Roller Derby “evolves” into a full contact sport WITH a scoring system and bone rattling hits.

And saying that “Roller Derby rolls into the history books” is just a dramatic way of saying that popularity and interest in the sport pretty much disappeared. It doesn’t literally mean that every single person in the world stopped participating in, or even spectating at, the sport.

If people made movies that read like History books then most people wouldn’t watch them. There is no reason to be critical of a move when they haven’t done anything wrong.

Posted 09/29/09 by Vinnie

I just wanna be a towel boy!

Posted 09/09/09 by Joe Nardone

PLEASE GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT!

In this documentary, the narrator says, “by 1960 Roller Derby evolves into a full contact sport with a scoring system and bone rattling hits.” (FACT - blocking and contact was added around 1938!!) Then he continues, “The 70’s bring
an economic downturn for the Old US of A and Roller Derby takes a hit and hard. Interest in the sport wanes and by the mid 70’s Roller Derby rolls into the history books.” FACT - yes, interest waned but the sport NEVER actually ended. It’s been active (part-time mostly) in the SF area for years. Bill Griffiths kept Roller Games going in the LA area from the mid-70’s right up until Rock ‘N Roller
Games and slightly later (i.e. 1991). He even took Roller Games on the road for some successful tours.

Let’s also not forget that the IRSL lasted from 1976-1987!

This is another reason that so many Old School fans dismiss the modern version of flat track/banked track Roller Derby.

Some WFTDA folks will have you believe they actually invented the sport!

Like I said, GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT!

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