Search - Runaway Daughters on DVD

Great art direction, cute cameos, but a slight story

Thomas M. Sipos | Santa Monica, CA | 12/12/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is full screen, but that's because it was originally part of a TV series for Showtime cable network. The series, called DRIVE-IN THEATER, was a series of remakes of 1950s/60s exploitation films. And that's what RUNAWAY DAUGHTERS is. A remake of the 1950s film of the same name.

One of its strongest points is the way it recreates the 1950s. Set in 1957, the art direction uses bright, cartoonish colors (much like the similiar but darker 1950s satire, PARENTS, and like David Lynch's 1950s inspired satire of suburbia, BLUE VELVET).

I also enjoyed the cameos by such icons as Samuel Z. Arkoff and Roger & Julie Corman. And it was cute, the way the characters are watching I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF at a drive-in. Surprisingly, Julie Moriarty has a supporting role but is uncredited.

However, as with many "gimmick" films, the gimmick wears thin after 10 or 15 minutes. Then we're left with the story, which isn't much. I mean, many of these exploitation films had slight stories when they were first released in the 1950s, so why bother with a remake? At least when they were initially released, they had the virtue of originality, which remakes lack.

The film is short, about 75 minutes, not including a very long credits role. But it feels longer. One gets bored before the ending. Not many surprises (when the two men were killed, I immeadiately saw the twist coming, even though I hadn't seen the original RUNAWAY DAUGHTERS).

As usual, the high school teenagers are played by well endowed twentysomething actors.

This film is visually nice, with cute cameos and attractive actors, but not much entertainment value. Some, not a lot. I can see why this remake was made-for-cable rather than the big screen."