The Punk Singer
Dir: Sini Anderson
2013
**
Sini Anderson's 2013 The Punk Singer is a biopic of sorts about the colourful lead singer of popular 90's feminist punk band Bikini Kill (and later Le Tigre); Kathleen Hanna. Hanna started out as a spoken word poet, who would shock audiences with powerful deliveries based on sexual abuse among other taboo issues. She then decided her voice would be better heard as lead of a punk band and she wasn't wrong. I remember seeing Bikini Kill back in the day, girls would be at the front and boys would stand at the back and I remember Hanna speaking quite seriously and powerfully about issues she was passionate about. At the time I was just into the music and I'm ashamed to say, I missed the point entirely (I wanted to jump up and down at the front). Her impact into feminism was great, her riot grrrl movement changed music and attitude and should be fairly recognised as doing so. She was an amazing force on stage. So it is nice to learn what it was I was seeing and also interesting to see what Hanna went on to do. My interest waned somewhat though towards the end. The big build up to the big question (that never seem like such a big question); Why did Hanna stop making music in 2005? Was a huge anti-climax. It's a sad reason, she contracted Lyme disease and went untreated for too long a time. I feel for her but I'm not sure it was the best move to revolve the film around this and make it the big ending. As it turns out she has a new band anyway, the conclusion of the film being both a tribute and launch night for her, looking like a very suspicious move by the makers of the film. Her last words in the documentary are her stating that people still don't believe in feminism and also people still don't believe in Lyme disease and she will keep fighting both. Who exactly refutes Lyme disease? I'm sorry to say that the important and passionate voice of youth now sounds like a rhetoric and bitter middle-aged women - I hate to say this as I really like her but I'm afraid The Punk Singer has done her no favours from where I'm sitting. I do however, look forward to hearing her new band and wish her well because she's one of my heroes from the 90s.