I had the absolute pleasure of moderating a recent screening of Desperate Teenage Love Dolls over at Mark Mothersbaugh’s studio at the MutMuz gallery in downtown Los Angeles. Being back with this film — a gritty, raw, hilarious snapshot of Los Angeles punk girlhood — felt like catching up with an old friend who still knows all your secrets. The room was packed with longtime fans, curious newcomers, and a whole lot of energy. It was wild to see how this DIY cult classic still hits as hard now as it did back in the day.
Desperate Teenage Love Dolls is pure underground magic — a raw, unapologetic look at the chaos of teen rebellion, shot on Super 8 with a budget of basically nothing and a whole lot of punk spirit. Directed by Dave Markey, the film follows three teenage runaways as they form a band and dive headfirst into the gritty world of fame, manipulation, and survival on the streets of Los Angeles. It’s part satire, part cautionary tale, and all heart — a time capsule of early ’80s DIY punk culture with no filters, no polish, and no apologies.
The real treat was sharing the space with Dave Markey, the film’s director and an essential voice in chronicling punk from the inside out, as well as Janet Housden and Jennifer Schwartz, who lit up the screen all those years ago and brought that same spark to the conversation. We laughed, reflected, and peeled back the layers of what it meant — and still means — to create art outside the system, on your own terms. There was something special in the air that night. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was reverence for the spirit of doing it yourself and doing it loud.
Big thanks to Mark Mothersbaugh and the team at MutMuz for creating such a rad space to host this event. It reminded me how important it is to honor our weird, scrappy punk history and keep that rebellious flame lit. And for everyone who came out — thank you for bringing your love, your stories, and your curiosity. That kind of connection is why we keep showing up.
