The Yo-Yo Gang
Encyclopedia
The Yo-Yo Gang is a thirty minute 'exploitation movie
' about girl gangs released in 1992 that has become a cult film
.
Directed by G.B. Jones, this 'no budget film
' follows the exploits of two girl gangs, the "Yo-Yo Gang" and the "Skateboard Bitches", as a gangwar erupts between them. The tag line for the film reads: "Gang girls frequently out-curse, out-fight and out-sex every boys' gang around".
In between fighting, the film features scenes of the girls getting tattooed, piercing each others ears, beating up boys, playing arcade games, riding scooters
and talking on the phone.
The film was made using Super 8mm film format. It was shot in Toronto, Ontario, and San Francisco, California
. Posters and stills from the film are featured in the book named after the director, G.B. Jones
The theme song, "Yo-Yo" is performed by Fifth Column and the film also features songs by Human Ashtrays and by Anti-Scrunti Faction
, seen performing their song "Frat Boy". The soundtrack, including these bands and songs, was a cassette
tape only release on Bitch Nation Tapes.
The film stars a number of notable musicians, including both members of Anti-Scrunti Faction, Leslie Mah
, also of Tribe 8
, and Tracy Thomas; Donna Dresch
of Team Dresch
; and Caroline Azar
, Beverly Breckenridge
, and Anita Smith, all Fifth Column members.
The cover of the Fifth Column album 36-C
features a still shot of Jena von Brücker from the film. The cover of the Fifth Column 7 " single, "All Women Are Bitches
", features a still shot of Anita Smith from the film, and the flipside, "Donna", features a still shot of Donna Dresch
from the film.
The Yo-Yo Gang has played at film festivals and galleries around the world as well as at universities and colleges , and continues to be screened today.
Previously, G.B. Jones had directed the short film The Troublemakers, released in 1990. After The Yo-Yo Gang, she directed the feature film The Lollipop Generation
, released in 2008.
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
' about girl gangs released in 1992 that has become a cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
.
Directed by G.B. Jones, this 'no budget film
No budget film
A no budget film is a produced film made with very little, or no money.Young directors starting out in filmmaking commonly use this method because there are few other options available to them at that point. All the actors and technicians are employed without remuneration, and the films are largely...
' follows the exploits of two girl gangs, the "Yo-Yo Gang" and the "Skateboard Bitches", as a gangwar erupts between them. The tag line for the film reads: "Gang girls frequently out-curse, out-fight and out-sex every boys' gang around".
In between fighting, the film features scenes of the girls getting tattooed, piercing each others ears, beating up boys, playing arcade games, riding scooters
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
and talking on the phone.
The film was made using Super 8mm film format. It was shot in Toronto, Ontario, and San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. Posters and stills from the film are featured in the book named after the director, G.B. Jones
The theme song, "Yo-Yo" is performed by Fifth Column and the film also features songs by Human Ashtrays and by Anti-Scrunti Faction
Anti-Scrunti Faction
Anti-Scrunti Faction were an all-women punk trio from Boulder, Colorado, United States.The band made their first appearance in 1984 on the Restless Records compilation LP entitled FlipSide Vinyl Fanzine Volume 1, assembled by the fanzine Flipside from California, with the song "Big Women". In...
, seen performing their song "Frat Boy". The soundtrack, including these bands and songs, was a cassette
Cassette culture
Cassette culture, or the cassette underground , refers to the practices surrounding amateur production and distribution of recorded music that emerged in the late 1970s via home-made audio cassettes...
tape only release on Bitch Nation Tapes.
The film stars a number of notable musicians, including both members of Anti-Scrunti Faction, Leslie Mah
Leslie Mah
Leslie Mah is an American musician and performer.Mah first began performing with Anti-Scrunti Faction, a hardcore punk band based in Boulder, Colorado which she co-founded with Tracy Thomas. The group first appeared on the Flipside fanzine compilation, Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol.1 in 1984 and, in...
, also of Tribe 8
Tribe 8
This article is about the San Francisco based lesbian punk band Tribe 8. See Tribe 8 for Dream Pod 9s post-apocalyptic fantasy role-playing game.Tribe 8 was an all-women outspoken dyke punk band from San Francisco...
, and Tracy Thomas; Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch and the Queen of Grunge....
of Team Dresch
Team Dresch
Team Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
; and Caroline Azar
Caroline Azar
Caroline Azar is a Canadian director, actor, and playwright of Lebanese Sephardic origin. She was the lead singer, keyboardist and co-lyricist/composer of the band Fifth Column.This experimental all-women punk band began in the mid 1980s in Toronto, Ontario...
, Beverly Breckenridge
Beverly Breckenridge
Beverly Breckenridge is a musician, composer, and actress from Toronto, Ontario. She played bass for the bands Fifth Column and Phono-Comb.In 1986, Beverly Breckenridge joined the post-punk experimental band Fifth Column...
, and Anita Smith, all Fifth Column members.
The cover of the Fifth Column album 36-C
36-C
- Personnel :*Caroline Azar – vocals, keyboards*Beverly Breckenridge – bass, background vocals*Michelle Breslin – guitar, background vocals*Jena von Brücker – photography, background vocal*Torry Colichio – drums...
features a still shot of Jena von Brücker from the film. The cover of the Fifth Column 7 " single, "All Women Are Bitches
All Women Are Bitches
All Women Are Bitches is a song by the Toronto band Fifth Column.The lyrics were written by Caroline Azar and G.B. Jones and the music was composed by Fifth Column. The single was produced by Walter Sobczak at Wellesley Sound Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The cover featured photos from the G.B...
", features a still shot of Anita Smith from the film, and the flipside, "Donna", features a still shot of Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch and the Queen of Grunge....
from the film.
The Yo-Yo Gang has played at film festivals and galleries around the world as well as at universities and colleges , and continues to be screened today.
Previously, G.B. Jones had directed the short film The Troublemakers, released in 1990. After The Yo-Yo Gang, she directed the feature film The Lollipop Generation
The Lollipop Generation
The Lollipop Generation is the first feature film by G.B. Jones.The Lollipop Generation premiered as the Gala Feature presentation of the Images Festival in Toronto on April 3, 2008....
, released in 2008.
Cast
- Caroline AzarCaroline AzarCaroline Azar is a Canadian director, actor, and playwright of Lebanese Sephardic origin. She was the lead singer, keyboardist and co-lyricist/composer of the band Fifth Column.This experimental all-women punk band began in the mid 1980s in Toronto, Ontario...
as "Chills" - Beverly BreckenridgeBeverly BreckenridgeBeverly Breckenridge is a musician, composer, and actress from Toronto, Ontario. She played bass for the bands Fifth Column and Phono-Comb.In 1986, Beverly Breckenridge joined the post-punk experimental band Fifth Column...
- Donna DreschDonna DreschDonna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch and the Queen of Grunge....
- Mark Freitas
- G.B. Jones
- Bruce LaBruceBruce LaBruceBruce LaBruce is a Canadian writer, filmmaker, photographer and underground gay porn director based in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:...
- Lynna Landstreet
- Leslie MahLeslie MahLeslie Mah is an American musician and performer.Mah first began performing with Anti-Scrunti Faction, a hardcore punk band based in Boulder, Colorado which she co-founded with Tracy Thomas. The group first appeared on the Flipside fanzine compilation, Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol.1 in 1984 and, in...
- Deke NihilsonDeke NihilsonDaniel "Deke" Frontino Elash is an American zine editor, musician, actor, activist and historian.In 1988, he and co-editor Tom Jennings began publishing Homocore zine out of San Francisco. One of the earliest queercore zines, it followed in the wake of J.D.s and was instrumental in the expansion...
- Suzy Sinatra
- Anita Smith as "Thrills"
- Tracie Thomas
- Jena von Brücker as "Spills"
- Klaus von Brücker