Review of Runaway Daughters (1994) by Allan C — 17 May 2014

Enjoyable entry in the Rebel Highway series of TV movies based upon classic AIP juvenile delinquent films. This one was directed by the underrated Joe Dante and written by Charles S. Haas, who also collaborated on "Matinee" which is a nice companion piece to this film in it's mix of nostalgia and commentary on the politics of the time.

"Runaway Daughters" revolves around three teen girls who runaway after one of them becomes pregnant to stop the father from jointing the navy to avoid responsibility. There's drive-ins, overbearing parents, greasers and rock n' roll.

Most of the a road picture of the girls running into various oddballs along the way. The film is greatly aided by a solid cast, which included Julie Bowen and Paul Rudd in very early roles and Joe Dante alumni Dick Miller, Dee Wallace, Christoper Stone, Robert Picardo, Belinda Balaski, Wendy Schaal, Joe Flaherty, Roger Corman, Fabian, John Astin, Rance Howard, Samuel Z.

Arkoff, and Cathy Moriarty. Dante strikes just the right tone for this film, balancing camp and doing a loving recreation of a 60s juvenile delinquent film. This film is probably my second favorite of the Rebel Highway series, though I'd say it's a distant second to Robert Rodriguez' brilliant "Roadracers," still probably one of his best films.