The Gits (2005)

The story of the promising, underground Seattle band, The Gits. Fronted by charismatic vocalist, Mia Zapata, and poised to explode onto the national music scene, a stranger came in and took it all away. A decade later, the legacy lives on.

Director:

Kerri O'Kane

Stars:

Valerie M. Agnew, Elizabeth F. Davis, Matt Dresdner

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Valerie M. Agnew	...	Herself - Interviewee (as Valerie Agnew)
Elizabeth F. Davis	...	Herself (archive footage) (as Elizabeth Davis)
Matt Dresdner	...	Himself
Julian Gibson	...	Himself - Interviewee
Kathleen Hanna	...	Herself - Interviewee
Gretta Harley	...	Herself - Interviewee
Joan Jett	...	Herself - Interviewee
Andrew Kessler	...	Himself
Kenny Laguna	...	Himself - Interviewee
Mike Millet	...	Himself - Interviewee
Steve Moriarty	...	Himself
Ann Powers	...	Herself - Interviewee
Selene H. Vigil	...	Herself - Interviewee (as Selene Vigil)
Mia Zapata	...	Herself (archive footage)

Storyline

The first time Matt Dresdner heard Mia Zapata sing, he knew she was destined to front the punk rock group he dreamt of forming. In the fall of 1986, at Ohio's Antioch College, Dresdner, Andrew Kessler, Steve Moriarty, and Zapata became The Gits. In 1989, they relocated to Seattle, WA, in search of a new life and a larger audience. The Gits quickly gained popularity in the Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, distinguishing themselves with their soulful street punk at a time when "grunge" was putting Seattle on the map. Characterized by powerful, driving music and Zapata's poetic lyrics, major record labels took notice. But just as The Gits were poised to explode onto the national music scene, an unfathomable tragedy struck. On July 7, 1993, Mia Zapata was raped and murdered in Seattle while walking home one night. Without warning, this promising band faced a horrific end and the fabric that built this tight knit music community began to unravel. In 2003, one year into filming "The ...

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Plot Keywords:

band | female singer | musician | murder | directorial debut | 

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Taglines:

The band. The music. The legacy. One tragic night changed it all.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 July 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gits Movie

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

JAB Films & Knockout Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When cameras started rolling, Mia's murder was still unsolved. By the time the documentary was finished, the case would be closed and footage shot for the film would be used in court.

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Connections

References Rocky (1976)

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Soundtracks

"Daily Bread"
Written by Joe Spleen and Matt Dresdner
Lyrics by Mia Zapata
Performed by The Gits
Published by Fishheadhotdog Burrito Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Incredible Documentary, An Incredible Story of Tragedy and Justice

On Christmas day, my husband and I saw this very touching film via Netflix after seeing the TV show, "Forensic Files", about Mia Zapata and her Seattle band, The Gits. What really struck us both about this documentary was its pure honesty and simplicity without relying on "fancy" or computer generated story telling. It was raw and pure while also fantastic in its genuine storytelling and emotional build up. It appeared that this was a documentary that was shot on film(I don't know for sure but the quality is so good that it appears that way)and as a true film lover, I personally loved the look of it. Above all, however, I loved this emotional story as told by those who loved Mia Zapata and The Gits. This did not look like some low budget indie, but rather a quality documentary where there was time and patience put into the cinematography, the editing, the sound and the actual storytelling itself. I am not, nor is my husband, into the punk rock music thing....but we both felt moved by the music and by this tragic loss of this young woman who was on the verge of doing so much more. This is not a story of drugs and debauchery, but one of loss, despair, hope, community and life itself. Very touching, we will never forget about Mia Zapata and The Gits.