Deep Dive: Hit So Hard (2012)
Film Lens

Hit So Hard is a documentary about Patty Schemel, the drummer of the band Hole, focusing on her life, music career, and struggles with addiction. The film combines Hi8 video footage recorded by Schemel during Hole's 1994-95 world tour with contemporary interviews featuring her, bandmates Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, and Melissa Auf der Maur, as well as family members. It provides an intimate look at her early life in Marysville, Washington, her coming out as a lesbian, and her experiences in Seattle's music scene.
The narrative moves from the band's world tour back to Schemel's childhood and her audition with Hole amidst the Rodney King riots. It also covers the impact of personal tragedies, including the deaths of Kristen Pfaff and Kurt Cobain, and how these events contributed to Schemel's drug addiction. The film features commentary from other female musicians and drummers, providing a broader context of women's experiences in the music industry during the 1990s.
Why Watch
- •Meet Patty Schemel, Hole's drummer and her unique story.
- •See rare Hi8 footage from Hole's 1994-95 world tour.
- •Follow the lives of female musicians in the 90s rock scene.
Did You Know
•Patty Schemel recorded Hi8 footage during Hole's 1994-95 world tour.
•The film was directed by P. David Ebersole and released in 2012.
•Hit So Hard won the Jury Award for Best Documentary at the Frameline Film Festival in 2011.
•The film features interviews with notable female drummers like Nina Gordon and Gina Schock.
Perfect For
90s alternative rock fansDocumentary enthusiastsLGBTQ+ historyFemale musicians