tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post618570382135754903..comments2024-03-27T08:23:33.621-04:00Comments on Go Retro!: Movie Review: Tuff Turf (1985)Pamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18122952408610512684noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-86160686356822597182016-11-15T21:21:37.320-05:002016-11-15T21:21:37.320-05:00P.S. - I want to photoshop my face on that picture...P.S. - I want to photoshop my face on that picture as well. LOL I had hair almost that long in the 80's with a spiral perm heavy enough to sink a battleship....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03404549732220508155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-12674894455334326312016-11-15T21:20:53.661-05:002016-11-15T21:20:53.661-05:00You beat me to it, Luis. I really think you had t...You beat me to it, Luis. I really think you had to see this movie back in its heyday to really have the love for it that I do. While there's nothing in this article that isn't true, I think the feeling it brings back to watching it on HBO around 1986 or so, drooling all over James Spader and trying to figure out whether some of those outfits came from Chess King or The Body Shop just adds charm you won't get if you're trying to view it now. I'm trying to introduce my bestie to some of these 80's cult films she never saw back then (her parents had no TV, and I apparently had no life because I saw them all a hundred times back then), and I've been debating whether to bother with this one for the reasons already mentioned. I mean Jeebus, how do you explain "I Walk the Night" to ANYONE? (And there's debate about whether that's Spader singing or not. I doubt he'll ever tell.) Unless you're reliving how you felt when you first saw it in the 80's, I'm not sure it's tolerable for everyone. I rewatched twice this past weekend, and I'm ready for another round.<br /><br />Interestingly, I did some internet research on Sunday and discovered, lo and behold, that the burger joint where Frankie smashes the burger into Ronnie's face is a mere seven blocks from my house. I hightailed it up there, not expecting to find it, but there it was. It's not a burger joint anymore but a used car lot; however, the door of the place is still the same as you see in the film (I have comparison photos I've posted on my Facebook page) as well as the Silver Saddle Motel next door (which I suspect is a "by the hour" joint these days, although it may have been back then as well). The BURGERS sign is still there to my shock, which you see in a panning shot just before the scene with the three girls. I don't think anyone has had the heart to tear it down. Fun fact is this building was also used as the Pig Burgers establishment from Better Off Dead and was also seen in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I can't say I didn't have chills taking the photos, thinking about James Spader zooming up in that Camaro and me jumping in to head to Beverly Hills. Ahhhh I miss the 80's.....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03404549732220508155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-86544871316943640812014-05-08T16:33:02.759-04:002014-05-08T16:33:02.759-04:00He brings vulnerability to so many of his characte...He brings vulnerability to so many of his characters, even the ones that could be perceived as jerks or bad guys. I don't think Spader is playing an arrogant jerk in this particular movie, however. I was 13 when this came out, so perhaps if I had seen it at that age I would have thought it was cool. But compared to the John Hughes collection or even films like Adventures in Babysitting, personally I don't think it comes close. He is, however, the best thing about this movie. And yes, I did know that Kim Richards is from the Escape from Witch Mountain movies.Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18122952408610512684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-30377797059354995292014-05-08T00:30:19.932-04:002014-05-08T00:30:19.932-04:00Pam, like many 80's movies if you didn't s...Pam, like many 80's movies if you didn't see it at the time it came out you just won't get it. The movie is hopelessly cheesy, of course, but back then it was cool.<br />I was lucky enough to see it back in the day and I remember the movie fondly and your article has made want to revisit it. Shady Del Knight's comment about Spader is EXACTLY right: "Invariably Spader plays a rich, smug, spoiled, arrogant jerk..." A role he would revisit many times but always infusing it with charm. The same can be said for Robert Downey Jr who played the role of the weirdo best friend in many an 80's flick.<br />You failed to mention that the blond actress (Kim Richards) is none other than the little girl in Escape/Return to Witch Mountain.Luishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07631388281199815121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-10983392978279575252014-05-07T22:17:33.251-04:002014-05-07T22:17:33.251-04:00Hi Shady - thanks for your comments and I enjoyed ...Hi Shady - thanks for your comments and I enjoyed hearing your perspective of the movie. I do agree that JS owned every scene and I loved the part where he crashed the country club party because that was clearly a glimpse into Raymond Reddington. The dialogue and lack of common sense in regards to some of the characters' actions left me shaking my head. The director's other notable claim to fame is Children of the Corn and low budget films I've never heard of. I will not deny that the movie is VERY 80s--a time capsule into the era for sure! Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it and that my review persuaded you to view it. Pamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18122952408610512684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-13043645582466821982014-05-07T21:28:18.324-04:002014-05-07T21:28:18.324-04:00I'm back, Pam, and I just finished watching Tu...I'm back, Pam, and I just finished watching Tuff Turf. I enjoyed it much more than expected. It was not your typical high school musical. It had a dark side, intense violence and even some brief frontal nudity supplied by Kim Richards' body double. I didn't mind the movie meandering from teenage fluff to classic film noir and back again. It was all good and I bought into the movie without reservation. Tuff Turf was as good as any of the genre pictures I've seen including Pretty in Pink. In fact, I liked Tuff Turf more simply because it was brand new to me. I loved the music, especially the funky, brassy horn band, Jack Mack and the Heart Attack. The film obviously had a substantial budget and the production was slick and professional. James Spader owned every scene, showing early signs of acting brilliance. Kim Richards also impressed me. She looked familiar to me and when I checked her list of acting credits I was astonished by the number of TV and movie roles she's had since early childhood. I've seen Kim many times over the years and clearly she is no lightweight. <br /><br />Thank you for turning me on to this lost gem of a movie, Pam!Shady Del Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03839935472941264414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15023065.post-7522610082303768942014-05-07T15:02:19.533-04:002014-05-07T15:02:19.533-04:00You're preaching to the choir, Pam, because I ...You're preaching to the choir, Pam, because I have been a James Spader fan for decades and recently featured him in one of my own posts:<br /><br />http://shadydell.blogspot.com/2013/11/you-find-my-blacklist-intriguing-lizzy.html<br /><br />Invariably Spader plays a rich, smug, spoiled, arrogant jerk but I have compassion for his characters because he infuses them with sadness and insecurity.<br /><br />Like you I never heard of Tuff Turf until now. It must not have been promoted very well when it was released in the mid 80s. I enjoy Spader's acting so much I don't care how bad this movie is. I will add it to my watch list. Thanks for the review, Pam!Shady Del Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03839935472941264414noreply@blogger.com