Tuff Turf (1985)

just watch it!

Absolutely Fantastic

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Morgan Hiller (James Spader) is a new kid in high school. He makes enemies with the local gang...but the gang leader's girlfriend (Kim Richards) falls for him.The plot is very predictable but this still is lots of fun to watch. I saw it in a theatre back on a freezing cold winters night in 1985. I was in college and just expected a stupid teen flick (that's what I was in the mood for). I was surprised to find myself really liking it. In terms of fashions, music and attitude it was great! It caught the 1980s head on. These kids talked and acted like high school kids (even though all of them were well over that age). It moved quickly, was well-directed and is full of energy. Most of the acting is very good especially by Richards and a then unknown Robert Downey Jr. Spader was a little bit too mannered for the role but he was OK.This is no unsung masterpiece but I think it's a good strong 80s flick. I give it an 8.

Anyone with a music shout-out? 'Tuff Turf' is a uneven, but overly stylised and fashionable mixture ranging from a lesser take on 'Rebel without a Cause' with a constant spray of social and class references/forbidden romance in a L.A suburban backdrop and being backed-up by a pumping soundtrack led by Jim Carroll and Jack Mack and Heart Attacks. The music was non-stop and the story's tone and shape zips-around, as early on we seemed to move from one joint to another featuring blaring tunes and raving dance moves.Morgan Miller and his family have just moved from Connecticut to Los Angeles, where he encounters and interferes with the local gang led by the psychotic Nick Hauser. To make matters worse, his fallen for Hauser's girlfriend Frankie and goes about trying to grab her attention, despite the warnings and beatings to stay away from her.The young cast are quite good. James Spader genuinely fits blending a rebellious attitude with easy-going suaveness. The gorgeous Kim Richards is completely transfixing in who wholesome performance and punk appearance. Paul Mones nails down his role as the hot-headed thug and Robert Downey Jr. lends in with an agreeable performance. Also dependable character actor Matt Clark makes for solid support.Director Fritz Kiersch truly gets the beat on with its breakneck pack (despite some editing in the story wouldn't have gone astray) and stylishly muscular verve. When it calls for it, Kiersch isn't afraid to pack a punch, as the jarring violence is sweaty and a bloody pulp. Jonathan Elias' booming, sullen synthesiser score helps cement the rough atmosphere and saucy energy. Some set-pieces seem to work better than others, but there's no question there are a couple of powerful, moving and harsh illustrations. The script isn't as foreseeable, but the humour at times seemed to get in the way or not entirely fit.

I suppose that if both your parents are teachers, being in a film with a misspelt title is a pretty good way to rebel. IMDb says that both of James Spader's parents were teachers, and he left school in the 11th grade, so ... well, make up your own mind. To make up for the possible lack of difficulty in playing a rebellious New Englander, this role is all singing, all dancing, all cycling ...... well, I think he sings the line at the start of the film, but the song he sings seems to be dubbed (despite the credits failing to clarify this point either way). And there is absolutely no attempt made to make it seem he is really playing the piano.Spader has never been in anything musical since this, but I will say that his dancing is very good.This is a cross between a rather sweet romantic comedy and one of those films that is unbelievably, mindblowingly idiotic. I particularly liked the line, "This is the 80s!" No kidding! So that would account for the outfits and the hairstyles.amazon.co.uk deleted part of my review (without my knowledge or consent) because I noted that Kim Richards's hair was unusually long. But it was: especially by the standards of the 1980s. Nor did Amazon like my comment that Spader looks as if he is wearing eyeliner during the fight scene at the end. But he does. With his flicked fringe and apparent eyeliner, he resembles the late Princess Diana, IMHO.Most of the songs are ones that aren't played much now, but "People That Died" was used in a retrospective on the drama series "Six Feet Under". It was played during a montage. Amazon didn't want that in the review either.I recommend this to all of Spader's fans. You'll laugh, you'll lust, you'll cringe with embarrassment.It was the 80s.Very much so.

the movie starts off really well..with James Spader(morgan hiller) looking at his best and kim richards looking even better. what's frustrating about the movie though is that our supposedly tough guy(morgan) gets thrashed and humiliated by the bad guy all through the movie and and he(morgan) just keeps his cool. had it not been form kim the bad guy had almost gotten him(morgan) down as all our hero has in his defence is a dart gun. (while anybody who is watching the movie would want him to pick up a real gun from a nearby store and shot the bad guy down after what he had done to his father, him , his g/f and his to be father-in-law) kim has a great role, looks FABULOUS and yes she should have gotten more films. i think good looks run in their family(no wonder she is Paris hilton's aunt).