Plot: What’s it about?
Morgan Hiller (James Spader) has all sorts of problems, as he just moved into town and of course, no one likes the new kid. As if his troubles weren’t bad enough already, he soon ends up on the bad side of a gang of school hooligans. As the toughs were in the middle of a criminal deed, Morgan happens to stroll by, which makes him their number one enemy. Of course, the gang members make sure Morgan’s life becomes a living hell, but he keeps pushing ahead and tries to overcome this hard luck situation. But the harassment and attacks are just the start, as Morgan soon falls for the leader’s girlfriend, Frankie (Kim Richards) and that means serious trouble in addition to what he already has to deal with. In this realm of violence, sex, and low moral fabric, will Morgan and Frankie ever be able to have a real relationship, or will the gang kill him before they have the chance? Will anyone realize what a waste of good resources all this gang based nonsense is, or will they continue to stalk the Tuff Turf…
This is a very cheese laden teen gang movie, but since it reeks of the 1980s, all is forgiven with Tuff Turf. I find this to be a very fun flick to watch, especially with friends and man, what a visual feast of 80s nostalgia. The chicks have crimped hair and gaudy costume jewelry, the fellows tote fake leather jackets and feathered hairstyles, what a fun trek this is. But since Tuff Turf is about teen gangs, this means even more antics, as James Spader, Kim Richards, and Robert Downey, Jr. all try to survive the high school battles. Some pretty humorous fight sequences can be seen here, including the capper, where Spader has to sink to using a dart gun, how classic is that? But this look at the dark side of teen life offers lots more also, from fist fights to hilarious name calling to some romance, all of the needed elements have been shoved in here. This is a bad movie in the typical sense of cinema, but I like it a lot and since it now has been released on DVD, perhaps it can find a more extended audience. If you like teenage rebel movies, then I recommend Tuff Turf as a rental, but fans will want to own this one, to watch over and again.
Of all the workers in Tuff Turf, I think my favorite performance comes from Kim Richards, who pretty much vanished after this picture. I don’t think her skills had anything to with her disappearance, as she is a gifted performer, but I do wish we had more films with her presence. After a series of Disney movies as a child, Richards went on to do a few pictures as a teenager, but after Tuff Turf, she was featured in only one other film. I know she wasn’t the finest actress out there, but I found Richards to be fun to watch and she always looked good, so I am unsure why she decided to leave the business. Other films with Richards include Escape To Witch Mountain, The Car, Return From Witch Mountain, Meatballs Part II, Special Delivery, and Assault On Precinct 13. The cast of Tuff Turf also includes James Spader (Stargate, The Watcher), Robert Downey, Jr. (Short Cuts, Wonder Boys), Paul Mones (Streets of Fire), Matt Clark (Sink or Swim, Return To Oz), and Claudette Nevins (Sleeping With The Enemy, Star Trek: Insurrection).
Video: How does it look?
Tuff Turf is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Some slight grain aside, this is an excellent looking presentation, much less dated than expected. The colors seem bright, but never too much so and flesh tones are natural, no problems in the least on that front. The contrast looks good too, with accurate detail presence and well balanced black levels as well. This still looks a little dated, but not as much as I had expected, so I am giving this transfer a nice score, very solid work from Anchor Bay here.
Audio: How does it sound?
Although the soundtrack sometimes seems limited, I think the included mono option is stable enough in the end. The dialogue comes across in clean form at all times, with no volume errors and sound effects seem in proper order also, though not very dynamic of course. As I mentioned, the music seems a little limited at times, especially during the live performances, but I was never too let down with this mix. I heard minimal distortion and harshness, so I won’t be too hard on this track once the scores are handed out. This disc also includes English captions, in case you’ll need them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
