Roller Boogie
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Movie Reviews of Roller Boogie
Movie Review: Blair boogie-oogie-oogies til she just can't boogie no more
Summary: 4 Stars
Hey, the fact that I'm actually reviewing Roller Boogie surprises me as much as it does you. I sort of have this thing for Linda Blair, you see, and she was twenty years old when this film was released in 1979 - instead of turning her own head around (The Exorcist), she was now old enough to starting turning guys' heads instead. Unfortunately, all of the guys in this film are full-fledged, knee-high-tube-sock-wearing products of that awful decade called the 1970s, but Linda was looking fine from start to finish, and that's really all that matters.I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually liked this movie. It doesn't look good on paper, though. You basically have the world's most ubiquitous cookie-cutter plot, a good deal of bad acting, tons of terrible disco music, awful 70s attire, and about ten times more skating than you find in the film Xanadu. You could give yourself a lobotomy and still predict everything that is going to happen in this movie, yet for reasons I can't explain, Roller Boogie isn't that bad. Linda Blair plays Terry Barkley, a poor little rich girl whose parents ignore her and thus drive her to rebel; she doesn't enjoy being a musical prodigy, and she certainly doesn't want to go to Juilliard. What does she do? She goes roller skating and, after meeting up with local roller boogie whiz kid Bobby James (Jim Bray), she announces her new ambition in life is to win the roller boogie dance contest down at Jammer's skating rink. You see where this is going? It's your classic poor boy-rich girl love story. Something is still missing, though. Oh, I know, let's throw in a sleazy businessman and his two goons, and - yes, I've got it! - let's have them threaten to burn down Jammer's skating rink as part of their evil plan to put up a shopping mall. Obviously, those crazy kids are going to have to come up with a plan to save their beloved skating rink. We cannot possibly let this movie end without that big roller boogie dance contest we were all so looking forward to.
As you can see, apart from Linda Blair's starring role, there is no discernible reason for me to have enjoyed Roller Boogie, but I did. That doesn't mean I want to watch it again any time soon, though. For my fellow Linda Blair fans, I say go ahead and bite the bullet and watch this movie; you'll be glad you did - maybe.
Movie Review: A bunch of dumb fun
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of those movies that I would totally dismiss if it weren't for the nostalga factor.
I saw this film 2 times in the mall theater back in 1979. Linda Blair was hot and the short lived "roller disco" craze was something I was invested in.
Then I could (and did) always catch the movie on cable. Then it all but disapeared until the VHS was released in the 90's. When I rented it and was old enough to see how completely ridiculous it was it only added to it's charm (and Linda Blair was still hot).
What sticks out when I watched the film a few years ago is that the "gang" wants the boogie contest, no matter what.
The owner of the club gets threatened by the "evil businessmen" that if he doesn't sell the rink to them (so they can build a shopping mall) they will burn down the rink with the everyone inside.
Once the gang finds this out, they are not as interested in saving thier lives as they are making sure the roller boogie contest will go on.
You gotta love it.
Now, in a couple weeks from now, "Roller Boogie" will come out on DVD. It will have an anamorphic widescreen transfer (great! MGM has dragged out thier old pan and scan transfers for some lesser library titles being put out on DVD. A new Anamorphic transfer on this film remembered by only a few is really appreciated) and a theatrical trailer (Great! After all, it coming out on DVD in 16:9 is almost a miracle, I didn't expect that they would spend too much money on supliments. But I still would've gotten a kick out of a Jim Bray and Linda Blair commentary). Guess who will be looking for it on that "new movie Tuesday"?
Yup! Me!
This movie came at the right age for me to innocently fall for it and now it will get to come home.
Movie Review: This Flick Wasn't Meant For Me...But
Summary: 4 Stars
The roller disco craze was the polar opposite of what I was into in the seventies. I kind of looked like Joey Ramone sporting a Wrangler jacket and an iron on decal Pink Floyd T-Shirt. The one time I went to the rink was when my buddies wanted to pick up chicks. None of us looked like the buff and bronzed skaters in "Roller Boogie". I probably fell on my behind as the din of Blondie's "Heart of Glass" tortured my eardrums. Needless to say I wasn't in the opening day crowd when this flick opened. To be honest, I think the roller disco craze had pretty much petered out when this film was released in the holiday season of 1979. Viewing this movie as a time capsule curio, though, it's not bad. The makers were probably trying to cash in on the moment's craze, if roller disco was truly a phenomenon, but it is a sincere effort. Granted, the skating scenes are not on par with the electricity of the dancing in "Saturday Night Fever". For that matter the acting isn't first rate and the dialogue is oh so corny. I give "Roller Boogie" the pass because the young cast seem to have an infectuous enthusiasm for what they're doing and it comes across as winning. Linda Blair is cute in the girl-next-door mold but it is pretty obvious that she was doubled in her skating scenes. "Roller Boogie" is cinematic ice cream and I don't mean that as a negative.Movie Review: Roller Boogie WOW!!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
If you love the roller disco days of the 80's, then you will surely love this movie. It is a story of a young man Bobby James, played by Jim Bray who dreams of entering the olymics for his roller skating.
He meets a young uperclass woman Terry (played by Linda Blair) who is destined to go to Juliard music acadamy becuase of her musical genius. But Terry is fed up with her boring life.
She doesn't like always having to be little miss perfect, and she is looking to have some fun.
Terry loves to skate, so she asks Bobby (who is the best skater on the Venice Beach Boardwalk), if he would teach her all the moves on wheels. Of course they fall in love.
The story line itself is not the best part, but surely the skating and the funky disco music is.
I actually got to see Jim Bray skate in person, when he was promoting this movie, and he is one of the best Artistic skaters in the business. So if your into Fantrastic Roller skating and dancing on 8 wheels, then take a look at this Terrific 80's skating classic.
Movie Review: Good movie about the 70s rollerskating revolution!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
If you were ever into the rollerskating craze during the seventies, this movie is for you. I wax nostalgic because this movie was "during my time." It has good scenes from inside the rink, good scenes from the Venice Beach, California beachfront skating, and a good variety of disco dance music. There is also a good 70s soundtrack that is available if you like the disco skating beat. I really liked the acting, even though Jim Bray was really a skating competitor, his acting was a little 'corny' but considering that he was NOT an actor, really a skater. A reasonable price for a decent movie about kids trying to save the fate of their local hang-out. Can't find many movies like this anymore, or kids this wholesome. If you like rollerskating, in any fashion, this movie is for you.