Drama

Action

Romance

Tuff Turf

Planet Productions

New World Pictures

New World Production

United States of America

English

James Spader

Kim Richards

Paul Mones

Matt Clark

Claudette Nevins

Olivia Barash

Robert Downey Jr.

Panchito Gómez

Michael Wyle

Catya Sassoon

Francis X. McCarthy

Art Evans

Herb Mitchell

Ceil Cabot

Donald Fullilove

Vivian Brown

Bill Beyers

Jered Barclay

Lou Fant

Gene Pietragallo

Donna Fuller

Evonne Kezios

Cheryl Ann Clark

Matt Gavin

Chad McCann

William Bergman

John Berry Jr.

Rick Braun

Mark Campbell

James R. Coile

Peter Freiberger

Andrew Kastner

Jack Mack

John Paruolo

Greg Smith

Dale Gonyea

Randy Lowell

Jon Ewen

Tom McShane

Wes Moczulski

Ray Zimmerman

Jim Carroll

Eric Kiertzner

Mike Lea

Tom Sims

Fritz Kiersch

Jette Rinck

Donald P. Borchers

Pat Kehoe

Bob Manning

Marc Grossman

Willy Kurant

Jonathan Elias

Greg Collins O'Neill

Murray Michaels

Linda Francis

Craig Stearns

Anne Kuljian

Kathie Clark

David DeCoteau

Kathy Webright

Teresa M. Austin

Susan Gelb

Susan Emshwiller

Peter Borck

Julia Evershade

Craig Felburg

Ed White

Gregg Barbanell

Vince Deadrick Jr.

Terri Fricon

Gay Jones

Nancy Fogarty

Scott Elias

Frankie Nixon

Robert Banas

Patrica Swenson

Christy Ann Newquist

Pete Antico

Steven Lambert

Paula Moody

Steve Picerni

Bernie Pock

Spiro Razatos

Jeff Smolek

Chuck Waters

Scott Wilder

Bob Yerkes

James R. Murray

Jesse Wayne

Stuart B. Hagen

Richard Davis Jr.

Nita Nickerson

Tandi Slater

Gregory R. Wolf

David E. Harshbarger

Julie Purcell

Anna Rita Raineri

Peter Freitas

Giovanna Ottobre-Melton

Lillian Youngblood

Robert J. Anderson Jr.

Elliot Davis

Joe Woo Jr.

Tracy Trotter

Robert Isenberg

Martin J. Layton

Peter Kalisch

James J. Gilson

Ron Wisnesky

Allen Shelley

Pascal Franchot

David Howes

Tracy Neftzger

Richard Kuhn

Woody Perkins

Jerry Workman

Michael Haney

John Reade

James R. White

James Gavin Bedford

Lonnie Sutter

Ellen Murphy

Greg Jacobs

Blake Leyh

Frederick Wasser

Arnold Finkelstein

Gary C. Bourgeois

Neil Brody

Joseph D. Citarella

Richard Foreman Jr.

Roger Armstrong

1980s were a great time for young actors in Hollywood. So many performers were given vehicles to launch their careers, even if not always of top material, it got them visibility. This was the first lead for James Spader, as the moody new kid in school, in a situation striaght out of "Rebel Without A Cause". The rought boys pick on him, although he is instantly smitten by temptress Kim Richards, who has the longest hair in film history. Another misfit, Robert Downey Jr. befriends him, showing with a comic charm that would become a trait in later years. The movie has a feel that these are kids play acting as adults, but "Rebel" did that that as well. The fashions are on-trend, the frequent music interludes are new wave cool. This is a fun watch, if unremarkable.

**_A troubled new kid on the block has to dance and fight for a girl, not to mention respect_**

A prep from Connecticut (James Spader) starts his senior year at a public school in Los Angeles after his father loses his company and scales down in SoCal. He sets his eyes on the beautiful girlfriend (Kim Richards) of a gang leader (Paul Mones) and all hell breaks loose.
   
"Tuff Turf" (1985) is similar plot-wise to “The Karate Kid” from the year prior, but isn’t as effective because it tries to be too many things. It’s a musical, a coming-of-age drama, a teen comedy, a romance, an art film and a bloody gang flick all rolled into one.

The first half is an amusing musical with pizazz while the second half turns dramatic and violent. In short, it’s a mishmash of “Grease” (1978), “The Warriors” (1979), “Valley Girl” (1983), “Rumble Fish” (1983) and “The Karate Kid.”

I like it, but the finale in the warehouse devolves into larger-than-life surrealness. Still, the music’s great, Spader carries the movie, Robert Downey Jr. is entertaining in an early role and Kim Richards (child actress from the 70s) is jaw-dropping with her stunning hair. 

The film runs 1 hour, 51 minutes, and was shot in the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B-

Tuff Turf (1985) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

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Tuff Turf

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Cast

James Spader

Kim Richards

Paul Mones

Matt Clark

Claudette Nevins

Olivia Barash

Robert Downey Jr.

Panchito Gómez

Michael Wyle

Catya Sassoon

Box office

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