Tuff Turf (1985)

The new kid in school must battle a gang of street toughs after stealing the gang leader's girl.

Director:

Fritz Kiersch

Writers:

Jette Rinck (screenplay by), Greg Collins O'Neill (story by)

Stars:

James Spader, Kim Richards, Paul Mones

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Spader	...	Morgan Hiller
Kim Richards	...	Frankie Croyden
Paul Mones	...	Nick Hauser
Matt Clark	...	Stuart Hiller
Claudette Nevins	...	Page Hiller
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Jimmy Parker (as Robert Downey)
Olivia Barash	...	Ronnie
Panchito Gómez	...	Mickey (as Panchito Gomez)
Michael Wyle	...	Eddie
Catya Sassoon	...	Feather
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Man at Bus Stop (as Frank McCarthy)
Art Evans	...	Security Guard
Herb Mitchell	...	Mr. Russell
Ceil Cabot	...	Secretary
Donald Fullilove	...	Howard

Storyline

At the start of his senior year in high school, Morgan's father has lost his company, so the family moves from Connecticut, where they've been in the yacht club, to an apartment in the San Fernando Valley. Morgan has grown up in the shadow of his high-achieving older brother, and he seems to have a knack for getting into trouble. He also has a stubborn streak, so when he finds himself attracted to Frankie, the girlfriend of the leader of a local gang of youthful thugs, he can't stop himself from pushing her for a relationship. The thug thinks of Frankie as his property and sees the cool, urbane Morgan as dead meat. Is this a struggle to the death?

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Plot Keywords:

suntan pantyhose | pantyhose | female nudity | male objectification | new kid in school | 

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Taglines:

...where reputations are earned.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original ending in the script had Morgan and Jimmy taking the SATs, and Morgan talking Frankie into taking them too, after she quips she isn't smart enough.

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Goofs

The clock behind Jimmy reads 12:40 in the hallway. It's already been established that this is Morgan's first morning at school.

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Quotes

Jimmy Parker: She belongs to Nick.
Morgan Hiller: C'mon Jimmy, Lincoln freed the slaves. All I want to do is talk to her.
Jimmy Parker: All I want to do is live!

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits, we see Morgan, Frankie, Jimmy and Ronnie dancing and playing instruments with Jack Mack and the Heart Attack at Club 60's.

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Alternate Versions

On the home video version, the song "Breakin' the Rules" is performed by Jonathan Elias, instead of Lene Lovich, whose version is played in the theatrical release.

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Connections

Referenced in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

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Soundtracks

People Who Died
Written and Performed by Jim Carroll and the Jim Carroll Band
Courtesy of Earl McGrath Music

User Reviews

Should I give his bike back!

This film was so influential to me back in 1986 that I took my dad's

portable video camera (The kind where you strap the deck over

your shoulder like a bag and has a cord running to the camera),

grabbed the neighborhood kids in our street and re-enacted

scenes from Tuff turf after we had just finished viewing it for the

third time in a rental day row.

Hell, I even stole the soundtrack and dubbed the dialogue into our

version of the film.

The tuff guys, the not-so tuff guy who is misunderstood by his

parents and tuff guys who beat him up every chance they have, a

sexy lead actress (why Kim Richards did not get an award for

longest, straightest hair is a travesty!)

But best of all is the soundtrack! The tense music under the gang

running over Spaders racing bike still haunts me today! Who

wouldn't wet themselves getting humiliated in the school parking

lot in front of your class mates and teachers who did not nothing

but laugh at you wetting your pants.

NOTE the apostrophe in the title summary as the gang leader is

not asking the question, he is merely answering it?

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tuff Turf

Filming Locations:

Sandy's Char Burger - 6223 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,509,380, 13 January 1985

Gross USA:

$9,369,329

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,369,329

Company Credits

Production Co:

New World Pictures, Planet Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1