James Spader, Robert Downey, Jr. & Kim Richards in "Tuff Turf" (1985) - feat. Jim Carroll
This is an official "Donald P. Borchers Production."
In 1983 & 1984 I liked to hang out at Hollywood's Club Lingerie on Sunset. The New Romance movement, THE VEIL, frequented it. But, on one night, there was this R&B band, JACK MACK & THE HEART ATTACK. At the time time their lead singer was Max Gronenthal aka Max Carl (co-lead singer Grand Funk Railroad). When they performed their cover of Gary Mears' "So Tough, " the idea for "TUFF TURF," a story of downward mobility struck me like lightning.
Rain-drenched streets and neon signs form the backdrop for a quick, mysterious scene in which a mugging is interrupted by a stranger speeding by on a silver bicycle. This turns out to be Morgan (James Spader), who looks very dangerous, and who can hold his own against the gang that's out to get him.
Morgan is a once-affluent intelligent blond preppy type teenager who relocates from Connecticut, where his family has been in the yacht club, to resettle in an apartment in a thug-ridden seedy area of the San Fernando Valley with his strict mother (Claudette Nevins) and his father (Matt Clark). Morgan has grown up in the shadow of his high-achieving older brother. In a reversal of fortune, Dad has bungled the family business, lost his company, and all their money, and now drives a taxi. Morgan slowly learns how to deal with street life while his family adjusts to dealing with people that are of "lower social class".
Morgan, who's so cool he likes to read the 1957 novel "On the Road" by American writer Jack Kerouac with his shades on, genuinely fits blending a rebellious attitude with easy-going suaveness as he befriends Jimmy (Robert Downey, Jr., who's very appealing as Morgan's only ally) who plays drums for a pretty cool punk band we are introduced to later in a big production number.
But Morgan struggles to make other friends. Trouble ensues when Morgan sets his sights on a long-haired fashionable blonde bad girl named Frankie (Kim Richards). She's beautiful, cool enough to have Motley Crue pictures all over her bedroom walls, and personifies a teen lust object. She's also the girlfriend of Nick (Paul Mones), the worst guy around, or at least the baddest and the leader of a local gang who had a run in with Morgan during an attempted mugging of a businessman (Francis X. McCarthy).
In a big production number that's all ready for the rock video market, he forces his attentions on Frankie in the middle of a crowded dance hall, and she has feelings for him, too. Needless to say, you don't mess around with a gang leader's woman! When her sociopathic and psychopathic boyfriend arrives and sees the strong attraction between Morgan and Frankie, he starts throwing one of his habitual jealous rages.
On the wall of that building, there is graffiti that reads "The New Avengers". Robert Downey, Jr. (Jimmy) would go on to play Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and James Spader (Morgan) would both go on to play in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015).
Morgan soon finds pursuing Frankie comes with harsh consequences. The hoods in his new public school soon take to beating him up and leaving dead rats in his locker.
Despite the warnings and beatings to stay away from her, Morgan can't stop himself from pushing Frankie for a relationship, and despite being on opposite sides of the tracks, Morgan and Frankie fall for each other,
Jimmy borrows the gang leader's Camaro and picks up Morgan. Then they go for a joyride and pick up Frankie her friend Ronnie (Olivia Barash from REPO MAN). The group invades a posh country club, where they crash a catered dance with live music. (Olivia Barash blithely asking the rich girls "You do swallow, right?") At the piano James Spader is lip-synching the song "We Walk the Night", which is performed by one of Art Carney.'s sons, Paul Carney.
After that, the group is bounced from the country club and they make their way to a trendy dance club and Frankie breaks into a flamboyant dance solo while the entire venue stops to check her out.
Morgan learns some valuable, harsh and hard lessons, and finds out how far he is really willing to go for Frankie. Ultimately, Morgan must face and fight Nick and his gang to test the bounds of his honor, and his love for Frankie.
Jonathan Elias' pumping, moody synthesiser score helps cement the rough atmosphere and saucy energy.
MUSIC/SONGS SOUNDTRACK:
"Tuff Turf" - Southside Johnny
"People Who Died" - the Jim Carroll Band
"Green Onions" - Jack Mack and the Heart Attack
"Voices" - The Jim Carroll Band
"So Tuff" - Jack Mack and the Heart Attack
"Breakin' the Rules (What Do You Do When Opposites Attract)" - Lene Lovich
"Love Hates" - Marianne Faithfull
"It's Too Late" - The Jim Carroll Band
"She's Looking Good" - Jack Mack and the Heart Attack
"Twist and Shout" - Dale Gonyea with J.R. & the Z-Men
"We Walk the Night" - Paul Carney dubbed singing voice for James Spader
"Breakin' the Rules" - Jonathan Elias (1985 VHS/Beta Home Video Version only)
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