ROLLER BOOGIE (1979)

Title: ROLLER BOOGIE

Year of Release: 1979

Director: Mark L. Lester

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Sport

Synopsis: A young upper-class woman with a love for skating falls for an ambitious working-class skater, teaming up with friends to save their favourite roller-skating venue from closure.

Within a film history context: Roller disco was a short-lived fad of the late 1970s which grew out of disco, which was all the rage at the time. As a film genre, it was similarly ephemeral, with a handful of movies devoted to the topic. One of the first to deal with roller disco was J. Robert Wagoner's DISCO GODFATHER (1979). In this movie, a crime and action drama, a retired policeman owns a disco, and does his best to put drug dealers in their place. SKATETOWN U.S.A. (1979), directed by William A. Levey, was about the rivalry between two young men for a cash prize in a roller disco competition. Robert Greenwald's XANADU (1980), came at the tail end of the roller disco craze. A musical fantasy concerning an artist, and his love for a sprightly young woman, featured numerous roller disco set pieces throughout its running time. ROLLER BOOGIE was released in 1979, at the height of roller disco, and was one of the most financially successful films in the cycle.

As with the latter two examples, ROLLER BOOGIE was entirely consumed with roller disco skating as a subject. In terms of locations, SKATETOWN U.S.A. was more restricted in this sense than ROLLER BOOGIE and XANADU. It took place almost fully inside a roller disco alley, with some forays into outdoor spaces. ROLLER BOOGIE was more fluid in this arena, due to its story of a young roller skater, her family life, and skating not only beachside but also, in the roller-skating alley. SKATETOWN U.S.A.'s story was contained by its story, being the competition between two young skaters for a money prize. One is not exposed to their family lives as such, even though there are small insights into their lives prior to being in the roller-skating alley. In addition, the humor in ROLLER BOOGIE is far less contrived than the antics in SKATETOWN U.S.A. They emerge out of pre-existing situations and characters, rather than being concocted for momentary amusement. Where ROLLER BOOGIE and SKATETOWN U.S.A. find common ground is in the many skating sequences they showcase. These set pieces are handled well in each movie, with glittery visuals offering the requisite visual eye candy for viewers. Aside from this, romance is one of the main features of ROLLER BOOGIE which runs throughout the film. SKATETOWN U.S.A. has more subtle instances of this, preferring to concentrate on the music, musical acts, and skating scenes more than romance. A sound example of a roller-skating disco movie, ROLLER BOOGIE is a charming picture.

Overview: Mark L. Lester is an American film director who has made twenty-seven films thus far from 1973 to 2014, with one upcoming project. His output is a selection of dramas, action, comedy, adventure, and crime among others. Mr Lester's first movie, STEEL ARENA (1973), was the story of a race car driver, and how his penchant for death-defying stunts may get him into serious trouble. Action was again in the cards in TRUCK STOP WOMEN (1974). A mother and daughter running a bordello go up against gangsters who are trying to take over their outfit. WHITE HOUSE MADNESS (1975), was a satire about the administration of Richard Nixon, and how everything that could go wrong, did, in this comedy. One of Mark Lester's notable first efforts came in the form of BOBBIE JO AND THE OUTLAW (1976). The tale of a young country singer, and her entanglement with a criminal, culminating in several crimes, was a breakout role for Lynda Carter as the eponymous Bobbie Jo. Suspense, on the other hand, permeated STUNTS (1977). The mystery of what really happened on a movie shoot, with a stuntman dying, is investigated by the man's brother, who assumes his sibling's place in the production. Into the 1980s, Mark Lester made varied motion pictures.

CLASS OF 1984 (1982), was the story of a teacher arriving at a high school, and encountering nothing but problems from its controlling, hardcore gang of violent students, who make his life sheer hell. Mark Lester then made a foray into science fiction with FIRESTARTER (1984). A young girl with pyrotechnic abilities is sought after by a government agency, who take a great interest in her gifts for specific reasons. One of Mr Lester's highest grossing films was action blockbuster COMMANDO (1985). When the daughter of an army colonel is kidnapped by archcriminals, he determines to find her, no matter what the consequences. ARMED AND DANGEROUS (1986), was a move into comedy for Mark Lester. A former policeman and a lawyer make career changes into security, and inadvertently becomes mixed up in shady business, but discover corruption in their company, and aim to investigate this. The 1990s were also a time of filmic activity for Mark Lester, with action high on his agenda.

CLASS OF 1999 (1990), was a sequel to the director's own CLASS OF 1984. This time around, violence again has been rearing its ugly head in American high schools. A new school principal tries to reinstate order, enlisting the assistance of robots in his mission, but things take a sinister turn in this science fiction movie. In SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOYKO (1991), two policemen with a penchant for martial arts team up to protect a witness against Japanese organized crime, but are confronted by hard facts in this action vehicle. NIGHT OF THE RUNNING MAN (1995), once again mined action territory. A taxi driver comes into a large amount of money, which is from the Mafia. and a hitman pursues him tenaciously to retrieve the cash. THE EX (1996), featured a psychopathic young woman who would do anything to return to her ex-husband, resorting to murder to accomplish her goal. Another movie from Mark Lester with a sociopath protagonist was MISBEGOTTEN (1997). A warped man seeks to have a child by artificial insemination, becoming a father, but then turns the life of the woman mothering his child, and her husband, upside down. 

Into the 2000s and beyond, Mark Lester made similar films with action/adventure/crime themes. In the case of BLOWBACK (2000), a series of murders occur in the style of a dead criminal, but this casts doubts as to whether he really is deceased, and actually has a hand in these crimes. In BETRAYAL (2003), a hitwoman ends up with a large amount of money from a job which has gone awry, and runs away to avoid being taken down by a mob boss for the cash. STEALING CANDY (2003), was about three former criminals who kidnap an actress to perform a pay per view pornographic film, but things are murkier than first envisioned in this thriller. GROUPIE (2010), detailed how a groupie joins a rock band, with a series of murders taking place after his arrival. With horror movie POSEIDON REX (2013), the search for treasure close to the island of Belize reawakens a dormant predator which causes torment aplenty. DRAGONS OF CAMELOT (2014), Mr Lester's last movie to date, was a tale of Camelot, and his evil sister Morgan, in her quest to rid herself of the Knights of the Round Table. ROLLER BOOGIE was Mark Lester's sixth film, and one of his most entertaining efforts.

Mark Lester has delivered a humorous and diverting movie with ROLLER BOOGIE. The story of a young upper-class woman seeking fame as a roller skater, and her involvement with a fellow skater from the working class, it is a fun motion picture. Admittedly, the film is light and frothy, aiming to please the audience in its bold, unashamed manner. It does not aspire to be high art, but seeks to be a pleasant time-passer, which is a positive quality. ROLLER BOOGIE knows exactly to whom it is aimed, being teenagers and their families, and does not beat around the bush in this respect. The film builds slowly but surely, and has a number of well-orchestrated sequences which raise it above other films in the roller-skating genre. The humor is actually funny, and there are no messy slapstick segments which seem forced. The tone is happy, but not overly empty-headed. For all its good features, there are a number of flaws which do not assist ROLLER BOOGIE in its intentions.

It is pleasing to witness the presence of skater Terry's mother and father in the film, especially as matters come full circle for the family at the end, but their importance in the narrative has been undercut by the satirical nature of their presentation. Showing them as caricatures in the initial stages of the movie is disappointing, as they could have been given much more deserved depth. Additionally, Franklin is a zany, accident-prone, upper-class preppy character, but it would have been great to find out more about him, and why he wants Terry so. Again, giving greater coverage to these characters would have added much needed zing to the final product. ROLLER BOOGIE also has a pleasing array of supporting characters who make their presence felt. As with others in this ilk, giving characters such as Hoppy, Gordo, and, above all, Jammer, more airtime, would have added further to the movie. Alas, there is only so much time that can be expended on peripheral characters, which is symptomatic of many pictures. In the final analysis, though, ROLLER BOOGIE is a proficient roller-skating film, and an enjoyable outing from Mark L. Lester.

Acting: There are distinctive performances in ROLLER BOOGIE which give the movie life and verve. As Terry Barkley, the young woman who yearns for more out of her upper-class existence, and finds this in roller skating, is a nice turn by Linda Blair. Her transition from a bored young woman, to someone with a purpose, is well enunciated by Miss Blair. As Bobby, the young man seeking Terry's heart, Jim Bray is natural, with a sincere screen presence. A champion roller skater in real life, he would have been great in further movies, this being his only film. Hoppy, one of Bobby's friends, is given fun treatment by James Van Patten. With his penchant of mispronouncing words, and general fun-loving nature, Mr Van Patten is lively. In contrast, the direct but catty Lana, is imbued with unassailable spirit by Kimberly Beck. Watching Miss Beck chew up Franklin, and others, are some of the brightest parts of the picture.

Albert Insinnia as the relaxed Gordo, another of Bobby's friends, contributes subtle humor as Hoppy's foil. An actor with warmth and an approachable demeanor, Mr Insinnia radiates a leisurely vibe here. As the sex-mad, accident-prone Franklin, who wants Terry, but always makes a hash of things, Christopher Nelson makes the viewer feel for him, despite his lecherous ways, which make for rollicking set pieces throughout the picture. The owner of the roller-skating venue, Jammer, is given authority by Sean McClory. With his no-nonsense ways, but vulnerability, Mr McClory delivers in his small role. The final acting of note is by Mark Goddard as one of the gangsters seeking to close the skating alley for redevelopment. His piercing gaze, and sheer audacity, can be keenly felt here, making Thatcher one of the best villains of 1970s cinema.

Soundtrack: ROLLER BOOGIE has a spirited soundtrack which blends exceptionally well with the visuals. The opening credits feature 'Hell on Wheels', performed by Cher, a strong tune that bolsters the movie from the get-go. In the closing credits, 'Roller Boogie' is played, another forceful song, this time warbled by Bob Esty. There is also a happy sprinkling of pop songs of the era utilized throughout the picture, with examples such as 'Boogie Wonderland', and 'Summer Love'. The soundtrack never becomes tiresome as there is always something different on offer musically, which keeps the film hopping.

Mise-en-scene: ROLLER BOOGIE offers a good visual experience for viewers. Dean Cundey's colour cinematography is pleasant without being too garish. As the movie is shot predominately in outdoor locations, these are nicely captured, such as the boardwalk at the beach, and the exterior of the Barkley family home. Costuming by Linda Bass, Jack Buehler, and Urbana Villafane nicely contrasts the casual wear of Bobby's friends, to the more sophisticated wardrobe of Terry's parents and family friends. This points to subtle class differences between the characters expressed in a non-verbal manner. Editing is another solid aspect of the picture, with scenes connected well, and the skating sequences conjuring excitement in the spectator. 

Notable Acting Performances: Linda Blair, Jim Bray, James Van Patten, Kimberly Beck, Albert Insinnia, Christopher Nelson, Sean McClory, Mark Goddard.

Suitability for young viewers: Parental discretion advised. Brief male nudity, adult themes.

Overall Grade: C

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer