Roller Blade

My review was written in July 1986 after watching the movie on New World video cassette.

The fad of low-budget science fiction films inspired by the Aussie hit "The Road Warrior" reaches its nadir with New World's "Roller Blade", an amateurish junker released directly to the home video market.

Set in the "City of Lost Angels" during an unspecified post-W. W. III period of barbarism, pic has a female religious order controlled by Mother Speed (Katina Garner) battling with Dr. Saticoy (Robby Talor dressed like a "Road Warrior" bad guy) and his evil henchmen. The novelty of everyone performing on roller skates (except Mother Speed, who's in a wheelchair and young punkers called spikers who use skateboards) soon wear off nd the film becomes interminable.

Saticoy sends a foxy blonde girl (Shaun Michelle) to infiltrate Mother Speed's order and steal her power crystal, which has the ability to heal and even bring the dead back to life (it only works one time per customer, however, on stiffs). She ultimaely rebels and joins the good guys, who, led by Sister Sharon (Suzanne Solari) and a local cop (Marshall Goodman) destroy Saticoy.

Filmmaker Donald G. Jackson apparently shot this mess silent and poorly dubbed new voices for the characters, which only make it seem inferior to the numerous post-synched Italian films in the genre. Special effects (some of which appear to be executed by video techniques) are poor and there is no evidence of a futuristic society in the west coast locations and familiar looking freaks. Inane dialog fails to be funny and Saticoy's hand puppet/doll "baby" sidekick *(at one point it does a Froggy the Gremlin impression from Andy Devine's 1950s tv show) is too silly for a pro feature.

Obviously aware of the video marketplace, Jackson features a great deal of female nudity, including several porn actresses in minor roles.

End credits promote a sequel, subtitled "Holy Thunder".

this movie is a triumph of modern cinema.

it should be shelved between fellini's "satyricon" and truffaut's "400 blows".

with such enduring characters as "Mother Speed" and "Helpless Victim," you can't help but fall in love with their plights, empathize with their struggle, and finally, come to a stunning conclusion with tears of great justice shining in your eyes.

and not only does it come with brilliant, multilayered characterization & pathos, but also contains astonishing and subtle hints of sociopolitical criticism: for example, the upside-down, spinning shopping cart? i can think of no better symbol to better criticize the gross materialism that humanity seems to have embraced!

everyone should see this movie -- no, film.

may you forever skate the paths of righteousness.

There are certain bad movies out there that everybody knows. People talk of "Plan Nine From Outer Space" or "Robot Monster" or more recent movies like "The Room" and "Birdemic: Shock and Terror". But this one is seemingly unknown by the majority of people and that's a shame because it's awful in such a good way.

The story, if you can call it that, takes place at some point in the future. There are no cars and the only way to get around is on roller skates. Not roller blades mind you, roller skates. The "blade" part deals with knives because people use them.

There's this doctor character with a mutant hand puppet that wants a magic crystal because something something rule the world. You know, typical bad guy stuff. But in his way are the Bod Sisters, a group of rollerskating nuns armed with knives. There's a sheriff of sorts who speaks in Elizabethan English or maybe it's supposed to be biblical, I'm not sure but it's a lot of "Yay verily" and stuff like that.

And then three of the Bod Sisters get naked in a pool and perform some ceremony in front of a glowing happy face. Why? I don't know. It's never really explained and they're never seen from again. I guess they wanted to up the sexy in this to maybe get more people to watch it?

Oh and everybody's voice is dubbed. It's like they got three or four people in the recording booth and just had them record everybody's lines.

It's a shame that this never got a DVD release because I know that I'd want a copy if for nothing else to put on my bad movie shelf. This really needs to be seen to be believed.

I gave it an 8.. if you're looking for a B movie..ONLY a B movie will fit the bill..the fact that the entire cast is on rollerskates was the first clue that this was a truly a B movie.

I don't understand why folks insist on sitting through B movies and then get mad. You know it sucks. You know it's the chum of the movie world..yet..you keep looking for poached salmon..blegh.. get over it. Watch it for what it is..

Even Mother Speed (wheelchair bound) is wearing skates..holy crap..

My husband's favorite is the "Holy Hot Tub" where all wounds are healed.. with chicks with big boobs rubbing each other.. jeez.. if that doesn't say B movie..nothing does..

Get over it.. watch it for the silliness.stupidity and complete ridiculous premise.. have some FUN..jeez.. it ain't art..tis... crap.. enjoy it!!!!

I recently watched the low budget picture Roller Blade (1986) on Tubi. The storyline takes place in a futuristic, apocalyptic society where an evil dictator has taken over the land and needs a crystal to become invincible. The crystal is protected by roller blading nuns who are quick to aid a rebellion who wishes to overthrow the dictator.

This picture is directed by Donald G. Jackson (Hell comes to Frogtown) and stars Pat McClung, Suzanne Solari (Mulholland Falls), Jeff Hutchinson (Hell Comes to Frogtown), Katina Garner (Hollywood Horror House) and Michelle Bauer (Virgin High).

This picture was made on a $70,000 budget but does the best it can with what it had to work with. This is one of those movies that's genuinely so bad it's good. This movie has a ton of nudity and an absolutely gorgeous cast. The nude fights on rollerblades was awesome. Theres a legendary hot tub scene and the puppet was wild. The acting isn't good, and the dialogue is awful, but I could watch this movie 100 times.

In conclusion, Roller Blade is a disaster in just about every way...but I loved it. I would score this a 5/10 but still highly recommend it.