Desperate Moves

My review was written in October 1986 after watching the film on Trans World Entertainment video cassette.

"Desperate Moves" is a truly oddball motion picture.unreleased domestically since its 1980 filming until recently surfacing in home video stores. Pic is an all-American picture made by Italian filmmakers in San Francisco, headed by Ovidio G. Assonitis, who previously made the horror hit "Beyond the Door" there.

Pic's alternate titles were: "Steigler and Steigler", "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "Rollerboy", last of which suggests its goofy storyline of a young man (Steve Tracy) addicted to roller skating who leaves his small hometown to venture to the big city (Frisco) with dreams of glory. He meets a beautiful but nasty girl (Dana Handler) who alternately teases him and romances him.

Landing a flunky job at the local rollerama, Tracy is befriended by fellow employee Eddie Deezen, local gay deejay Paul Benedict and worldwise landlady Isabel Sanford. Sanford even gives him $50 from her "Billy Dee Williams fund" to buy a prostitute's services, but is dismayed to find the young hero has blown the cash on an unproductive date at a posh restaurant with Handler.

Picture's best subplot has Tracy sent by Benedict to a psychiatrist who's an expert in ways of dominating people: enter Christopher Lee, deliciously cool as the master of viciousness.

Its age betrayed by frequent outbursts of dated disco music, "Desperate" is an enjoyable rites of passage opus. A conventionally happy ending fails to resolve the mystery of the leading lady's behaviour. Tech credits are flat, with sound recording up to U. S. standards (none of the artificial post-synching favored by Italian helmers).

In theory, a disco comedy can only be attractive. If you have liked classics like Saturday Night Fever or the underestimated Can't Stop the music, you could be on the false impression that Rollerboy is necessarily one of those forgotten teen-comedies you'll have fun watching.

On the contrary, it's a total failure. Ovidio G. Assonitis, the producer who have ruined James Cameron's first feature Piranha2, decided he could direct a "disco hit" on his own, providing he had some fresh music and solid supporting actors.

Alas! Nothing of the sort. None of the songs could be worth mentioning and the cast is either filled with unbearable hams (Eddie Deezen or Paul Benedict, both awful!) or unexpected but totally misused guest star (Christopher Lee who could have been funny if only he had been given a little bit more to do). At first, the audience could be charmed by the bitter-sweet tone of the film, but very soon, the sour feeling of being cheated at prevails. This pointless little love story couldn't be more irritating. None of the so-called gags works and the terrible acting of the leading couple makes the disaster complete.

No matter how hard you'll try, you'll never like this one.