Roller, Bimbos and Bushido

Here's a fun/interesting review of Roller Blade Seven we discovered on SciFi Universe. This is the Google translation: Italian to English. 

Here's the link to the original: The Roller Blade Seven

Movie Review: The Roller Blade Seven # 1 [1991], by Nicolas L.

Review written by Nicolas L. on Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 12h21

Scifiuniverse

Donald G. Jackson left us six years ago. Almost completely unknown in our country (to my knowledge, none of his films were published in France), he was nevertheless one of the most glorious torchbearers of the American Z cinema. Many of his films - including the tetralogy Frogtown, remarkable for its wacky humor - are now considered cult, the kind of film that any fan of cinema bis US must have seen and own in his dvdthèque. 

In 1990, after the success of transmutations in the Indie US medium brought him a certain notoriety, Donald G. Jackson began producing a remake, that of Roller Blade, a film of action and martial arts completely broke where gangs of thugs in rollerblades clash. To do this, he manages to surround himself with a team of actors who will become his faithful fellow travelers. Indeed, if Donald G. Jackson loses a Roddy Piper (the star of Frogtown) having succumbed to the charms of the B series, he wins the friendship of big names of independent cinema like William Smith, Joe Estevez (the brother of Martin Sheen ), pornstar Jill Kelly, Frank Stallone (Sylvester Stallone's brother), the sexy Rhonda Shear and especially Scott Shaw, who will participate in writing the script and build with him the Zen Film Touch (a series of films shot without prior script writing).

If the scenario of Roller Blade Seven resumes the frame of the film released in 1986, it is quite different from its narrative style. Indeed, Donald G. Jackson and Scott Shaw surprise by giving birth to a script highlighting a strong psychedelic and experimental. The story is always set in a futuristic minimalist setting (in fact, this Wheelzone is only one of those immense channels of sewage evacuation of the American cities), which gives to the film an empty aspect rather disconcerting . We see Hawk Goodman (a character evoking a little MacLeod Highlander) fulfill a mission entrusted by the Reverend Donald (interpreted by the filmmaker in person!): Release the claws of the sect Master of Light Institute, led by Saint Offender, the beautiful Sister Sparrow. In his quest, he will have to face, armed with his katana and mounted on rollers (like almost everyone in this film) the terrible Pharaoh, the cruel Black Knight, ninja gangs and rogue gangs. He will also find allies along the way ... 

Far from the (very friendly) comics style displayed in Frogtown, Roller Blade Seven surprises by its atypical realization, made of repetitions of identical sequences, psychedelic passages followed by still silences, inserts tracks suprising (way video games), scenes slow motion and looping. In fact, beyond the simple action film, Roller Blade Seven is also a real trip without real logic, no rhythm, a dream awake without tail or head. This experimental approach is introduced (and justified?) By a sequence where Hawk Goodman, to become a roller warrior, must swallow hallucinogenic mushrooms under the eyes of his shaman, played by the star of the series B Karen Black, and supported by a Blurry photography and rollerblade outfits, ranging from clown gear to fitness bodysuits, to latex knight armor and banjo wear. In short, it's anything.

Directed with 300,000 unfortunate dollars, Roller Blade Seven may displease but certainly not leave indifferent. The vision of this film can be just as painful experience, a real torture, as a fascinating moment (well, I think). It is difficult to precisely define the work of Donald G. Jackson. Sometimes actors, for no reason, cross the screen from left to right, stop, take kung fu poses, before the story passes to something else via a simple cut. The music, absolutely cheesy, amplifies the sensation of nullity already well highlighted by the presence of ridiculous characters by their accoutrements and their attitudes. However, through this debauchery of flaws that could lead to the pestle, we can feel - it seems - the artistic approach and, foul dung, the film has managed to move to the status of cult film. 

Even more surprising. Roller Blade Seven wants to be an action movie, a martial arts movie. Out, the sequences featuring the martial choreography are empty of any rhythm and are only a series of plans linked by a fitting absolutely not opportune. The protagonists appear as soft and slouchy and the amateur of chambara will probably live a real nightmare to the vision of these passages. Note also that the footage is extremely wise, sex and gore are indeed completely absent.

Nicolas L.'s conclusion about the movie: The Roller Blade Seven # 1 [1991]

Roller Blade Seven puzzles me. After three screenings, I still do not know if this film is a real foutage of mouth realized by a hype or an avant-garde stroke of genius. I will therefore forget the artistic aspect to judge it essentially on my primary feeling; on the sensation of entertainment. Unfortunately for the film, considering only this aspect, my opinion is hardly laudatory. I was really bored in front of Roller Blade Seven. To be direct, I will even say that I have often royally pissed. And I'm not the only one, I even thought at one point that, stunned by boredom, my sleepy parrot would fall from his perch.

 

The Roller Blade Seven @ Scott Shaw.com

Scott Shaw Zen Filmmaking