Product Details

• Actors: Diana Scarwid, Doug McKeon, Helen Hunt, William Windom, Art Hindle
• Directors: Robert Michael Lewis
• Writers: Lew Hunter
• Producers: Arthur Fellows, Lew Hunter, Terry Keegan
• Format: NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630016389X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,670 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Teen Drug Movie Ever, February 26, 2002

By 

Ben Ertel (Mason, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desperate Lives [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie is the quintessence of late 70's drug cartel in American High Schools. With so many drugs being used, so many different ages and situations being shown, and the ignorance of the administration and adults in place. This movie shows that not only did the students not know the dangers, but more importantly, the parents and staffs of schools didn't know the problems. The police are the only ones who seem to really care here, as in the late 70's. I will say I'd watch this video over and over just to see the girl say weeeee at the end. Spectacular job CBS did!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Desperate Lives, July 22, 2005

By 

Elena Duran Sobrino "Puchi" (Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desperate Lives [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It is a movie that teenagers and parents should see. It helps to understand how peer pressure affects the individuality of children and how sucumb to temptation because inspite of knowing that the use of drugs is not safe, thay don't know how to say no.
The end of the movie is for me extraordinary"Th speech of the teacher Ėvery body does it...well I don't and you are the future
are very energetic and specially true.

E. Durán

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great to see this made-for-tv gem on DVD!, June 4, 2010

By 

Mr Doug Gordon (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desperate Lives (DVD)

I remember this movie telecast on CBS back in 1982 as the movie of the week. Even though it's a little on the corny side in it's portrayal of the drug problem plaguing high schools in the late '70s & early '80s, it has it's own distinct charm about it. This movie was one of the last ones that I remember that had a bit of an "After School Special" message to it. By the mid-'80s, the choice of good made-for-tv movie shrunk with the inception of speciality cable channels and so on. There are some recognizable faces in this tele-flick like Helen Hunt from "Mad About You", "Twister" and many other made-for-tv and theatrical releases, William Holden, Doug McKeon, Michelle Green and Grant Cramer from "Hardbodies" and "Killer Klowns From Outer-Space" fame. My overall rating is based on the DVD production of this movie. The video transfer is very clear and looks just like it did back when it was first telecast, the sound is good too. There are no added features like commentaries, scene choices or promos for this DVD. It is very basic. It's great when major distributors like Warner Brothers release TV movies, because they are flawless in their presentations, unlike when some junior distributors release made-for-tv classics. This disc was recently released in 2010, along with a large collection of other made-for-tv gems like "Bad Ronald" and 'Divorce Wars"-to name a couple of titles. If you are a fan of '70s & '80s made-for-tv movies, this title will not disappoint!