Customer Reviews

Desperate Lives [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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

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!

this is a great movie..images of intense teen drug use...an incredible roller coaster ride...so many lives disrupted by the drug use.. but even though the movie shows so many negative things about drugs... unfortunately the movie may actually encourage drug usage...the teen drug users are truly the happening crowd in movie..I can definitely see teens watching this and wrongly believing this is a pro-drug movie...when in fact it is not...

I've been hoping to get this product for many years. Now my dream is forfilled.

Basically bought this to watch the scenes of a young Helen Hunt freak out on drugs and jump out of a window (yes, it was this film she did it in and NOT the flick Angel Dusted as so many other claim), which I so fondly remembered giggling at in my youth. However, it's a pretty decent film. Fairly realistic in parts, although it does go a bit over-the-top in terms of credibility at times. Haven't been able to find it on dvd, so had a pay a bit more for a VHS release...always fun to spend a lot of money on a flick only available in a dying technological format!! But, I "HAD" to have it for my collection, so there you go.

This movie is tight, it taught me how to deal with my first PCP experience. I was contemplating jumping out of a window, but upon watching this movie I decided against it. Ben if you see this email me at bkain22@hotmail.com
Lata!

I remember watching this when I was younger, but I didn't get many of the drug references until I recently watched it again. This movie is hilarious, not only does Helen Hunt jump out of a window after she snorts some angel dust, screaming that she is invincible and that bugs are crawling all over her, but another girl smokes angel dust while she's driving her car and as she goes off the cliff, she has this really peaceful smile and she says "wheeeeee," and she ends up crashing and dying. It seems like every single kid in this high school does drugs. The whole time the new counselor is trying to clean up the school all by herself, she ends up going through the students lockers and one by one pulls out stash after stash of drugs and burns them at a student pep rally. Pleading for the kids to stop using, its quite funny. THis actress is the same actress that played Christina in the movie "mommie dearest." She has a really annoying accent in this movie, and at times you just want to slap her. If you can find this movie, watch it. Make sure you have some party favors handy.