Retro Reviewing: "Personal Best"

Personal Best is not on my list of Personal Favorites anymore...lol That said, there's two ways to consider the "matter of fact" way the lesbianism was portrayed. The way you kind of put it, in that they acted like it was "no big deal". Or, in light of the time it was filmed, that it treated the women's relationship like it was NO BIG DEAL, when IT WAS A BIG DEAL...as in the relationship between women was given way too little attention as a result, and the relationships with the men in the movie was given too much attention. If you watch the film on LOGO, they cut ALL the nudity and therefore the lone sex scene. What you're left with then is too little character OR plot development left to explain the women's relationship (which is supposed to be the primary relationship of the movie). Meanwhile, there is plenty going on between the female and male relationships to explain those (not that I bought it) outside of the bedroom...livingroom floor...whatever.

So anyway, it was pretty exciting at the time (I was just starting college) and not having been to a lot of movies of any kind prior...like maybe a dozen...who knew then how boring a movie about track and field could be. As for the rampant drug usage. It's a sign of the times for when the initial screenplay was written (the late 70's). There really was alot of drug usage until screening athletes for performance enhancing drugs, etc. took off. Thanks for enjoying our terrible fashion sense!

Great vlog! I think that this film was a bit on the slow side but it has merit in the fact that it explored female sexuality in 1982. I'm looking forward to the next vlog since Kissing Jessica Stein is a favorite movie of mine.

It was awesome to see Rina with Guitar Hero (Shout out to all the players!). I really think all the acting out is hilarious and should be continued.

I was in the US Army from 1990 to 1993 and I was so glad when I got out since I considered my time in there a pretty hellish experience. Revelling in my newfound personnal freedom, I entered grad school several months later. Feeling good about being 'out', I rented a lesbian video "Personal Best' which was something I couldn't do while stationed in Germany since spies were turning in my fellow gay troopers right and left (about eight people were discharged in my battalion for being gay.)

As the film started, I was FLABBERGASTED when I found out that one of the gals in the film, an African-American woman who I knew in basic training as Anderson, was in this film. I literally screamed in horror (something along the line of, "ITS THAT F****ing B*TCH!) when I saw Anderson. In basic training, Anderson was a total MONSTER to me and received special treatment because she was a former Olympian. She constantly belittled and picked on me and when I told her what she was, she turned me in and I had extra duty for five weeks and got about 4 hours of sleeop because of her.) Anderson picked on me for 9 weeks and I felt like I was in a woman's prison camp because of her. After seeing this film I was so tempted to call up the US Army and report that this horrible woman was in this very gay film just to get back at her. Thankfully for my karma's sake I did not. In conclusion, I can't help but despise this film because of Jodi Anderson, super witch extraordinaire, is in it.

Your vlog is now going to be one of my regulars to watch, joining BWB, WGN, YCTTA, etc.  I'm really enjoying it and looking forward to more episodes. 

It was the first time I watched this vlog too and I liked it.

Mainly because I'm a film student too (in Lisbon, Portugal) so I feel like we might look at a film in very similar ways.

I've never watched Personal Best but I own Kissing Jessica Stein dvd (I think that sums up how I feel about the movie, doesn't it?).

But next week I'll be right here, hearing what you thought of the movie and writing my own review :)

And I'd like to suggest a movie: The Children's Hour, staring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine :)

What d'you think?

Hey guys...

this vlog is not working for me, I don't know about anyone else, but it loads for maybe the first twenty seconds and then stops...

<td hei

Best vlog on AfterEllen - love hearing from some smart girls.  Keep it up.  

Some suggestions:  pick up the pace a bit - be more focused with an outline or key points that you are going to sort of follow.  And feel free to drive home some of your points a little harder -- we want to hear your opinions - that's why we are watching you.  

Also, would love to see more clips from the films you are talking about --it would be nice to see a clip or a scene right before you speak about it - especially since some of us haven't seen that film in like 5 years.  It keeps your audience with you a bit more.  

(Maybe you could show the movie Preview, which is usually only 30 seconds to a minute long, near the beginning of the vlog.) 

Can't wait for you to review:  Go Fish, Bound, and High Art.

Retro gals,

Your vlog is great but of all people you guys should have better lighting! Get some of your production classmates to come help out with lighting and give them some production experience at the same time....

thanks

Yours truly

the mole 

I was just figuring out my sexuality at that time, and the movie was HUGE to me.  There was no other way I would even know about being a lesbian, and what it meant. I was living in corn country and I was in my early teens...so for my generation it was an important film.   Yes in retrospect, I am sure it sucks.  :-)  But for the time...it was a big step, and with a huge name in Hemingway....granted the girls careers didn't do much after the 80s...Even now I can watch the film, and it brings back many memories.

Nice Vlog....I enjoyed it!!!

Love the vlog. Love you guys. Not a fan of this movie, but it did a lot. Like everyone else I am totally excited to see the next vlog on Kissing Jessica Stein. It is one of my all time favorites.

Love the rennactments. You all are funny ladies and miss thing with the arms you need to stretch in just about every episode from here on. Show off those guns!

Overall, cool vlog and can't wait for the next.

I LOVE Mariel's gorgeous dark eyebrows in this movie.... Although I do admit that I have a bit of a 'thing' for girls with heavy brows. Mysterious and moody.... (*sigh!*)

Ahem anyway! That was a great vlog ladies, keep up the great work!  

(*blistering guitar feedback*)

Hey, I just got around to watching your vlog. I don't know if you are going to get this but I enjoyed this episode. I don't have anything constructive to say but I am definitly going to watch Kissing Jessica Stein before the next ep.

"So put me on a plane, and fly me to anywhere...with you"-Augustana