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It takes a lot to win. This movie is usually considered a classic of lesbian cinema, and that’s too bad: its true sensuality lies in powerful erotic associations with running and the sheer pain of competition. The film opens with a memorable close-up of sweat dripping on tarmac, an early glimpse of a visual style which evolves throughout the picture into almost pornographic slow-motion sequences of high jumps, shot puts, and running legs. The story follows a young runner (Mariel Hemingway) from a clueless start in the 1976 Olympic trials through a vexed affair with her mentor-competitor (Olympic runner Patrice Donnelly) to a final, triumphant qualifying race for the boycotted 1980 Moscow games. The human elements are told in an almost documentary style, giving an honest, complicated look at the blossoming of friendship into love against the near-military backdrop of world-class competitive sports. Hemingway and Donnelly can act, and their drive to win is compel (more…)
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:27 pm
3.0 out of 5 stars
I remembered this movie to be better than it was
When Personal Best came out in 1982, at about the same time as Chariots of Fire – another running movie – I loved it. But seeing it again, it’s lost something.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
4.0 out of 5 stars
Personal Best
Was a little disappointed in this movie, but being a big fan of the actor I watched all of it anyway.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:03 am
1.0 out of 5 stars
DVD was not as described , not real happy about this
DVD was not as desribed , it has many small scrathes and sound quality is poor ( fuzzy ) not in origanl DVD case .
NOT HAPPY !!!!!
September 4th, 2009 at 7:22 am
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hard to beat
“Personal Best” is all about extending yourself to the limit and taking matters into your own hands. It still stands up after all these years.
September 4th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my all time favorite movies
I love this movie. it was one of the first one’s I saw, but they should have ended up together, but that’s what you get when the movie is written by a man.
September 4th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
VHS Personal best
Is older but plays well and doesn’t matter was just glad to find the movie. Arrived in timely manner
September 4th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Personal Best
Saw this movie back in 1982 when it first became a hit with soldiers and airmen alike while stationed overseas. Have long searched for the DVD version and now I’ve got it.
September 4th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Competition, relationships and humor
This is most definitely NOT lesbian cinema. Rather it is a touching love story between two people; one of whom happens to be a lesbian and the other (Hemmingway), who is bi.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars
Watching again
I found myself watching “Personal Best
” again after several years. Robert Townde creates a movie of coming of age within the world of sports, focusing on the human bodies of…
September 5th, 2009 at 2:15 am
5.0 out of 5 stars
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I WAS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL ON BUYING ON LINE BUT IT WAS EASY FRIENDLY AND MOST OF ALL SECURE IT WAS A PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE AND IM LOOKING FORWARD IN DOING IT AGAIN.