There are many roller skating movies out there that you might enjoy watching. Watching these movies is not only entertainment, they can also give you a look at what is possible when learning how to roller skate.
The Rink
This movie came out in 1916 and features the ever-popular Charlie Chaplin as a waiter on roller skates. It is played to piano music and consists of Chaplin’s trademark performance techniques. It is the first roller skating movie ever made. You can watch this movie in its entirety on YouTube. You can also find DVD copies of this movie.
The Fireball
This movie stars Mickey Rooney, Pat O’Brien, and Beverly Tyler. Rooney stars as Johnny Casar. He is a young man that resides at a Catholic orphanage. He is very angry and decides to run away from that orphanage to set on his own. He becomes a dishwasher but later decides to attend a roller derby match where he falls in love with the sport. During this, he meets the love of his life. This movie came on the screen in 1950.
Kansas City Bomber
Rachel Welch stars in this 1972 flick about roller games. Welch plays as the Kansas City Bomber, and she is the best thing that ever did anything on skates. This movie features a lot of fighting and quite a bit of team rivalry.
Unholy Rollers
This film came out in 1972 and starred Claudia Jennings. It was made to compete against the Rachel Welch movie Kansas City Bomber, and it was supposed to be the first one to come out. However, they did not get production out fast enough. The movie is similar to Kansas City Bomber in the plot, featuring a lot of skating and a lot of fighting.
Roll, Freddy, Roll
Featuring the ever funny Tim Conway, Roll, Freddy, Roll came on the screen in 1974. Conway is a computer programmer who tries to set a new world record over his ex wife’s new husband. The movie is hilarious, and many people have enjoyed the funny storyline.
Roller Boogie
Roller Boogie premiered in 1974 and starred Linda Blair. Linda Blair was the actress possessed in the Exorcist movie. This film features roller skating and falling in love. If you are interested in watching it, the film is on YouTube.
Rollerball
Rollerball made its way on screen in 1975 and featured the very popular James Caan. The movie features one last big game of roller ball against a group of rivals, and James Caan is the leader. This film is pretty popular for those wanting a feel good story of roller skating and triumph.
Xanadu
Xanadu premiered back in 1980 and starred Olivia Newton-John. Gene Kelly made an appearance in this movie as well. Some people hated this film, but it seems to have a bit of a cult following. It is the only roller blading musical known to be produced so far. It features some mystical qualities and a few surprises throughout the film. If you want to watch a unique movie featuring some skating, you may want to give this one a try.
Get Rolling
This documentary came out in 1980, and it is a documentary about the love of disco roller skating. It features Pat Richardson, Inez Daniels, Vincent Brown, and more. This film focuses on their life in Brooklyn and their roller skating.
Roller Blade
This movie came out in 1986 and is set during a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. The movie is an action comedy and features trying to find a lost crystal that a nun currently has possession of. This particular movie does not have the best reviews or ratings.
Solarbabies
This film is set in a post-apocalyptic world. It features the Earth’s water being contained and regular people not having access to it. A group of orphans have to work to be able to get the water back. This film has several popular science fiction stars like Jason Patric and Adrian Pasdar.
Airbourne
This movie came out in 1993 and features Jack Black, Shane McDermott, and Seth Green. This movie features a guy who is sent to live in Cincinnati by his parents to live with his Aunt and Uncle. He is not a fan of the area and is constantly bullied by other people. He finally finds some peace and respect when it is discovered that he can roller blade quite well. This movie consists of both action and comedy.
The Mighty Ducks Trilogy
The Mighty Ducks first movie came out in 1992, and while it was a heavy hockey film, there is plenty of roller blading in it. This movie stars Emilio Estevez and is widely popular. There were two more sequels made. These movies are fun loving and a must for anyone that loves skates.
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights premiered in 1997 and featured the very popular Mark Walberg. This film features Walberg’s fall in dealing with drugs and other life issues, to his rise after being discovered as being good at roller blading. This film features a ton of stunts that were done by the cast themselves. It is very popular among fans.
Roll Bounce
Roll Bounce came out in 2005 and is set in 1978 in Chicago. The story is about a teenage boy named X who has lost his mother and then later loses his local roller rink. He and his friends have to go skate at an uptown rink where people are disrespectful. They decide to enter into a roller disco contest. The film features on the competition and training as well as learning how to work through family and relationship issues.
Some of these movies may be hard to find, especially some of the older ones. However, YouTube has been a good resource for many older movies and ones that have not done well at the box office. Consider watching several of these movies to get some entertainment and see how the roller blading world is portrayed in Hollywood.
