Blu-Ray Review - Streets of Fire

Just re-watched Streets of Fire last night.  I saw it a couple times back in college when I worked in a computer store (one of the other guys would leave it playing on the display monitor), but I didn't really catch onto it myself till a few years later.  It's the sort of thing you really need to be watching and listening to a the same time.

Local girl made good Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) from the group Ellen Aim and the Attackers is kidnapped by a biker gang led by Raven (Willem Dafoe) while giving a performance at a club in The Richmond district of the city.  One of the girls at the show sends a telegram to her brother Tom Cody (Michael Pare) who used to be Ellen's old boyfriend - asking him for help.  He turns up and accepts an offer from Ellen's manager/boyfriend Billy Fish (Rick Moranis) to rescue her - with a little help from ex-soldier McCoy (Amy Madigan).



As the subtitle says, Streets of Fire is a real "Rock and Roll Fable."  Directed by Walter Hill ("The Warriors"), it's really a movie from another time and place (or perhaps outside) - as opposed to the distinctly identifiable New York of "The Warriors".  The vast majority of it seems pulled from an early 50s "rebel without a cause" template - between the bikers, post-war urban decay (maybe more 70s there), cars, clothing, etc - but then you have some of the other clothing - Diane Lane's outfits, the androgynous dancer/stripper and Willem Dafoe's rubber overalls - and the incredible soundtrack and things are looking very early 80s as well.

After a few more viewings, this flick has really grown on me.  It's got some great action (epic duel by sledgehammer) and fun performances - including Rick Moranis pre-Ghostbusters and Willem Dafoe pre-Platoon.  Honestly...some of the tough-guy dialog is just a little too cheesy (although I guess some of it also makes a little more sense having just read that Amy Madigan's "McCoy" character was supposed to be a guy originally), but it generally works.  The music and soundtrack is what really makes this pic a blowout though.

I've had the DVD for a while, but this time I watched the German import blu-ray.  Highly recommended - it's all-region!

Now, to be honest, I'm not sure my set-up is reference quality at this point - my TV is pretty old and when I watch the same blu-rays on the TV on my ship, they look a lot better - but this is a nice piece of work.  Excellent audio and video and some great special features (including the two music videos posted above).  You can also buy the soundtrack separately on itunes or CD (actually a little cheaper on CD).

Highly recommended.