Streets of Fire

1984 / Director. Walter Hills.

Streets of Fire is a great film. Set in "another time, another place" in a city thats an amalgamate of vintage 1950s and retro 1980s, it boasts itself as a Rock N Roll Fable. And that's exactly what it is. Tom Cody is a drifter and an ex soldier who is called upon to rescue his former girlfriend (now a popstar sensation) from a gang leader who's kidnapped her for his own pleasure. Everything about this film works and its unusual setting and fabricated design bolsters it's status as a timeless classic. The whole film is shot on a soundstage & back lot, reminiscent of West Side Story and the colour schemes against the wet and gloomy cityscape lend it a surreal and heightened reality. The music is so good with two amazingly kick-ass numbers towards the end. Michael Pare, Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, Willem Dafoe and Amy Madigan are all wonderful. Aside from the entire aesthetic of Streets of Fire, my favourite element is the defeat of the villain. There is no overly long, extended fight sequence... there is no repetitive come-back... its a quick and brutal punch up with no messing around. The bad guy is down, and that's it.... on with the rock music! This is a cult movie that should be in every film geeks collection. 

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Michael Pare returns as Tom Cody 20+ years later in Albert Pyun's sequel, Road To Hell. 
Look out for my review.