Streets Of Fire

In a post last week, I mentioned that Walter Hill is one of my favorite filmmakers. I've loved most of his movies, but none more than his stylish 1984 rock n' roll fable Streets Of Fire.

Diane Lane stars as Ellen Aim, a rock star who has returned to her hometown to put on a show. During her performance, a viscous biker gang led by Raven, Willem Dafoe, charge the stage and kidnap Ellen. A diner owner named Reva, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, witnesses the abduction from the crowd and wires her soldier brother Tom Cody, Michael Pare, to come home. Tom hops a train and comes home. Reva tells him he needs to rescue Ellen, but Tom has mixed emotions about this because she was his former flame. Teaming up with an ex soldier named McCoy, Amy Madigan, Tom puts his feelings aside and the two go to save Ellen.

This is one of the most stylish and inventive movies ever. Hill really came into his own here and shows that he is more than just an action director. Using a mix of 50's and 80's styles, Hill has created his own rock n' roll world.

For the most part, the cast is pretty good, with the exception of Pare, who comes across kind of wooden. Madigan is really great in a role that was originally written for a guy. The supporting cast, which includes Rick Moranis, Lee Ving, Robert Townsend, Bill Paxton, and Elizabeth Daily are all pretty good.

Even though it was hated by critics and was a box office flop, Streets Of Fire is one of my favorites. A truly original experience.

It's available on dvd.