Streets of Fire (1984)

I guess someone watched Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains and caught onto Diane Lane's great stage presence, because Streets of Fire is bookended with great sequences of her performing. Lane plays rock star Ellen Aim, who's recently returned to her dismal and gang-run city for a big charity performance organized by her sleazy manager boyfriend Billy Fish (Rick Moranis). She's kidnapped onstage by creepy-as-hell biker gang leader Raven (Willem Dafoe) and her badass, suspenders-clad ex-boyfriend Rom Cody (Michael Paré) is hired to save her.

He enlists tough former soldier McCoy (Amy Madigan) to join the rescue, entering the gang's hideout in the most dangerous part of town, navigated by an unwilling Fish. Ellen's being kept as Raven's temporary love slave, but Cody and McCoy rush in with some guns and overconfidence and are able to get her out. They spend the rest of the night running away from Raven and his gang, switching cars multiple times and generating a lot of tension within the group. Finally it comes to a big heavy mallet showdown between Cody and Raven, and Ellen has to choose between her unreliable first love and her financially stable, doting boyfriend.

Streets of Fire is pretty darned enjoyable. It's gritty and violent, but in a (presumably) deliberately campy way. There's a fun, fast-paced story and a collection of funny characters who take pleasure in being really mean to one another. I really liked Amy Madigan as McCoy: she's rude, confident, fiercely independent, and just downright plucky. Dafoe is expectedly creepy and sinister, with a weird reverse Flock-of-Seagulls haircut and hell of snickering. And it's nice to see Moranis in more of an assertive role, proving he can be equally funny as a dweeb or as an asshole.

I'm underwhelmed by Paré's performance, since he seemed a little too pretty or something to be this badass mercenary. I kept imagining Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese in Terminator) in the role and it was perfect. Also, there's an appearance by Elizabeth Daily, whom I believe I've mentioned a few times before. I love her and it's rare to have her in a movie when it isn't a voiceover. She's super short and super cute here, as usual.

The visuals in Streets of Fire are really well done, utilizing the nighttime setting to heighten the effects of neon lights and wet reflections. It's slightly over-saturated, giving it a vaguely surreal atmosphere. Unfortunately the cinematography is paired with truly hideous costumes, from Ellen's poorly-tailored performance dresses to Raven's weird shiny black leather overalls. And everyone in his biker gang seems unable to wear anything under their leather jackets, so there's a weird amount of bare, white chests.

This movie is a fun ride, steeped in 80's looks, tone, and music. I dig the rockin' tunes, several from Ry Cooder, and the filmmakers do a great job of working the songs into the story. Overall it's just a good time!

4/5