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Streets of Fire (1984)
33 Plays5 months ago
This week on the Everything Actioncast, Zach and Chris head to "Another Time, Another Place" to discuss Walter Hill's 1984 cult classic, Streets of Fire.
Starring Michael Paré, Diane Lane, Willem Dafoe, Amy Madigan, and Rick Moranis, Streets of Fire is a "Rock n Roll Fable" that follows solider Tom Cody, who takes a job to rescue his kidnapped ex-girlfriend and massive rock star Ellen Aim (Lane) from the motorcycle gang known as The Bombers, led by the sadistic Raven (Dafoe). Zach and Chris talk about the movie's distinctive look, what it is like watching for the first time for Chris, the movie's soundtrack, the sledgehammer duel finale, the unofficial sequel and more.
You can rent or buy Streets of Fire on most digital platforms, including Amazon.
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Transcript
Introduction and Overview
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Everything Action Cast, the official podcast of EverythingAction.com. Hello and welcome to the Everything Action Cast podcast for the week of May 27, 2024. I'm your host Zach. I'm your co-host Chris.
'Streets of Fire' - Cult Classic Origins
00:00:28
Speaker
And this week we are traveling to another time, another place and talking about Streets of Fire, the Walter Hill cult classic, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary on June 1st, 1984. And it was a box office failure, but has become a
00:00:46
Speaker
a pretty huge classic and inspire a lot of different things, including fighting games, like Final Fight and Streets of Rage, and music, and other movies that came after it. I think it inspired more incorporation of music in things that normally aren't musicals. Because it's like tough guy music. Yeah. It's a rock and roll fable. Yeah, it's a rock and roll fables.
00:01:15
Speaker
You don't really hear a lot of that. Mm hmm. But yeah, yeah, so this is I think this is basically it's like Walter Hill's like blank check movie where he made free hours, which was obviously was a huge success in the 80s. And then basically like he he and his writers and producers that like like made that movie but went back to Paramount and said, like,
00:01:42
Speaker
Hey, we want to make this other movie. And they're like, sure, do whatever you want. You gave us 48 hours. And then Walter Hill made Streets of Fire, which is his ultimate kind of like his perfect teenage film for his teenage self, where it's like hot rods, trains, neon, rock and roll music, leather jackets.
00:02:07
Speaker
cars. Yeah. Chase scenes and Diane Lane. Young, young Diane Lane. And yeah, the crazy cast. Yeah, Diane Lane, Michael Paré in like, I think one of his first major, like, well, second major role, because he was in Eddie and the Cruisers. That was like, it came up before this. That was like his first big role.
00:02:36
Speaker
Um, Rick Moranis in like a very un Rick Moranis role where he's like this, like, kind of like asshole. He's the fast talking mean business dealing guy. Yeah. Like the sleazy manager.
Film's Unique Setting and Characters
00:02:50
Speaker
Yeah. And especially if you watched him in, uh, second city and I think strange Bruce, I think like this is before Ghostbusters too. So, you know, this, this is just a weird Rick Moran. That's you're just not used to.
00:03:06
Speaker
Yeah, Ghostbusters was the same year as us, and that kind of like, that set like the Rick Moranis, that everyone, like the nerdy, charming Rick Moranis. A wholesome Rick. Yeah. And he is not wholesome in this, but he's got some banging-ass lines. Well, dialogue is fantastic. It's like this very fast, old-school, fast-talking, lots of insults back and forth.
00:03:33
Speaker
Like, Rick Moranis and Amy Madigan have this, like, a great, just, like, insulting each other back and forth. Yep. I thought they were gonna fall in love. They kind of said, they kind of had that, like, kind of, like, well, they won't they, or, like, just, like, uh, that, like, moonlighting kind of, like, we're, like, pickering with each other, but it's, like, oh, they actually like each other. Well, it's never confirmed at the end that they like each other. It's, like, he just sort of tolerates it by the end. That's, like, the best they can do. Yeah. Granted, it's only been...
00:04:04
Speaker
Two days? This whole venture is two days? Probably. Just feel longer. Like, the core venture is only two days. Yeah. Well, like, the whole, like, the main, like, mission that everyone goes on is like, like, one night, it seems like. Yeah. So I thought that would be way longer in the runtime. But, well, let's get into the plot.
00:04:33
Speaker
Yeah, so like I said in the intro, it's another time, another place, so it's this alternate comic book style universe where it's a world where it's sort of like the 50s in style and cars, but then also the 80s with music in some of the fashion. Modern weapons. Yeah, and then yeah, modern weapons. Well, in the 80s, the 50s came back. Yeah, so it's kind of like a combination of that where it's
00:05:01
Speaker
Yeah, everyone's a greaser, but then they all love Diane Lane, Ellen Aime, who's a very 80s rock star. But then they're towns all in the 50s. Yes. Some of their attitude, the culture, or some clothes-wise? Yeah, almost all the clothes, all the cars.
00:05:24
Speaker
And then it's hinted that there was like a future war that happened, which explains why everyone that knows how to wield a gun is like a grizzled, like, imperial vet or something. Well, I think Walter Hill like, he's like, I specifically made the choice of like, no one, no one over 30 is gonna be this movie. Cause it's, it's supposed, it's like this weird, like John Hughes teenage movie mixed with like the Warriors.
00:05:55
Speaker
But yeah, like Michael Paree and Amy Madigan are veterans of whatever this war was. They were soldiers, but now they're just out of work, and then they basically become mercenaries. Yeah. Michael Paree has been doing this for a while, so he's just been roaming around America, maybe America.
Plot Kick-off: Kidnapping and Rescue Mission
00:06:16
Speaker
We don't know. Yeah.
00:06:19
Speaker
There's some backstory that I couldn't figure out, especially when his sister and him do not look alike at all. His sister is played by Deborah Van Valkenburg, who is in the Warriors, as Mercy. So a Walter Hill veteran's back.
00:06:38
Speaker
And she's basically going to instigate everything because the movie kicks off with a full performance of one of the songs from the soundtrack. This movie's also sort of a musical because there's tons of songs in it. And so there's a full Ellen Aime concert song to kick off the movie. But then she gets kidnapped during the concert by the Bombers, who are led by Willem Dafoe.
00:07:08
Speaker
And then take it to like their territory, which is like the battery. And then, uh, Michael Paree sister is like a super fan of all names. Like, Hey, you should come back and rescue her because you guys like used to go out. Yeah. That's the, the most like emotional compromise person. Let's bring them as the hunter, as the bounty hunter. Yeah.
00:07:35
Speaker
But it's also weird, because the town made note has a police force, but they're just like, we don't deal with kidnapped cases. Sorry. It's weird, because it seems like the section, so I think Richmond is the good power town, or the where Michael Parain, they all live. And it seems like there's only two cops for that entire district. It's like Rick Rossovich, and then the other guy. Yeah.
00:08:05
Speaker
The that was weird because it made it seem like there was law and order and there is. You see that later. But yeah. Yeah, they're the only cops in this rich, rich district, I guess. But they just they're kind of mad that they kidnapped a popular singer from that district. That's like an old thing. It's like she came back to visit her hometown and then got kidnapped in it. And like there's only two police officers. Their power was to stop this gang from like riding in and taking her.
00:08:35
Speaker
Granted, no one has a gun. Everyone just sort of throws things and throws wild haymakers and that's enough for this town. But yeah, they cause a lot of destruction. The intro scene of the breaking up that concert and then stealing, it's as if
00:08:58
Speaker
It was so sporadic, but very organized at the same time because not only do they like beat up every able person that would stand up to them inside the concert, then they terrorize that one block. Like it's a whole full on riot where people are just crashing into things, blowing up businesses, tipping things over.
00:09:17
Speaker
It's a great intro, because you don't know anyone's name. I love the shot of Willem Dafoe in the crowd, and his face is dark, and then they reveal it when he unleashes his gang. Oh, yeah. And then also Bill Paxson's there. I get to that. Yeah, I was confused with who that was. You don't know that it's Bill Paxson until a little bit. And unless you've been paying attention and had a really good copy of this movie,
00:09:46
Speaker
don't know that until way later until they basically have to reintroduce his character because you just think he's just a stage hand that's another thing everyone in this crowd that isn't a singer looks alike everyone has the same like clothes and yeah almost the haircut i think rick ran this is the only one with like glasses on
00:10:14
Speaker
But yeah, but yeah, but yeah, Riva, who is Tom Cody's Michael Pare's sister, right? I don't know if she writes him a letter or is it a telegram? I think it's a telegram. There doesn't seem to be any phones in this universe either. So it's like, how long did it take to get to him? Like before, like this letter, they got mailed to him. It must've, they had taken like a little bit of time. A telegram maybe? It was a telegram if I got there faster, yeah, but.
00:10:41
Speaker
But Elle names in like the clutches of the bombers for a while it seems like. Yeah, her time with the bombers seems longer than the actual rescue time. Yeah. And I don't know if she gets like a costume change or she's just been in that outfit in that bed for...
00:10:58
Speaker
a few days. Yeah, it seems like she only has like one outfit for this entire movie, except for I think maybe in that like the one like the music video. Like when it's playing like there's like the song source or playing on TV. I think that she has a different album that video that was filmed like so there's music videos in this world. Even though it's like a like a 50s style like throwback world. Well, that's where the 80s tech comes in. Yeah.
00:11:29
Speaker
But yeah, Michael, he shows back in town. At first, he doesn't want to do it, but then he decides to do it. And he used to do it for money. He gets 10 grand from Rick Moranis to do the job. And then he cuts Amy Madigan McCoy in. And then he... Well, they spent some time with their friendship. Yeah, they're both solders. They bought, yeah.
00:11:59
Speaker
She, um, she wants to make it clear. She's not interested in Michael. She just eats like a job and looking for money and she wants to earn her key. Oh, there was, there was like, like, um, basically like within like five minutes, if I'm getting out of town, like he likes to beat up like an entire like diner full of like other, there's no gang that shows up.
00:12:23
Speaker
but they're so like, compared to the first gang, these guys are just the local tough guys. That's why I guess the shooter was just like, whatever. And yeah, Michael probably beats them up and then he steals their car and then he just has their car for like the rest of the movie. It's like, this is my car now. What you guys, another thing about the police is like, they don't care about like, it's like, well, he beat you up. It's his car now.
00:12:58
Speaker
And then he also, uh, he gets a, uh, like a bunch of, uh, weapons from a mechanic, which I guess that's where you get weapons in the C diverse. You have to, you know, like the local mechanic is like a car, a car truck full of guns. Yeah. That part is just showing how CD underworld was, but that could just be, you know, the eighties.
Music's Role in the Narrative
00:13:22
Speaker
You just go local mechanic who's also an arms dealer. Yeah.
00:13:28
Speaker
Yeah, so I didn't know how money works in this future. It seems like he doesn't do it for the money, right? His sister needs the money. He doesn't care about his sister to help her out.
00:13:45
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I guess I guess it's like regular money, but then but then it's like not America. It's not like our world. So yeah, I know. It's just like I wish the money came in a different form than if John with coins. Yeah, you know, like it took me out a little bit because.
00:14:02
Speaker
They don't talk about it until like way later until they're basically bribing people like a lot. Rick Moranis becomes the bankroll. But yeah, I mean, it's just the small details and they didn't figure out the coin thing because now if you want to do fantasy, want to kind of take people out of it, throw some fake money in. Throw an economy that doesn't make any sense. Make shit not based on the gold standard.
00:14:28
Speaker
Because I'm thinking like they could use the word creds. Yep, credits. Yep. But yeah, Cody's weapon of choice is just a shotgun. Yep. And no backup just that's it. Though he carries around like a bag a duffel bag. I thought there'd be like more weaponry.
00:14:48
Speaker
Well, he gets like he gets like a shotgun, like a revolver and like a rifle. But he only uses like I think he's the rifle when he like when he gets when they get to like the are bombers headquarters. Yeah. Also, let me tell you from the cover and from what the setup we're talking about, you think this might be a hard PG 13 or would be an 80s are.
00:15:11
Speaker
This is like very kid friendly up until maybe the one scene with like the lady dancing and you see her nipples. That's like the only like, Oh, okay. Walter Hill trying to sneak in some adult content. Yeah. The rest of it is just like, by today's standard, like a German car commercial. Well, I think especially women to foals, like leather team. I think the PhD team was going to get created like later this year, like at the end of 1984.
00:15:40
Speaker
Cause that was cause like, you know, gremlins came out is coming out and like, uh, you know, I think a couple of weeks from this movie when it came out in 1984. So, and that, that and like Temple Doom, basically like Kickstarter, like the PG-13. So this is right. It was right before we had like that in between. So as long as there wasn't like, you know, like hardcore violence or, you know, swearing or like hardcore nudity, then you got a PG, a PG rating.
00:16:06
Speaker
Yeah, I was saying, this had tasteful nudity, not so much just gratuitous. And it made sense. It was like a divey, evil bar. So you have divey, evil dancers. Yeah, everyone dancing to Rockabilly, which was a weird choice for this evil biker gang. They were basically Brian Setzer music. They were a decade too early for the swing revival.
00:16:40
Speaker
And it's like, the name of the song is like, it's like, like, like one big stud or something. It's like the, uh, the song that's playing it's like the evil biker bar. Yeah. One, one bad stud by the blasters. The song playing is supposed to be like very intimidating, but I think it's gay coded. There's like terrible, but sexy big man.
00:17:08
Speaker
Yeah, everyone in that bar is wearing leather outfits. Will in Defoe is in a serial killer plastic or very shiny apron with no shirt on. And it's like a kill suit. It's like a Dexter kill suit. Yep. It's definitely what a
00:17:30
Speaker
A serial killer with a sexual thrill would wear. It's a very industrial bondage look. But yeah, you have Michael Paré, Amy Madigan, Rick Marist, they're trying to break in. And Michael Paré's plan is I'm going to blow up all the motorcycles outside the club and you guys going to sneak in and get Diane laid out.
00:17:55
Speaker
in all the chaos. And Michael Paree is an incredible shot with that guy. Like he does not miss top from moving targets. Yes. Yeah. It reminds me like a Western when you see a cowboy take out people on horseback. I think I think I was definitely like in Walter Hill's mind. Essentially, it's just like, right, like thriving up this like tribe of people and then he's
00:18:22
Speaker
this guy is just um taking him out but they they're like the most flammable motorcycles in like in like movie history too because it's like oh i think that all of them were leaking gas i think they all have loose vowels like one of them one of them kind of like kind of like looks like lazily slides into the other ones and they all blow up i understand why why not just ball ball up early don't wait you like wait for everyone to start riding and he blows them up
00:18:49
Speaker
Well, there's there's like there's like everyone's just like like if you're not like in the club like listening like rockabilly music You're like outside just like doing like motorcycle stunts like just going off that like that tiny ramp like jumping your motorcycle Yeah, but yeah, here's the thing I couldn't tell like this is just motorcycle town or is every one part of William Defoe's gang because if they aren't
00:19:12
Speaker
Now they are. Yeah. You know what I mean? I feel pissed off this district. Yeah, I feel like I feel like everyone in that like district is in like the the bobbers. Yeah, then the district should go to war. I don't know if you can just take also she's supposed to be this like world famous singer or like or at least a national singer.
00:19:36
Speaker
No one seems to care that she got kidnapped. She's kidnapped with like a hundred witnesses. It's why, why would she like, like force her to sing at your club? Like, like you have the guy who, that's the thing. Like they, they kidnapped her for William Defoe, but everyone there has no interest in Diane Lane. They all want the big bad stud.
00:19:58
Speaker
Yeah. They want the blasters. Yeah. Right. Right. That's the blaster. Walter Hill wants a dirty fantasy, but he doesn't want it too dirty. He still wants a little bit of mystery. That's like William DeFoe is a bad man, but he's a patient bad man. Because for all we know, she's been there for like a week. Yeah.
00:20:20
Speaker
Just hang out in this bed, always refusing to kiss Willem Dafoe. And he's just like, all right, well, I'll try again later. And he tries again later in his wicker outfit. Yeah, he has that weird line where he's just like, we'll fall in love for like a week or two and then I'll let you go. It's really rapey. It's really uncomfortable. Yeah. But there's like no plan. It's so messed up because he doesn't love her. He just wants her. Yeah.
00:20:47
Speaker
But there's no like, there's no like ransom or anything. It's just like, I'm gonna keep, I'm gonna hold you here for like a week or two and then I'll let you go when I'm done with you. Fake fall in love. I know this ain't real. So it explains that, you know, it's not a typical, I'll kidnap this woman, I'll marry her and that'll be it. It's like, he knows it's short term. That's how evil he is. He figured it out.
00:21:13
Speaker
But yeah, but like the main the main trio like easily get her out of there. Without a hitch. Yeah. This is Walker out. Yeah. Everyone does their job. And I am shocked for that because you figure, you know, maybe Rick Moranis might pull a fast one. He might chicken out. He might make another deal. Nope.
00:21:35
Speaker
Or what about the, um, the mercenary woman, you know, the, the soldier who claims he's a soldier, no credentials, no, nothing. We just know that she's tough acting, but she really shows like she infiltrates that group. She tries to seduce someone to getting closer, gets in the headquarters. Yeah. Had a problem and shoots nobody.
00:21:59
Speaker
And this is also like 30 minutes into the
World-Building and Character Dynamics
00:22:02
Speaker
movie. So like, you know, like what you think would be like the, like the, like the entire plot of the movie is like wrapped up with like the first 30 minutes. And then, then it basically just, it was like the warriors again, but it's like, they have to get back to like their home territory with like, with like this gang after them. It gets very, um,
00:22:24
Speaker
because you just know the beats. Except for when they keep ditching cars, because that's like a new thing. Yeah. You normally don't see so much ditched cars. And I think that's pretty funny. It's like, all right, we gotta ditch this car. All right, we gotta ditch that. Yeah.
00:22:42
Speaker
It becomes a recurring gag. This is the first car. This is the car that Michael Price stole from the other guys. And then they're walking through, it looks kind of like a Las Vegas style, but I think it seems like it's the brothel area. I think it's all just hookers. It's like bars and hookers, but also there's music videos playing on TVs. Well, in New York, the 80s era looked like that too. Yeah, to be fair, that could just be any city in the 80s when
00:23:12
Speaker
porno theaters and ladies of the night and just garbage was a mock. But it's like, it's like a very, it's like a Dion drenched, like Las Vegas style area of whatever this city or world is. That is true. And then they, they run into like the most inexplicable character in the movie. Um, like baby doll, EJ daily.
00:23:34
Speaker
who just is like, hey, I'm only the biggest fan. She just joins them and no one says like, no. No one warns her of like, hey, this is dangerous. She's just like, okay, I gave you some help and I got money. She didn't offer anything that they don't have. She just tells them, oh, the police are after you. They're after the people that blew up like the torches, the bombers like bar.
00:23:58
Speaker
But it's like Michael Perry gave McCoy so much shit for trying to join the mission. And she's a soldier. And then they just let this random girl on the street join them with no combat experience, nothing to add. She's just like a young girl. They pick off the street to join them. And then they all hijack the bus of the Sorels, who are like a duop group.
00:24:28
Speaker
Um, trying to get to a show or just driving around. They said they, they say, they say they can't get like shows. So I don't know where they're, where they're going, but they're, they get their bus high checks. Yeah. The do a group is pretty funny because, um, they're so like, they're already segregated in that town. Where are they coming from in that like tough town? Yeah.
00:24:58
Speaker
Cause it's, yeah, it's a tour bus, but they're like, oh, we can't, we can't get a, we like, no one will like hire us or we can't get eight gigs. Like avoid this town. This town sucks. And then, and then they basically like audition for, uh, ran us and, uh, dial lane.
00:25:18
Speaker
Which is, they have a nice musical number. Yeah. Which, but it's funny because like the, the song, like that song is like a very, it's a classic, like kind of like do up like RB song. And then there, there was later saying, uh, I can dream about you, which is like a full on just like eighties pop songs. Yeah. I'm wondering in that, did, were they, no, no, all the band members, I think except for the main guy is an actor. Yes. And then the main guy was like lip-syncing to like a different singer.
00:25:47
Speaker
Which is the same thing with Diane Lane. They basically combined two different singers for her voice. And then they dubbed over. I think, actually, for the first song and the last song was a different singer. And then the one song in the middle, in the section, the neon section, that sorcerer song was a different singer.
00:26:15
Speaker
Makes sense. I mean, in this world, in a different time, Diane Lane has range. And that Sorcerer song was also written by Stevie Nicks, a Fleetwood Mac. The soundtrack in this movie, it took a year later for people to realize how awesome the music was.
00:26:34
Speaker
Well, it's always been odd to me that, like, I Can Dream About You comes from this movie. Because it's so, like, outpaced, the movie. Like, no one who hears that song probably knows that it even came from Streets of Fire. I didn't either. I honestly didn't know. Because that's like a certified, like, top 10, like, big 80s pop hit. It's like the end credits song. Yeah. It reminds me a lot of, in, like, The Last Dragon,
00:27:03
Speaker
like um like debarge like their song rhythm of the nights is that movie and that came from that movie but that also became like this like pop hit that like far exceeded like the cult status of the movie wait which movie uh like the last dragon had like debarge like rhythm of the nights really that's what that's from because that was like uh like um
00:27:25
Speaker
That was a Motown Records sponsored movie, basically. They had all their artists on that one. But that song was originally in that movie, and then it just became its own pop billboard chart, and it didn't need the movie anymore. It just existed on its own. Which is definitely the same case with I Can Dream About You, because that's just like, it's like, hey, you know that came from Streets of Fire? And like, what? What did you think of Fire? Yeah.
00:27:55
Speaker
Because all the other songs in the movie are like only exist in this movie, but then that one is just like the like crazy pop hit. Yeah, it definitely stands out because way more wholesome and catchy. Yeah, the other songs kind of take you out and very genre specific, but
00:28:19
Speaker
You know, like the way they sing it as if it was called Streets of Fire, like this movie should have been called Dream About You, you know, like it's such a different song. Well, since talking about music, apparently they want like because like the title of the movie comes from a Bruce Stink's song, Streets of Fire, not featured in the song. No, because they were negotiating with him. And then
00:28:40
Speaker
They're like, well, we're going to dub over. We're going to have like, it's going to be a cover version of it, basically, because we have like our character L and AIM sing it. And he's like, the person was like, nope. I won't have anyone else sing my song. So then they had replaced, because that was going to be like the big closing song of the movie. It was like Streets of Fire, like the cover version. But then they had to come up with that. Tonight is what it means to be young, like the big closing L and AIM song.
00:29:12
Speaker
That totally makes sense then. But, uh, yeah, so anyway, so the whole, the whole group is on the bus and then they get stopped by the police, which like, I don't know where these police come from. I guess they're like the battery police. So apparently like, or like whatever the neon section, wherever that place is called, that's like their police force, but they have like way more police than like a Richmond or wherever they, wherever they came from.
00:29:45
Speaker
Cause there's like a whole like police blockade blocking them. Yeah. And it's like something from another movie. Like that feels like a blues brother thing. Yeah. Cause like Rick Moran tries to bribe them and they're like, well, more money. We need more. We need more. And then like, well, hey, that's not gonna work. You're arrested under arrest. And then is it one of the guys in that bus meatloaf?
00:30:14
Speaker
I don't think so. I don't Meatloaf covered, I think he did a version of like, Nowhere Fast, like the first song that's in this movie. But I don't think he was in, I don't think he had a cameo or anything in this movie. Okay. I don't know. I just feel like in this kind of movie nowadays, you would see like a mix of more singers and actors together.
00:30:41
Speaker
Yeah. Singers in this spread the route, but you figure way more. Yeah. I love the solution is we're going to blow up. We're just going to shoot these cop cars and blow up, blow up these cop cars and drive through, run and drive through. Not really a plan, more of a panic thing. Yeah. And then that force is then like, well, we got this, we got this bus now because now they know this bus is like, uh, has like criminals on it.
00:31:12
Speaker
But the doo-wop band didn't have to run. No, they just keep adding people. The group just keeps getting bigger as they go along. It's like, well, now we have this band with us. We have this fangirl, now we have this doo-wop band with us. The fangirl is weird. I think she disappears at the end, right? You don't see her. No, she's still in Dylane's apartment later.
00:31:39
Speaker
But then she leaves, because then that's when Cody's going to have this mature talk. And then she just goes, oh, and leaves. I don't see her at the end. No, but when Cody goes to collect his money, she's there still. Yeah, that part I saw. But yeah.
00:32:03
Speaker
They take a train in, very close to that bus accident, that bus incident. They just take a train and warrior their way in. But a much easier train ride than the Warriors had, because they get all the way back. They're fine. But then Willem Dafoe and his ganks show up, and then
00:32:27
Speaker
or they show up at the police station, it's like, give me, I want Tom Cody tomorrow morning, one on one. Russell, we're gonna destroy this whole section. I thought that's like another day because after they drop off, that's where Cody declares his love for Diane Lane again. And then they hook back up.
00:32:47
Speaker
Yeah, well, I think they get back. It's all like this whole like rescue takes place over a night. But then it's still dark when they get back. So I think it's still like it's like super it's like super late night or like early that morning. But then that that night, that's where Dylann and Cody like just meet up again. Yeah. Which I don't know where Rick Moran is. He just sort of leaves. Yeah.
00:33:15
Speaker
Oh, my girlfriend's back. All right. Well, time to count money. Yeah. Yeah. Like, because like, because Cody is like, oh, I'm going to take it like the koi's cut. You can have the rest if those that's later, that's later. Yeah. But there's a point in the movie where Cody and Diane Lane spend like the night together. Yeah, that's what's that's that's after he rejects the money because then Ellen's like, oh, he like does care about it. Yeah, I am confusing like two different parts.
00:33:43
Speaker
He's like, oh, like, I think that was like turning for her was like, oh, he doesn't like he does. Like he's not in it for the money now. He's in it for like, you know, getting me back or whatever. Oh, he's into me instead of the money. But yeah, it took some money. Mm hmm. OK, I'm like out of order.
Climactic Showdown and Resolution
00:34:02
Speaker
And then it's such a side plot to the actual venture. Yeah. Well, their, their romance is such like a weird, like, yeah, it's, it's like, it's one of the driving forces, but then it's all, it's like such a, like, it's kind of like undercooked and it's also like really weird because he puts like, he's like, they're like, Oh, we're going to run away on this train together. And then he like knocks her out. Oh, he does not do a gentle tap to the head. It's like a full on clock. And then she jokes about it later. She's like, Oh, you're the guy with the left hook or whatever.
00:34:32
Speaker
Oh, man, you didn't bruise the merchandise. Yeah, because like he like has McCoy. It's like, keep her on this, get her on this train, get her out of town. Because he's like, he has to do like the battle with the Raven, with Womb the foe. I do like because in the beginning of the movie, I thought the police chief was going to really betray Cody. But he does say like, no, we're going to show their full force and guns ready and, you know,
00:35:01
Speaker
will protect this district. And I'm like, where was this attitude when you're a citizen guy kidnapped? Where was a famous citizen? Where was everyone with their guns? Because Bill Paxton goes and gets everybody. Everyone has a fucking gun. And they all come back and they have a full army ready to take on the bombers. Like a citizen army. But they're going to let Michael Parais and Willem Dafoe
00:35:30
Speaker
have a sludge hammer duel. Which is, I just like, one of the folks is like, yeah, here's, I chose my weapon, sludge hammers. Well, I guess in his district, it's all like- Industrial, yeah. Industrial, so it's like their weapon of choice isn't a knife, it's a hammer. I do like that like Walter Hill basically kind of like returned to this idea like decades later for both of the head when he had like the Stallone, Jason Momoa like axe fight.
00:36:00
Speaker
Oh yeah, that was a Walter Hill joint too. Yeah. Which you can definitely tell like, if you watch this fire and you watch that, it's like, oh yeah, this is like, this is like a, like a Walter Hill thing. It was like, uh, a mono, a mono non-gun fight. Like they both have like a, like a weapon, sort of like a unique weapon that they're going to like fight each other with.
00:36:24
Speaker
Yeah, so they have like this like sludge hammer fight and then they basically then like Cody like wins, but then he like drops his hammer and then they have like a fist fight. Well, William Defoe didn't accept defeat like that. Yeah.
00:36:46
Speaker
But then Cody eventually emerges victorious, and then the bombers leave. And I guess they could never come back, or I don't know what happens to them. They've been disillusioned, because their leader had his ass kicked. Which happens. Yeah. I guess maybe in one of the sequels that they were planning, that they would come back, possibly. And the long. It's like Walter Hill had a plan for a trilogy.
00:37:15
Speaker
Yes. Like Tom Cody was going to be like one of his big characters. Like he was the top Cody trilogy. Yeah. And you know, on paper it sounded good. This world, this idea of a fantasy movie, but like ground it. It's not fantasy and sci-fi where nothing is too weird technology. The action is reasonable because it's all real stunt work.
00:37:46
Speaker
you know, it's weaponry that existed in the 80s. It wasn't some like laser beam. I think, I think just the production of this was pretty high just to have all these practical sets and explosions and I guess the marketing. Cause I remember like before I even knew about this movie, I heard shoots of fire was like a big flop, but it's actually like a cult favorite. Yeah. I mean, the budget was just never on TV growing up.
00:38:16
Speaker
The budget was higher than 48 hours. They gave Ultra Hill more money to make this than 48 hours. But then only made like around like half of that.
00:38:38
Speaker
But yeah, I guess to wrap up the plot, so basically, yeah, the defeat won the foe. And then there's a big triumphant concert where the Sorels are now opening for L and AIM. And then they sing, I Can Dream About You. And then L and AIM sings, that is what it means to be young. And then Michael Perret is like,
00:39:02
Speaker
He and I only have a final scene written. He's like, I can't be the guy that carries your guitars. But if you need me, I'll come. I got to leave now. It's a real tough guideline. You knew that their love is just passionate, but not internal.
00:39:23
Speaker
And he can't be like the second banana. Like he'd just be like a roadie. Yeah. He didn't care about her fame and he just like, it's me or nothing. But she offered to throw away her career for him and he just didn't accept that either. So it's definitely her. It's definitely something that we don't know about the movie and you know what the true nature of the relationship was like.
00:39:51
Speaker
All I know is either sex, rescuing, and head injury.
Cultural Impact and Legacy Discussion
00:39:57
Speaker
Yeah, kissing in the rain, one of Walter Hill's favorite things. But yeah, Michael Parry and Amy Maguire are going to drive off and have mercenary adventures together, because now they're partners. In the sequels, that'll never happen. Well, official.
00:40:21
Speaker
Yeah, there is an odd pseudo-sequel from 2008's, Wrote to Hell. I never heard of it until... No, I never heard of it either. Director of the late great Albert Pune of Cyborg and all those crazy 80s,
00:40:48
Speaker
Kickbacks are two, like, A's, B movies. And Michael Perry is back. He's playing Tom Cote. And then Deborah Van Valkenburg is back. He's playing Riva. But yeah, it's unofficial. It's never been officially released. It only showed at film festivals. It's never been officially available to purchase or DVD or anything.
00:41:19
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's only like it was seeing only in theaters. And I'm looking at some screenshots from this and it's all filmed digitally. Like it's all blue screen in the background. Yeah. But in 2012, Michael Paree, he still got that look. He still looks like a Josh Brolin. Also, before we finish talking about the plot of the movie,
00:41:48
Speaker
Michael Parry's acting starts strong in the beginning, and then it just starts getting loose. It's like the more he talks and more like, oh, he's more of a one word tough guy, but that's all he knows how to play. He doesn't smile. And if he does, it's like very like, yeah, I'm in love. Okay, I hate this.
00:42:11
Speaker
Yeah, he gives like a, like a wistful, like when he's here, like the final song, like he stays at the exit door for like a little bit. It's like, man, we could have had something, but I gotta go. I hate this song. Just yell, so play, I can dream about you again.
00:42:32
Speaker
played nowhere fast. So yeah, the the character development is the same. Like it's pretty amazing that this movie didn't end with like, like he gets the girl on a new ending. It's just like he solves the problem and kind of leaves town. Everyone's a little better, but it's that almost like Roadhouse to like it, you know, or the new Roadhouse where it's like, yeah, like,
00:43:01
Speaker
You didn't change much, but you changed just enough. Yeah. And for us, we just learned that he just told her he loves her, but then it's like, I can't be with you. That's it. Yeah. So it's a little rough, a little rough for her. Because you think it's going to be this like, especially in the cover, the cover makes it seem like, oh, they'll end up together and
00:43:29
Speaker
Like Rick Moranis will like understand, but Rick Moranis actually bows out. He's like, hey, like if you love her, I'll, you know, I'll like, you know, whatever. And he's like, nah. He's at the end, he's cool. And then, yeah, he's like, nah, I can't be like her, like I can't be like the like not famous one or like I can't be like just like a hanger. I'll be super jealous of this woman.
00:43:55
Speaker
What else are you going to do? What were you doing before this? Just being a bum in a different city? You're a mercenary, vague soldier? I guess so. He's going back to war. I don't have the war still going on. I think the war or whatever it was is over. It's never over, Zach. Yeah, from Rambo we learned that.
Final Thoughts and Reception
00:44:27
Speaker
Yeah, I guess I guess the sequels have been like they go to like different cities and then like it's like like a parade. Maybe I can just like go around just like having different adventures. Yeah. From what could happen, I guess it would have been the next town they wandered into and then solve their problems with with the power of rock. Yeah. How would you how would you keep like the Rock and Roll fable thing going to get like have like a
00:44:54
Speaker
a new band or like a whole new songs. Yeah, I think that's another thing. They kind of put themselves in the corner where it's like, does he have another girlfriend that's also a kidnapped singer? Mm hmm. Because if you establish that, like, yeah, it's a rock and roll fabled and all the school says it would have to be a rock and roll fable, too. Well, now it's not a musical anymore. Yeah. And then the next. Well, that that hurts the spiritual sequel.
00:45:20
Speaker
Uh, yeah, I don't I don't think that's the music music actually though. There is music. Okay It's just not that good No, yeah, I don't I don't think you have the kelp like you don't have like the caliber of like, uh, stevie nicks or dan hartman working on it. So But uh Yeah, overall it's it's it's a fun movie. Definitely like uh
00:45:51
Speaker
Cult classic, if you're a Walter Hill fan and you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth checking out. For your first time seeing it, Chris, it lived up to whatever expectations it had. My expectations were a little higher just because I thought it would be more action-packed and the chase would be longer.
00:46:16
Speaker
But everything gets resolved really quickly. It's like whenever there's a problem spot, it just gets quickly like addressed. Only at the end where William Defoe announces like, or really like his henchman announces like, Hey, we'll be back. This isn't over. Cause he makes a threat to the police. That, that is like tension.
00:46:41
Speaker
Um, but I think the first act is great. The beginning part where Diane Lane's kidnapped and then Michael Paree introduces himself to William Defoe who walks out onto a little streets of fire. That was cool. And then, yeah, like Michael Paree knows that, okay, like we've only got maybe an hour to get out of the city because
00:47:06
Speaker
to come for us. They're gonna come for us. And they're gonna come hard. But yeah, the townspeople rallying at the end was a little late. Like, it's like, where was that, like, first five minutes? Yeah. And that it's like, when the police and the posse go get their citizen back, I feel like they all that that town also has cops. So it's not like a lawless city.
00:47:32
Speaker
I don't know if there's a lot of questions. Yeah, I don't know if those cops are up for the battery or if that neon district is another district, they don't say what the name of it is. Are they too afraid of it? Yeah, we can't go to the bomber territory.
00:48:00
Speaker
But yeah, it's definitely had like, you know, a lot of the musical classic, it's got like a lot of like, it's influenced a bunch of like other films. Like, like the screenwriter, like, like, like, it's it, you can definitely tell like RoboCop and like seven kind of like took some inspiration for this where it's like, you know, it's like alternate, it's like our our world, but sort of like twisted and like, kind of like the like some of the imagery and stuff is similar and then like,
00:48:31
Speaker
beat him up like Final Fight like Cody from Final Fight is basically like inspired by like a parade like Tom Cody from Teach the Fire. Oh, he's got the same haircut. Yeah, and like in the Streets of Rage is also like obviously heavily inspired by Teach the Fire. I think I think Japan like really like or like a lot of people in Japan like really like enjoy this movie like the guy inspired by it.
00:48:52
Speaker
Yeah, I heard things about this movie and saying like the world and how like it's kind of lawless in a weird way. Like it inspires that like it's a great setting just because the base of it is like moldable. Well, it definitely it has that warriors feel where it's just like it like this is like a
00:49:15
Speaker
Oh, it feels like kind of dystopian or like some sort of like apocalypse happened or like, just like something off about it. It's not quite, it's not our world at all, but there's like some, there's like some familiar things to our world, but like it's, it's not. And then like also like just all the gangs running around. Although this, this world seems like much more like put together than like the Warriors, like whatever that alternate seventies.
00:49:43
Speaker
Although I think the director's cut of the Warriors says it's like the future. It is? What? I think there was some sort of like, yeah, whatever the newest edition of the Warriors, it's like, oh, this is the future. Sure. I mean, I refuse to believe it is. Yeah. But Streets of Fire does feel, you know, forgiving because it's supposed to be another time, another place. It doesn't have to be Earth.
00:50:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's at Star Wars, like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away kind of thing, where it's just like, this is totally like an alternate world where the 50s never died, but then the 80s also happens. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of including 50s into things that just make it seem sluggish at times.
00:50:36
Speaker
Uh, but this, this works, you know, it, it definitely didn't feel like a bunch of greasers who were just gonna like hang around outside a jukebox. Um, they incorporated the muscles and all that, like the, the like force of them. Though I did laugh a little bit when.
00:50:54
Speaker
the the end sequence of all their gang members and you can tell the extras are just random people they just grabbed off the street and it just looks like a pride parade like it looks like a daddy leather convention came together yeah uh you do that scene in dodgeball where the bondage equipment goes to average joes yeah
00:51:17
Speaker
That's what it feels like. It just feels like, oh, these people must be super cold and standing on these like lawnmower vehicles. Some of them aren't even bikes. They're just like 80s farm equipment that they're just riding. Yeah. And the guns are just weird. Some of them don't look like at least it's so quickly shot. I can't tell if they have real guns or not.
00:51:42
Speaker
but the townspeople rallying together in their fifties, like stuff with the cops just feels like a Western, like it feels like the townspeople coming together to fend off the town. Yeah. So yeah, if you, if the marketing for this was geared towards like a new Western and had better, I guess dialogue between Diane Lane and Michael Perez,
00:52:08
Speaker
then I think this would have been more enticing for a bigger audience. But if you're in the mood for an 80s rock musical with kind of like really good cinematography, like really good lighting, color. I say see it for the cinema feel.
00:52:33
Speaker
but it's definitely not like, okay, we're gonna study the acting here. It's like, I'm gonna, I learned my acting style came from the William Defoe school of face looking. But William Defoe is like a stand out from this. Oh, yeah. He is. Where's William Defoe not a stand out? Oh yeah, I know. It's really hard for him to be like, oh, he's in this one. Like, oh, this is like great. This has a, they use them properly. I feel like really hard to be another villain that have that kind of,
00:53:03
Speaker
evil look. Uh, and yeah, like my first viewing was good. I definitely seen like clips, but putting all in the contacts is like a whole different experience. Yep. If, if, if you want to know where the song, uh, I can drink about you came from, it's a smoothie self that fills in like, uh, some pop culture gaps for you probably definitely did.
00:53:31
Speaker
So yes, that'll do it this week for Everything Action Cast. Head over to the site. We've got our Terminator Salvation commentary up, so you can watch Terminator Salvation with us for this one's commentary, and we'll have a different one next month. And we've got all of our usual features up there. We've got news, reviews, trailers, all kinds of stuff. Head over and check all that stuff out. And yeah, so for Chris, I am Zach, and we will see you next week. For more from Everything Action, head to www.everythingaction.com.
00:54:01
Speaker
You can also find us on Facebook at facebook.com slash everything.action, and follow us on X at Evieaction. We're also on Instagram and threads at everything.action. Find more episodes of the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast epic choice and be sure to rate and subscribe.