Rumble Fish

After The Outsiders, Francis Ford Coppola returned to the popular juvenile fiction of S.E. Hinton to film Rumble Fish, creating a cult classic that split critics into opposite camps upon its initial release in 1983: i.e., those who admired the film for its heavily stylized look, and those who hated it for the very same reason. Filmed in black and white (with an occasional splash of color for symbolic effect), Rumble Fish is a tale of alienated youth focusing on gang leader Rusty James (Matt Dillon) and his surly band of punks. Rusty's girlfriend (Diane Lane), older brother Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), and drunken father (Dennis Hopper) have all given up on trying to straighten him out. He's best at making trouble, and he pursues that skill with an enthusiastic flair that eventually catches up with him. But it's not the story that matters here—it's the uninhibited verve of Coppola's visual approach, which includes everything from time-lapse clouds to the kind of smoky streets and alleyways (filmed in Tulsa, Oklahoma) that could only exist in the movies. The supporting cast includes a host of fresh faces who went on to thriving careers, including Nicolas Cage, Christopher Penn, Vincent Spano, Laurence Fishburne, and musician Tom Waits. It's a tribute to Coppola's vision, and to the enduring status of Hinton's classic novels, that Rumble Fish (a direct descendent of The Wild One) has now taken its place among the more beloved "troubled youth" films of all time. Boasting a handsome new transfer, DVD extras include commentary by Coppola, deleted scenes, a production documentary, and a close-up look at the creation of the film's memorably percussive score by Stewart Copeland (drummer for The Police), whose "Don't Box Me In" music video is also included. Recommended. (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray/DVD Review—Apr. 18, 2017—Criterion, 94 min., R, DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1983's Rumble Fish features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include audio commentary by director Francis Ford Coppola, the 2013 documentary “Locations: Looking for Rusty James” (90 min.), the behind-the-scenes segments “On Location in Tulsa” (12 min.), “The Percussion-Based Score” (12 min.), “Mickey Rourke, California, February 1984” (9 min.), and “City Lights” (9 min.); the featurette “Camus for Kids” (21 min.); interviews with cinematographer Stephen H. Burum and production designer Dean Tavoularis (31 min.), costars Matt Dillon and Diane Lane (20 min.), Coppola (20 min.), author S.E. Hinton (20 min.), and associate producer Roman Coppola (8 min.); deleted scenes with an intro by the director (20 min.); a music video for “Don't Box Me In” by Stewart Copeland and Stan Ridgway, and an essay by critic Glenn Kenny. Bottom line: Coppola's atmospheric young adult drama sparkles on Blu-ray.]