Streets of Fire

A self-described "rock and roll fable" from "another time, another place," Walter Hill's 1984 Streets of Fire is a mix of Western, motorcycle movie, and film noir done up in comic book style. Michael Paré plays soldier of fortune hero Tom Cody, who rides with a small posse into the lawless territory of a biker gang led by the villainous Raven (Willem Dafoe) in order to rescue a kidnapped rock star (Diane Lane), who was once his lover. Rick Moranis costars as the sneering manager who clashes with Tom over the woman they both love. Streets of Fire plays out in a fantasy version of a 1950s city, an urban neighborhood of diners and brick storefronts gathered under the rumble of an elevated train. The film's attitude and style are set during an exhilarating opening sequence that is edited to a driving rock and roll beat. The plot is simple and the characters are archetypes—the sullen loner hero, the smart-talking sidekick (Amy Madigan, in a role originally written for a man), the glamorous heroine with the look of a femme fatale and the tough assurance of a survivor, the smiling villain who makes the fight personal—but Hill makes the familiar tropes interesting by creatively mixing genres and stirring in a soundtrack of rock songs and a guitar-based score by Ry Cooder. Bowing on Blu-ray in a newly remastered edition, extras include behind-the-scenes documentaries and featurettes, music videos, and a stills gallery. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)