There is nothing quite like the experience of Walter Hill’s 1984 film Streets of Fire because it manages to successfully combine so many elements from history, mythology, film, television, and music to create an amazingly anachronistic music video-inspired western. At first glance the neon-drenched cityscape seems familiar but upon closer inspection the disparate elements from history and geography fused together in the construction become visible and the architecture reveals itself to be a collage of the sum total of Earth’s architecture. After a brief visual introduction to the area known as The Richmond, we are transported into the middle of a packed rock concert where hometown rock singer Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) and her backing band the Attackers are tearing through a sizzling rendition of their 1980s-sounding hit song “Nowhere Fast.” As the crowd remains fixated on the band’s energetic stage show, a 1950s-era biker gang named the Bombers, led by Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe), slip in through the back of the theatre unnoticed. Just as the song “Nowhere Fast” comes to a rousing finish, Raven and the Bombers abduct Ellen and take her back to their stronghold in the Battery. The people of the Richmond are crestfallen that Ellen has been taken from them, and local diner owner Reeva Cody (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) writes a letter to her brother Tom (Michael Paré) to return home because she needs him. Once Tom Cody returns to the Richmond, Reeva reveals that she called him back home to rescue Ellen from the Bombers. This seemingly straightforward request is complicated by the fact that Ellen Aim is Tom Cody’s old flame. Tom is visibly angered by Reeva’s request and only reluctantly agrees to save Ellen after a promise of payment from Ellen’s now boyfriend and manager Billy Fish (Rick Moranis). Recently back from war Tom Cody enlists the help of fellow ex-soldier McCoy (Amy Madigan) in his rescue attempt and Billy Fish comes along on the mission as well because he is the only person familiar the Battery. Under cover of night, the unlikely trio set off on their journey deep into enemy territory to rescue Ellen Aim.
The story at the heart of Streets of Fire is very similar to the story of Helen of Troy. To state the obvious, the names Helen and Ellen are nearly identical. Helen is considered the most beautiful woman in the world, and Ellen is the attractive lead singer in a rock band (who is also Tom Cody’s old flame). In terms of relationship statuses, Helen is married to King Menelaus and Ellen is in a committed relationship with her manager Billy Fish. Prince Paris kidnaps Helen from where she lives and takes her back to his kingdom in Troy whereas Raven kidnaps Ellen from her hometown of the Richmond and brings her back to his gang’s territory in the Battery. Both Paris and Raven are mad with lust for Helen and Ellen respectively – Raven’s clearly states that if Ellen would just be his “girlfriend” for a little while that he would let her go. At his brother King Menelaus’s insistence, King Agamemnon of Mycenae intervenes and dispatches his finest warrior, Achilles. Like Tom Cody, Achilles is also a war-weary hero, and he is summoned by his sister Reeva because the Richmond is sick with grief over the loss of Ellen. To save Helen, Achilles and his army must fight their way deep into Trojan territory so that Achilles can ultimately battle Troy’s fiercest warrior and Paris’s brother, Hector. In Streets of Fire Tom Cody and McCoy battle their way through the Battery to get Ellen and to ensure the safety of Ellen and the town Tom Cody must fight Raven.
Clad in an updated cowboy’s duster jacket and armed with a lever action rifle, Tom Cody is the modern personification of the classic cowboy character made famous by Clint Eastwood in The Man With No Name Trilogy. A man of honor and action Tom only speaks when it is absolutely necessary, and forgive the pun, but his aim is true. Love holds far more value to Tom Cody then money and we are shown that when Tom refuses his share of the reward money for Ellen’s rescue. In this moment of refusing the reward money Tom (without hope of reciprocation) professes his true feelings of love for Ellen, then walks outside into the pouring rain. Ellen rushes after Tom and the two kiss passionately in the rain (a scene that has been repeated in many western films and romances as well). Ready to run away and begin a new life together Tom and Ellen’s bliss is cut short when Tom learns of Raven’s ultimatum of a showdown between he and Cody. Though Ellen tells Tom to forget about the showdown Tom’s sense of honor and duty to protect his hometown will not allow him to run from Raven’s challenge. Much like a high noon showdown Tom accepts Raven’s invitation to a face off (replacing six shooters with sledgehammers). Surrounded by the Bombers and the townspeople of the Richmond, Tom defeats Raven and the people of the Richmond drive the Bombers out of town. Mirroring the opening concert sequence of the film we find ourselves in the same theatre but this time we are treated to a new opening act. Backstage Tom and Billy Fish stand in the wings and Billy offers to stand aside so that Tom and Ellen could be together. Despite Tom’s deep love for Ellen, Tom refuses Billy’s offer because he knows that their different priorities in life would drive them apart. Tom says goodbye to Ellen and tells her that if she ever needs him that he will be there. Ellen Aim and the Attackers take the stage and begin their song “Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young.” Tom makes his way to the back of the theatre and lingers by the same door that Raven and the Bombers entered at the beginning. After listening for a few minutes Tom Cody slips away into the night. However, there is a bright spot in this ending, as McCoy pulls up alongside Tom in the same Mercury that Tom stole at the beginning of the film. McCoy and Tom have some witty banter, and it looks possible that these two may have a romantic future together, and with that the duo drive drive off together (unfortunately not into the sunset but out of town) and the credits roll.
Streets of Fire packs in so much information that I would be impressed if a person were able to process it all in one viewing. I see Streets of Fire in the theatre every time that it comes around (three times in 35mm and once in 70mm!) and every few months I can’t help but put the movie on at home. Thankfully, Georgia has come to like this movie as well and we play the soundtrack non-stop (vinyl at home and Spotify when out). A visual feast centered around a mythological cowboy story and designed for the MTV generation is not something that I take lightly and Streets of Fire taught me to appreciate the different in films. The world offers us so much beauty in all forms throughout history and this film seeks to meld all of that delight together. I honestly can’t sing enough praises of the film. Though originally planned as a first in a series of films, I am happy that Streets of Fire is a standalone movie because its uniqueness could never be matched.
Episode 26: Streets of Fire (Released April 3, 2022)
