Okay, the second film I want to write about is Walter Hill’s Streets of Fire from 1984. On my 40th birthday while on holiday, I forced the whole family to sit through this, one my favourite childhood films.
I thought I’d get a volley of abuse from my wife, stepdaughter and step daughter’s boyfriend. Instead, they loved the film.
Hill, in my opinion is one of the most underrated directors of the last 40 years. I could have also looked at Southern Comfort and Johnny Handsome from his back catalogue. I will surely be blogging about another classic he helmed, The Long Riders.
Streets of Fire is a glorious fantasy which is described as a rock and roll fable. Set, like that other 80s classic RumbleFish in ‘another time and another place’. The film has brilliant photography, music and production design.
Hill himself has said that he set out to make the perfect film for his fourteen year-old self. I saw it in my teenage years and it’s safe to say the film has never left me.
Starring Diane Lane and Michael Pare (‘Tom Cody, pleased to meet ya’). The film also features an early performance by cult favourite Bill Paxton.
See this fun and charming film, and don’t wait until you’re 40.
So, 98 films to go!
Matthew Cooper has written for Emmerdale, Eastenders, Hollyoaks and Family Affairs. He was winner of the first ever Lloyds Bank Channel Four Film Challenge and the Oscar Moore Screenplay Prize. His first short film starred a then unknown Ewan McGregor and was picked up by Channel Four when Matthew was 19 years old. He’s been a script writer for hire and filmmaker for hire for over 20 years.