Streets of Fire starring Michael Pare and Diane Lane is my favorite “Rock n Roll Fable!”

In a town existing somewhere between the 50’s and the 80’s, this rock n roll love story revolves around the kidnapping of hometown girl turned star, Ellen Aim. Kidnapped by gang leader Raven Shaddock during her concert performance, her ex-soldier boyfriend Tom Cody arrives in town on a mission to rescue Ellen from The Bombers (Raven’s gang). Let the adventure begin!

I fantasized being Ellen Aim. Cool rock chick jammin on stage and driving the crowd wild!  Oh yeah!

And how cool was that opening number? “Nowhere Fast”. “You and me we’re going nowhere slowly. And we gotta get away from the past. There’s nothing wrong with going nowhere baby. But we should be going nowhere fast”.

 

And I love, love, loved The Sorels! An early 60’s style group in need of a break and discovered by Ellen’s manager, Billy Fish. Absolutely fantastic!  They had the moves, the energy, so effervescent!!

The Sorels:

• Stoney Jackson as Bird, lead singer

• Grand L. Bush as Reggie

• Robert Townsend as Lester

• Mykelti Williamson as B.J.

 The Sorels Trivia:

Stoney Jackson dancer in Michael Jackson’s”Beat It” video

Robert Townsend director of Hollywood Shuffle 1987

(if you haven’t seen it you should really check it out!)

Mykelti Williamson played Bubba in Forest Gump

“If I Can Dream About You” – Recorded by Dan Hartman

 

 

And the final number, “Tonight is What It Means to be Young” still gives me goosebumps. Her heartbreak, his tortured soul at having to go.  If that isn’t a theatrical climax, then I don’t know what is.

 

Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Lawrence Gordon Joel Silver
Written by	Walter Hill Larry Gross
Starring	Michael Paré Diane Lane Rick Moranis Amy Madigan Willem Dafoe Elizabeth Daily
Music by	Ry Cooder
Cinematography	Andrew Laszlo
Editing by	James Coblentz Freeman A. Davies Michael Ripps
Studio	RKO Pictures Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	June 1, 1984
Running time	93 minutes