"Streets of Fire" in 70mm At the Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, CA, USA |
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| Written by: William Kallay, Los Angeles, USA | Date: 22.07.2024 |
 I
have not seen the film, "Streets of
Fire", in 40 years. My first and only experience with viewing it was
on VHS. I must admit that I did not like the film very much. Disjointed
storyline, dark visuals, odd editing (ala MTV style). But I loved most of
the soundtrack album and I used to blast that LP in my room as a 16-year-old
teenager.Seeing it in a 70mm print with a near sold out audience changed my impression of the film. It is much better than I remember. The audience was laughing and clapping and was really into the movie. The story is very basic and the action scenes are not on par with other action films of the era, but the film works. • Go to "Streets of Fire", The 70mm Engagements • Go to in70mm.com's page about films blown up to 70mm • Go to "The Searchers" - 70mm Screening at the Aero, Santa Monica, CA, USA There are subtle jokes throughout the story. Michael Paré, in a low-key fantasy cowboy-type of role, is very good. Amy Madison and Rick Moranis play off each other better than I remember, though Moranis' character is still a bit annoying. Diane Lane is good and mimics the dubbed singing really well, but her character doesn't have much to work with. Willem Dafoe, limited with screen time, rocks in his role as Raven. That haircut! Deborah Van Valkenburgh plays Paré's sister and is good, but her role in the film is also limited. The late, great Bill Paxton has a small but funny role. The 70mm print was excellent. Most of the film takes place in dim environments. The film stock of the era showed pleasing grain in the blow-up. Where the image quality from the blow-up print shined was during well-lit or daylight scenes. The film was mostly shot on the Universal Studios backlot with a tarp covering the "city street." The latter half of the film really showcases the quality that a 35-to-a 35-to-70mm print print can have. There was sharpness and brightness showcasing Andrew Laszlo's wonderful cinematography. Color was spot on and not faded. Of course this was not a "true" 65mm film, but the 70mm blow-up certainly looked damned good. Reminded me of the old days when we would see a brand-new 70mm blow-up print and marvel at the picture quality. This was certainly a film that benefited from the deluxe presentation. It can be argued that 70mm blow-ups have merit and can look superb. The film's soundtrack quality really shines. Loud without being obnoxious. Some of the dialogue sounded a bit “dated,” but most of it sounded like it was recorded yesterday with today’s recording technology. The sound effects of Paré's car and the gang's motorcycles had a lot of bass. The music sounded excellent. The American Cinematheque deserves a round of applause for their staff and projectionist. The staff was very friendly and the presentation was tremendously top notch. I wish more theaters took pride in their theaters and presentation. Luckily, we have the American Cinematheque. The film, though a box office disappointment in the summer of 1984, seems to have a cult following which is well deserved. It is the type of film that Walter Hill, and I am paraphrasing, made for 16-year-olds. For a night, I felt like I was 16 again and enjoyed the journey back to 1984. Special thanks to Michael Coate and Thomas Hauerslev |
More in 70mm reading: “Streets of Fire”: The North American 70mm Engagements in70mm.com's page about films blown up to 70mm in70mm.com News Peripheral Vision, Scopes, Dimensions and Panoramas in70mm.com's Library Presented on the big screen in 7OMM 7OMM and Cinema Across the World Now showing in 70mm in a theatre near you! 70mm Retro - Festivals and Screenings |
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