Savage Streets (1984)

hyped garbage

The acting in this movie is really good.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is definitely one of the better 80's white trash b movies out there. It also falls into the long running category of rape/revenge themed films, but this is not nearly as gory as many of them are. This is more a mix of 80's cheese, with a decent dose of nudity, sexuality, foul language, and fairly tame low budget violence. There is no question that this film all out glorifies revenge, at least when the crimes against are severe enough, "Made things right" is truly it's conclusion. Obviously, if you like 80's trash or sleazy revenge tales, this is a film for you. There is no doubt that this film was mostly aimed toward the dirty old men and horny young men audience, although I'm not saying that those are the only people who will enjoy it or did enjoy it necessarily. Overall as a film I'd say it's worth a look."Disco sucks/Punk is dead/Give me rock/Or give me head"6/10

Feisty, and most likable revenge movie set so in the eighties that the music, the fashions, the aerobics and the big hair simply burst from the screen. The first half hour could maybe be a little tighter, it takes maybe just a little too long to get the thing going but when it does it certainly goes hell for leather. Not only to we get a vigorous rape but it is intercut with a shower room cat fight that includes full nudity. Linnea Quigley plays the raped sister of Linda Blair's character and the scene is made even more poignant by one of the youths circling her flattened little breasts with a marker/lipstick to emphasise them (for us?) during the act. This must have been a big boost for Quigley's career, even though she plays a mute, because she went on to star in many cult films and I see she is still working in about four films a year. The eighties are not my favourite period but this is certainly a spot on time capsule of those 1982/84 times.

Linda Blair proves that messing with her is dangerous to your health in this trash classic from co-writer / director Danny Steinmann, who'd also given us "A New Beginning", a decidedly trashy, mean-spirited, and funny entry in the "Friday the 13th" series. While admittedly she's not the most convincing gang leader in the world, she's still cute as ever and compulsively watchable in what is basically a revenge saga. When her gang battles with a pack of rabid male animals, the guys cross the line by gang raping and brutalizing her younger sister (Linnea Quigley). However, they can't stop there in showing us just how much they deserve to die, as her best friend (Lisa Freeman) also becomes a victim of their depravity. Simply put, Steinmann's film is about as manipulative and visceral - and fun - as they come. As in "A New Beginning", it proves to have a sense of humour as well as we witness the defacing of an anatomical diagram. It makes sure that fans of the genre get all the nudity they could want - there is a fine shower scene, after all - and Blair's high school nemesis (Rebecca Perle) gets her top yanked off when they have a fight in their science class. The film also isn't afraid to go to some pretty dark places; Quigley is just so damn adorable in her role & performance that it's an absolute abomination what happens to her. The dialogue is fairly quotable, with Blair's "Chained Heat" co-star John Vernon as Principal Underwood uttering the most memorable of them all as he stands up to the degenerates. It's great to see him as always, and the rest of the cast does good work, with Robert Dryer, Sal Landi, and Scott Mayer a lot of malevolent fun as a bunch of guys whom we can't wait to see get some nasty punishment. Johnny Venocur plays the one dude among them with anything resembling a conscience. Also in the supporting cast you'll see people like Marcia Karr and Carole Ita White, who were also in "Chained Heat", Bob DeSimone as the science teacher (he'd play the coke snorting, horny orderly in "A New Beginning"), Paula Shaw (Pamela Voorhees in "Freddy vs. Jason"), Kristi Somers, and Perla Walter (Vera's mother in "Friday the 13th Part III"). The pounding pop-rock soundtrack is quite catchy, and the movie is solidly entertaining all the way down the line. It's a delight to see a super sexy Blair take on the group at the end, armed with crossbow and leading them into booby traps. That bathtub shot is a pleasure to behold, and the "human torch finale" is extremely well done. "Savage Streets" comes highly recommended. Eight out of 10.

Brenda (Linda Blair), along with her high school friends, feels its a good idea to steal some hoodlum's car & total it after her deaf/mute sister walks into the middle of the road and almost gets hit by them. This doesn't sit well for the decidedly homo-erotic gang of 'bad boys' lead with sadistic panache by Jake, so they decide to rape Brenda's sister which leads to her seeking vengeance in this 80's exploitation staple.Some might say that this film is simple-minded and while there's truth to that and it's a valid point, this film is also a pretty good piece of trash that wears it's exploitation badge on it's sleeve. I admire that and it's a fun enough seedy little ride that lets me excuse Blair's terribly campy acting throughout. Director Danny Stienmann does a bang-up job and if he'll just do another film of this caliber I promise i'll forgive him for "Friday the 13th: A New Beginning" Oh yeah, and I have to give props to John Vernon, as well, as his part, though rather small, is still greatness.Eye Candy: Linda Blair, Rebecca Perle, and Suzee Slater get topless; Linnea Quigley shows boobs and a hint of muff (but it's in a very unerotic scene); various extras show tits, ass & bush in the obligatory shower scene My Grade: B+ BCI's 2-disc set DVD Extras: Disc 1) Audio commentary by director Danny Steinmann; Second commentary by actors Robert Dryer and Sal Landi & director of photography Stephen Posey; & Third commentary by producer John Strong and actors Dryer and Johnny Venocur Disc 2) Interviews with Blair, Quigley, Venocur, Dryer, & Strong; Theatrical trailer for this film; and trailer for "Final Exam"