Streets of Fire: A Rocknroll Fable

Another time, another place.

We’re starting 2025 with shotgun blast of cool with ‘Streets of Fire.’

Like ‘Grease’ with guns, this movie smashes 1950s bikers with 1980s style to create something utterly unique. A sci-fi western noir comic book hero love story action musical, this movie has it all. Rock shows. Motorcycles. Sledgehammer fights. Motorcycles. Rain soaked streets glittering with reflected neon. Motorcycles. Demonic bad guys and cool good guys. Willem Dafoe in leather dungarees. So much leather. And also, motorcycles.  

Willem Dafoe plays evil biker Raven, who kidnaps the beautiful rocker Ellen Aim, lead singer of The Attackers, played by Diane Lane. It falls on her reluctant ex-boyfriend and ex-soldier Cody to form a posse of misfits, including Ellen’s sleezy manager Rick Moranis and tough army chick McCoy, to attack the biker’s lair and rescue Ellen. Many motorcycle explosions ensue.

This movie was billed as ‘a rock-and-roll fable,’ designed from the ground up as an exercise in style. Filmed like a music video – and scored like one too – Streets of Fire would have been teenaged you’s favourite film – but how does it stand up now? Help us decide if its Rad, Bad or Mad on Saturday 11th of January.