SECRET MASTERPIECES: STREETS OF FIRE (1984)

SCREENING: SUN 12/4 4PM
Director: Walter Hill / 1984 / US / 98 min
Presented by Olympia Bed Store & Rush in Dumplings
Guest programmed by Keith Garcia
$11 General Admission & $8 OFS members
Tickets are available at the box office 1/2 hour before showtimes.

Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe), along with his gang of merciless biker friends, kidnaps rock singer Ellen Aim (Diane Lane). Ellen’s former lover, soldier-for-hire Tom Cody (Michael Paré), happens to be passing through town on a visit. In an attempt to save his star act, Ellen’s manager, Billy Fish (Rick Moranis), hires Tom to rescue Ellen. Billy and Tom, along with former soldier McCoy (Amy Madigan), battle through dangerous cityscapes, determined to get Ellen back.

“Movie goers of a certain age have some films lodged in their brain due to the early 80’s reign of cable television and HBO, which replayed dozens of films daily at a rate to make sure you knew every line, every scene by heart by bedtime. With Walter Hill and Larry Gross’ STREETS OF FIRE, a big thanks goes out to its lean, no-fat dialogue, simple western structured story of good vs bad, and of course a blazing soundtrack put together by Ry Cooder with an assist from the one and only Jim Steinman.

But what’s the film about? It’s nearly impossible to boil it down to a quick synopsis, especially when, upon starting, it calls itself a ‘rock n roll fable’ and positions its 50’s meets 80’s vibe with the descriptor of ‘Another time, another place’. But trust an amazing cast of characters played by Michael Paré, Diane Lane, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, EG Daily, Rick Moranis (playing an asshole), Bill Paxton, Robert Townsend, and star making turns from both Amy Madigan and an evil, baby-faced Willem Dafoe.

The film also registered my first understanding of a queer coded character (I’ll let you figure out whom) and should get credit for the perfect musical bookends to any film in history, kicking off with Steinman’s ‘Nowhere Fast’ and sending us to heaven at the end with his ‘Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young’. Enjoy correcting one of the biggest film gaps in your lexicon!” – Keith Garcia

ABOUT GUEST PROGRAMMER KEITH GARCIA:
Keith Garcia’s nearly two decades long career with Denver Film currently finds him as the Artistic Director of the Sie FilmCenter where his diverse programming keeps audiences on their toes. He is also a filmmaker, wrapping up work on his forthcoming DRAG-umentary – THE HEELS HAVE EYES about Denver’s vibrant and electric drag performance community – which Keith has been following for over 12 years. Keith founded Denver Film’s CinemaQ program – focused on an abundance of LGBTQ+ titles and working to give them their due – as a monthly program in 2006 that blossomed into a successful and robust Film Festival in 2009 that will be returning for its 15th celebration in 2023. Keith is off the dating market, loves pizza and cohabitates with his longtime feline familiar, Jordan Catalano.

Patrons, performers, staff, and volunteers are no longer required to wear masks or show proof of vaccination. The threat of covid, seasonal flu, and respiratory viruses are still out there. OFS will continue to provide masks (while supplies last – we have tons), surface and hand sanitizer, and regular air filtration system maintenance. We encourage mask-wearing at concerts and indoor gatherings and keep snacking and drinking in seating areas only.

If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home to avoid spreading COVID-19 to others. If you are not feeling well, we ask that you call out for your volunteer, stay at home, and come back when you feel better to minimize the spread and to help keep others at the theater healthy and keep our operations going. 

Updated: November 7, 2022

For more information, please see our operations announcement.