UW Cinematheque | Streets of Fire (1984)

When rock star Ellen Aim (Lane) is kidnapped by a biker gang mid-concert, it’s up to her bruiser ex-boyfriend (Paré) to track down and confront the gang’s vicious leader (Willem Dafoe) and bring Ellen home in one piece. A one-of-a-kind “Rock and Roll Fable,” director and co-writer Hill’s leather-clad, neon-drenched spin on classic westerns features a fist-pumping original soundtrack, including two over-the-top ballads penned by Bat Out of Hell writer Jim Steinman. The outlandish supporting characters, inspired retro-futuristic production design, and an unforgettable mano a mano with sledgehammers makes Streets of Fire a cult classic par excellence. (LSL)