Fear City

I didn't like it very much. I understand that it was meant to portray a somewhat tawdry lifestyle of strippers in the seedy part of NYC, but this film didn't hold together that well, despite the presence of a first-rate cast.

The nudity (mostly strippers doing their dance routines) made me yawn after a while. I expected some nudity in this movie, and nudity doesn't offend me (I've drawn many nudes in Life Drawing class!). But I thought the dance sequences got to be too long and derivative. Obviously everyone else's mileage will vary on this point, and I guess the fact that I am female is not insignificant in explaining my sentiments.

Jack Scalia, Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams and Melanie Griffith are the main stars. Griffith's performance is kind of lackluster, but I don't recall her maturing too much as an actress until much later. (This film was made in 1984.) Tom Berenger is good as the brooding ex-boxer sporting a head full of curls. (Oh my word -- the clothing and hair in this movie were *so* '80s!) Jack Scalia is handsome, square-jawed and likeable in his part, as is Billy Dee Williams, (though I didn't think his character was written very well).

I didn't understand why the story was written the way it was -- why is there so little mystery? We know who the killer is right off. What motivates him to kill? I never did find that out -- maybe I dozed off and missed that bit of information when I was bored into a stupor during one of the topless dancing routines. Whatever. All I know is, the story could have, and *should* have been much more interesting.

This is the first movie I've seen of director Abel Farrara, and I don't believe it is a proper introduction to his work. I have been led to believe that he has made some notable films. This is not one of them. The plot is average, the pace is choppy, and I disliked the score immensely. It was intrusive and hackneyed.

This is an average film. If you like any of the main stars and don't mind the seamy smarminess of the story then you might want to view this film. Otherwise, I am guessing that one of the other films by Farrara would be a better choice.


Just seedy enough.   July 27, 2001
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I've had this movie for years, back to when I foolishly wasted my money on a laser disk player. But, anyway. The plot of this movie is simple: a psycho has targeted a group of strippers, for his own warped reasons, for death. And of course, we, the audience, get to see the acts of most of the dancers, before their timed-just-right deaths. Rae Dawn Chong and Melanie Griffith, for two. What is there to say about a movie like this? A must see for fans of Abel Ferarra.


UK DVD worse   May 21, 2001
G. Smith (London)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

In response to the review written on 31/03/01- the film was cut by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) of a total of 1 minute and 10 seconds! This is probably the most edited anywhere. The version on ... UK website is 91 minutes in length; the version on the German website is 93 minutes; the version on this / the US website is 95 minutes in length. One can only assume that an edited version was submitted to the British censor prior to their 1 minute and 10 seconds of cuts.


disappointing dvd, but the movie is great...   April 1, 2001
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

Having seen the movie multiple times, I was very disappointed with the production of this DVD. Scenes have been cut, for example, a mesmerizing nunchaku demonstration from the killer, and some bizarre editing happened: Tom Berenger is beat up by cops in the movie, and that was edited in the dvd, a stripper's dog howls when killed by the psychopath, and that also doesn't appear in the DVD. I am going to sell this ASAP, and buy the much better produced UK edition, which, strangely enough, features all the missing scenes.


Surprisingly good   January 2, 2001
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have seen this movie in VHS at least a dozen times, although I never remember seeing it in the theaters. It has a terrific cast, a good story, great strip scenes and awesome fight scenes. Something for everyone. I was so glad to see it in DVD, since my VHS copy had self-destructed.