Main Cast: Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Scalia, Melanie Griffith, Rossano Brazzi
Release Year: 1984
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
To paraphrase 1930s wit Wilson Mizner, Fear City is like a trip through a sewer in a glass-bottom boat. In exploitation-flick fashion, the film exposes the seedy "nether world" of contemporary Manhattan. Unsavory Matt (Tom Berenger) and Nick (Jack Scalia) run a topless bar/booking agency, in direct competition with equally scuzzy Goldstein (Jan Murray). It's hard to imagine anyone lower than these low-lives until we're apprised of a serial killer who dutifully keeps a record of his murders in a diary. The killer's victims are all exotic dancers and hookers, prompting Matt to suspect that Goldstein is behind the crimes, and vice versa. Once they've decided that it's better to unite against a common enemy than to throw volleys at each other, Matt and Goldstein arrange between themselves to insure the safety of the women in their employ. Meanwhile, Matt's ex-girlfriend Loretta (Melanie Griffith), saddened by the murder of her lesbian lover Leila (Rae Dawn Chong), resumes her drug habit, while a dispirited Matt begins harking back to his own sordid past. The one redeeming aspect of Fear City is the ultimate triumph over the odds by Loretta, who by process of elimination emerges as the most likeable character in the bunch. For a film of this nature, Fear City boasts an unexpectedly strong cast, including the aforementioned actors and Billy Dee Williams, Rosanno Brazzi, Joe Santos and Michael V. Gazzo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Despite an impressive cast and a bevy of intriguing plot elements, this dreary little exploitation opus is the least notable (and least interesting) of Abel Ferrara's pre-King Of New York work. The main problem lies with the weak script, which was penned by Ferrara's frequent collaborator Nicholas St. John: the overplotted scenario fails to tie its threads together in a compelling and engaging style, the characterizations are merely a series of exploitation-film 'types' and the script is completely lacking in the kind of thoughtful thematic underpinnings that made Ms. 45 and King Of New York so interesting. As a result of these story problems, the cast has little to do: Jack Scalia and Billy Dee Williams bluster their way through their thin roles while Tom Berenger and Melanie Griffith struggle to give their sketchy archetypes dramatic weight they can't really support. Even Ferrara's direction feels off: he avoids the gritty rawness that defines his best work and settles for an overtly glossy look that makes the film feel like an R-rated episode of Miami Vice. In short, Fear City doesn't work as a slick urban action film or a sleazy exploitation opus and can thus only be recommended to Ferrara completists. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Rae Dawn Chong - Liela; Joe Santos - Frank; Jan Murray - Goldstein; Ola Ray - Honey; Maria Conchita Alonso - Silver; Vinny Argiro - Bruno; Jim Boeke - Architect; Kendall Carly Browne - Nurse; Emilia Crow - Bibi; Daniel Faraldo - Sanchez; Juan Fernandez - Jorge; Michael Vincente Gazzo - Mike; Tracy Griffith - Sandra Cook; Bill Henderson - Nicky's Doctor; Brent Jennings - Hawker; Janet Julian - Ruby; Ben Kronen - Club Announcer; Linda Lee - Metropolis Dancer; Emilia Lesniak - Bibi; Madison Mason - Leila's Doctor; Robert Miano - Hitman; Joe Palese - Tony; Victor Rivers - Jimmy; Frank Ronzio - Harry; John Roselius - Rossi's Manager; Carl Strano - Priest; Justin Derosa - Policeman; Lori Eastside - Goldy's Girl; Barbara Andrews - Waitress; Sidney Filson - Stunt Player; John Foster - Pazzo; Daryle Ann Lindley - Stunt Player; Peter Mele - Hitman; Bob Yothers - Sergeant; Pat Banta - Stunt Player; Peter Gumeny - Customer; Nina Jones - Dixie; Joy Michael - Metropole Dancer; Joe Shea - Salvi; Frank Sivero - Mobster; William Kennedy - Hawker
Credit
Johanna Ray - Casting, Kathryn Doby - Choreography, Jerry Tokofsky - Co-producer, Linda M. Bass - Costume Designer, Peter Manoogian - First Assistant Director, Abel Ferrara - Director, Jack W. Holmes - Editor, Anthony Redman - Editor, Stanley R. Zupnik - Executive Producer, Dick Halligan - Composer (Music Score), Vince Cresciman - Production Designer, James Lemmo - Cinematographer, Bruce Cohn Curtis - Producer, Cricket Rowland - Set Designer, Jim Tannenbaum - Sound/Sound Designer, Sidney Filson - Stunts, Daryle Ann Lindley - Stunts, Pat Banta - Stunts, Nicholas St. John - Screenwriter
