It Came From the Basement: Streetwalkin'
By John Seal
October 12, 2005
Streetwalkin' (1984 USA)
The story: Two teen siblings can't take life at home anymore — or perhaps are no longer welcome there - and set off to find freedom in The Big Apple. Little do they know that violence, deceit, and prostitution await them on the streets of Manhattan.
The film: Two exhausted adolescents emerge from the bowels of Grand Central Station. The younger, Tim (Randal Batinkoff), immediately resorts to petty thievery to slake his ravenous hunger. The other, Cookie (Melissa Leo), drops a dime and calls home, pleading with her mother to let them return. She really wasn't sleeping with stepdad Frank, but mom doesn't believe her — good riddance to bad rubbish! Cookie hangs up the phone and is immediately set upon by the lurking Duke (Dale Midkiff), a deceptive Good Samaritan who also happens to be one of the meanest pimps in Manhattan. And so the old, old story of the lost little girl in the big city begins once again.
Cut to the opening credits, and as Matthew Ender and Odette Springer's relentless theme tune pounds away, we're treated to scenes of quintessential New York City, circa the high crime 1980s: streets overwhelmed by hookers, pimps, and dealers, and ubiquitous porno houses advertising such worthy features as Let's Talk Sex. By the time the credits conclude, it's clear that Cookie has been pulled into this maelstrom of vice and is now a member in good standing of Duke's stable of streetwalkers alongside Heather (Deborah Offner) and cute brunette Tricia (Julie Cohen). Also pounding the beat is older and wiser professional Queen Bee (Julie Newmar), who's had enough with men and takes care of business herself. And of course, there's competition higher up the food chain, in the form of fellow pimps Finesse (Antonio Fargas), who finds Duke poaching his woman Star (Khandi Alexander), and smartly accoutered but dangerous Jason (Cool Running's Leon Robinson).
Duke's favorite girl is Heather, but his jealousy and paranoia result in him giving her a severe beating one evening after he accuses her of sleeping around (for free, of course). When Cookie discovers her unconscious body, she fears she's next in line for a thrashing, and turns to the competition - dapper Jason, who affects the style and demeanor of a Wall Street professional — for protection. Jason is more than willing to keep her safe, and he's also happy to teach his bete noir a lesson. His henchmen take Duke for a ride, intending to give him an overdose of heroin — but the resourceful Duke steals a gun, shoots his abductors, and hightails it back to 42nd Street with one thought in mind: revenge. He knows Cookie sold him down the river, and he's going to make her regret it — no matter who or what gets in his way.
The cast and crew: Melissa Leo is one of America's best kept acting secrets — if you don't believe me, watch the otherwise overrated 21 Grams again — and she began her big screen career in the lead role of Cookie. In all honesty, she betrays her acting inexperience and really isn't all that impressive, but she brings conviction and grit to the role and is clearly trying hard. Julie Newmar, an actress whose iconic Catwoman set many a pubescent lad's heart racing in the 1960s — and who was later immortalized by having a film named after her (To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar) — still looks pretty good here in some bright red knickers. Streetwalkin' also marked the first film appearances of Randall Batinkoff (a mere stripling of 17 in 1985) and Dale Midkiff, and both continue to work today, primarily on the small screen. Julie Cohen (Tricia) retired from film work for the next 17 years, resurfacing in 2002 in something called Superfag (and no, I haven't seen it.) Finally, Antonio Fargas needs no introduction to any fan of drive-in swill, having played pimps, pushers and other assorted low-lifes in films such as Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, the unforgettable I'm Gonna Get You Sucka, and many more.
Director/screenwriter Joan Freeman (and her co-scribe Robert Alden) only made one other feature, the execrable rock and roll chick flick Satisfaction. Their screenplay is chock-a-block with notable quotes, including lines like "you ho's gotta cool it!" as Finesse tries to break up a catfight in a nightclub. When still-in-school Tim proclaims he wants to go and see "a bad movie playing down at the Waverley" (surely an invitation few of us could turn down), Cookie reminds him he must complete his homework first, and when Duke tries the pick-up line "you give me a hard-on" to Star, her comeback is "you better go get your friend to sit on it!" Clifford Odets couldn't have done better, but Freeman and Alden have since wisely moved on to other pursuits. Cinematographer Steven Fierberg has mostly worked in television, but did do a very nice job filming Maggie Gyllenhaal's posterior in Secretary. (The rest of that film looks very nice, too.) His work here consists entirely of poorly lit interiors and ambient nighttime street scenes. Fierberg's Big Apple is truly a city that never sleeps, unless it does so during the day - but as there isn't a single scene shot in natural light, we can't be sure it sleeps even then. New York is a dark, dangerous, scary place — and besides, I'd bet that producer Roger Corman shot this film entirely on the sly, even though the Mayor's Office of Film and TV does get an acknowledgment in the end credits. And speaking of Corman, he is, of course, one of the great showmen of his time, and still maintains a hectic work pace at the age of 79. He's now produced an astonishing 364 films!
Nostalgia value: As soon as Streetwalkin's electro-disco theme tune comes pumping through your stereo, you'll be magically transported back to the 1980s — that era of big hair, Cyndi Lauper outfits, and spandex. It'll be manna from heaven for 30-somethings, but those of us a bit older will not be amused. Incidentally, the Streetwalkin' theme song was recycled by Corman in Chopping Mall, a feature he made in 1986, when it's used as party music by some doomed teenagers at an illicit after work shindig.
The print: Vestron's print is dark but watchable, but it's doubtful this nocturnal film looked much better on its initial release. It's also complete with all the profanity you could wish for, and there's plenty of nudity too, including a couple of lingering shots of young Ms. Leo sans top.
DVD prognosis: No reason this couldn't be a low budget, low retail release for a firm like Retromedia.
Ratings:
Film: B-. It's pedestrian stuff, but Streetwalkin' features enough sleaze and enough decent acting to make it eminently watchable, especially for admirers of drive-in and grindhouse cinema.
Print: B. Perhaps a good restoration job could tweak the colors and lighten the print a bit.
DVD worthiness: B, or a B+ were it to feature a Melissa Leo commentary track!
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