"She may have her knockers but I love Linda Blair. It's something I just can't explain. Yes, The Exorcist (1973) is my second favourite film of all time but that isn't it - she was just a God-hating whippersnapper that swore a lot. And no, the poster for this movie has nothing to do with it (and if it did, her tastefully titillating scene in the bathtub would bare no relevance). The opportunity to watch her kick serious ass when a group of violent thugs rape her handicapped sister is bound to make my head spin, emitting the projectile vomiting, of course...
The plot is straightforward enough, and yet being the eighties, with not a lot of demanding roles for women available, it's refreshing to see an opening act that includes no less than a dozen women revealing their talents, some more tastefully than others, whether it be a soapy bitch-fight in the shower rooms or a knife-wielding animal whipping them out just for the fun of it.
Having said that, although there are few surprises or bursts of originality (Blair and Perle do eventually deliver), there is a desire to entertain - and on those teasing terms it works - every shot is awash with delightful imagery (Blair in her opening figure-hugging outfit a sheer joy, her final tackle trapping more than the sublimely sinister villains). It may be ridiculously trashy in places, its Grease meets Westside Story setting a bonus, but director Danny Steinmann manages to add to a surprisingly intriguing piece of work some of the best dialogue ever ("Go fuck an iceberg" my personal favourite).
The script has its flaws - I mean, where are the parents - but it delivers its thrills in abundance, with performances that are solid enough (Robert Dryer is brilliantly unlikeable, Blair making fascinating eye candy), the action is handled well despite the film facing financial ruin after a couple of weeks, and the soundtrack - well - you can't get any more eighties than this. Hard, brutal and cheesily entertaining, Savage Streets still manages to tickle in an extremely pleasing way - what more could you want?"
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