They’ll claim this sucker got released on DVD because it’s by Abel Ferrara, the director of such gritty, urban flicks as Bad Lieutenant and King of New York. But the more likely reason is that Melanie Griffith just can’t keep her clothes on in Fear City (1984, 95 minutes). Back then, we used to see A LOT more of Melanie, now that privilege seems solely reserved for Desperado hubby Antonio Banderas. So maybe Anchor Bay REALLY did set out to honor Abel with this release. After all the man’s got skins of his own with exploitation entries like the vengeful Ms. 45 and his gorefest Driller Killer — one of the most brilliant TITLES ever.
The movie: Someone’s stalking the strippers of Times Square and ventilating their supple bodies with scissors, razors, or most anything that’ll butcher flesh. Nicky (Jack Scalia) and Rossi (Tom Berenger) pimp dancers through their Starlite Talent Agency and aren’t thrilled about their girls getting mangled. Rossi is a former boxer who’s still smarting from being tossed out the romance ring by the lovely Loretta (Griffith). She’s an, um, erotic entertainer who has recently kicked her heroin habit, as she’s become very distracted by her new-found bisexuality with Leila (Rae Dawn Chong). Anyway, this creep keeps lopping off dancer body parts. Billy Dee Williams arrives to help as a cop named Wheeler who likes to call everyone politically incorrect names a bit more than actually DOING any real police work. Instead, he lets Rossi root out the killer, who turns out is this walking Ken doll who’s seen way too many kung fu movies. The flick is a real mess, and we don’t ever really find out WHY he’s killing these babes, maybe he’s seen their act, or perhaps he REALLY IS a frustrated writer just looking for ideas for his novel — Fear City.
Notables: 21 breasts. 10 dead bodies. Lesbian back rub. Fingers roll. Gratuitous urination. Wall punching. Interrogation scene with spotlight. Junkie slapping. Mirror bashing. Mace to the eyes. Gratuitous machine-gun hit by Mob. Head rolls.
Quotables: Wheeler believes in strip-club cleanliness, "I’ll close your business if you don’t keep p@#%& off the bar!" And his duty to protect Gotham’s citizens, "We’re the only thing between that bastard and innocent people." Loretta plays hard to get, "Don’t you understand?! I’m AFRAID to go to bed with you again! I loved you too much. You should have talked to me more." The kung fu killer is also a self-taught author, "The bones cracked, the muscles tore, her eyes pleaded for mercy — there is none."
Time codes: Melanie gets nekkid (5:45). Rae Dawn gyrates au natural (27:12). Fat broad on stick horse (52:20). Mob boss schools Rossi (1:15:40).
Final thought: Rentable for salacious on-screen skin from Tippi Hedren‘s little girl. But brace for THE worst bisexual-junkie-stripper hunted-by-a kung-fu-scissor-killer flick out there.