Streets of Fire (1984): could this be a potential Broadway musical?

[aEnigma7345]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 9:09pm

I watched the 1984 cult classic Streets of Fire, directed by the legendary Walter Hill. 

This movie has literally everything: action for the boys, romance for the girls, and a number of musical performances.  This one stars Michael Pare and Diane Lane when she was in her late teens.  I really like this movie and think it's the ideal date movie as it has something for everybody.

And I was thinking: this one would be a really brilliant musical.  I'm surprised nobody has even considered adopting this one as a musical.  I think it could be a potential hit.  I know the movie flopped, but since 80s retro is hot right now, this one merits a revisit.  I admit it is risky and ambitious, but I think if done right, this could be the next great musical.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/12/22 at 9:54pm

This song/video was on heavy rotation on MTV back when the film was in theatres.  That’s the fabulous Holly Sherwood supplying the vocals.

 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 4:40am

The car chases and blowing up stuff might be a bit problematic for the stage, but it did have Michael Paré.  Maybe not the best actor in the world, but that is not a problem, not a problem at all.

[RUkiddingme]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 1:01pm

No.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 1:49pm

Lots of the movie’s music got recycled into Tanz der Vampire/Dance of the Vampires.

[aEnigma7345]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 1:59pm

Impeach2017 said: "The car chases and blowing up stuff might be a bit problematic for the stage, but it did have Michael Paré. Maybe not the best actor in the world, but that is not a problem, not a problem at all."

I saw King Kong the Musical and they incorporate giant screens to depict chase scenes.

Pyrotechnics I think are feasible but have to be limited and take into account safety measures.  

I actually envision Streets of Fire if made into a musical having a giant screen to fit with the retro dance club vibe of the movie. 

I picture somebody like Amber Ardolino (my Broadway crush) as Ellen Aim.  Not sure who would portray Michael Pare's character though.  

[aEnigma7345]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 2:02pm

Well, this new batch of musicals coming this fall.  None of them really excite me except A Beautiful Noise, KPOP, and the 1776 revival.  Maybe Almost Famous?  

Can't see Streets of Fire being any worse?  Especially since they could simply use the already popular soundtrack for the musical numbers along with some original songs.  

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 2:55pm

Since the 80s I thought it could be a great musical. I always thought it would be a great meta moment to open the show with Ellen Aim performing and having Raven and the bikers enter from the back of the theatre to kidnap her. 
 

It would probably have been more thrilling if done in the 80s when stagecraft relied less on projections and LED screens, which for the most part I find lazy and boring. Creating that world of traveling through a city at night would have really really cool. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 3:50pm

The things I remember the most about the movie: The opening number. The closing number. Rick Moranis trying to play a hardass sleazeball. And the wild punk stripper in the rockabilly club.

Everything else I think of when I try to remember "Streets of Fire," I quickly realize is actually "The Warriors," including the mercenary DJ issuing gangland commands as record requests.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 11:10pm

^ Although, funnily enough, the mercenary DJ has a cameo in Streets of Fire as well.

Aaaaand... to answer the OP... no. No, it couldn't. By design, most of what is in there couldn't be put on a stage. Add to that the fact that both of the Jim Steinman songs were recycled elsewhere, as darquegk put it in an earlier reply, and hooking up the publishing rights of the rest of the songs would be a nightmare (let's face it, no one is coming to see Streets of Fire with an original score), and it takes half the guts right out of it. Let it be what it was -- the best pulp film of the Eighties.

[ggersten]

Posted: 8/13/22 at 11:57pm

The answer is “I would not do it” but someone sure could give it a try. OP might find this article interesting. How Did This Get Made: Streets of Fire 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 11:45am

BrodyFosse123 said: "This song/video was on heavy rotation on MTV back when the film was in theatres. That’s the fabulous Holly Sherwood supplying the vocals.

Ah, the original version of "Der Tanz Der Vampire". Jim Steinman was his own hacker, consistently recycling his melodies into many different songs. I honestly wish he would have left this one alone because it is just perfect as is. I remember going to see "Streets of Fire" in its opening weekend at the now defunct National Theater - which was on the site where the GMA/ABC studios now are and being blown away by this number and the opener, "Nowhere Fast". So much so that as soon as I left the theater I went to a nearby Sam Goody and brought the vinyl soundtrack album which took permanent residence on my turntable for many, many, months to come. To say I was obsessed with this film and its songs would be an understatement. I soaked up every frame of that film and every note of the music. That it failed at the box office was a huge disappointment, but time has been kind to this film and it enjoys a great cult following, and a healthy reappraisal these days. The film was clearly way ahead of its time. Diane Lane turned 18 years old while she was filming this and she handles the musical numbers like a seasoned pro. She lip synced and moved to those songs like a seasoned pro. She was visually stunning - especially in that last concert sequence in the red Giorgio Armani dress with the deep slit down the back. That ending was shot months after the movie had wrapped. The filmmakers were going to use Springsteen's song "Streets of Fire" to close the film but when Springsteen did not grant permission for the song's use they employed Steinman to write a new song - "Tonight is What it Means To Be Young". The main cast was re-assembled and Diane Lane, who had just begun filming Coppola's "The Cotton Club" had cut her hair and dyed it blond for that film so they had to put her in a wig that matched her original long, auburn hair from this film. That this song wasn't a bigger radio hit was also a surprise despite the heavy rotation on MTV "I Can Dream About You" became the breakout hit from this film.

 

 

 

 

 

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Updated On: 8/14/22 at 11:45 AM