ALPHABET CITY (1984)

 

Directed By: Amos Poe Written By: Amos Poe & Gregory K. Heller Story By: Gregory K. Heller Cinematography: Oliver Wood  Editor: Grahame Weinbran 

Cast: Vincent Spano, Kate Vernon, Michael Winslow, Jami Gertz, Clifton Powell, Ray Serra, Daniel Jordano, Zohra Lempert, Tom Mardirosian, Tom Wright 

A New York City drug dealer decides to get out of the business, but has to flee from mobsters.

It took a while for me to watch this film. As the DVD and video cover made it look like some revenge movie from a third-world country all bathed in brown and gold.

Once I finally saw a trailer for the film it intrigued my interests.

One of the odd times that actor Vincent Spano played a leading role. Usually whenever he does the film almost comes off as an oddity, a memorable film, and performance.

This film is stylish and goes for a kind of gritty neon-noir look that takes place all in one night, but it comes off more shiny than deep. As it plays almost like a MIAMI VICE episode style only in New York. Even though it came out before that show. So maybe it influenced that show. 

As it is episodic, the character is working on a kind of countdown that seems to have started as more of a regular night. As it seems he is given a job to do in one night that would help set him up in the mob higher. Yes, he is more than just some street dealer. He has aspirations and a family.

It seems episodic as most characters he seems to only deal with on one or two scenes and then never heard from Or at least seen again except for when it is convenient. The ones we Do keep seeing are his adversaries and his best friend/top dealer/drug addict played by Michael Winslow in a strange off-kilter nihilistic dramatic Performance. Which strangely comes off reminding one of Chris Tucker in tone.

The film keeps your interest up. Even if it is more a fascinating look at early 1980’s New York before it got cleaned up. So that it works as a kind of nostalgic time capsule of the city mainly in the neighborhood of the title.

There are of course its fair share of ridiculous scenes like how Long it takes him to realize he is being set up by one of his clients. How his girlfriend refuses to leave. When he explains why they have to leave town even though she understands why he does. She expects his gangster bosses to spare her and their child.

Though there is some action it’s not awe-inspiring even though in one scene you can see the director John Singleton used it in 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS. Though in that movie it Was used as an impressive sequence of seduction and cool. Here it is more used as a means of intimidation and cool. 

Proving that this film is more influential than anyone expected and seems to be a well-Kept secret.

By now if you have watched enough films the story Will be predictable with a happier ending than you Would normally expect. That is an act that makes no sense but works for the end.

The film comes off as a nice attempt to make something a little more artistic even with a familiar storyline at the time. It comes off as hip more than anything. 

Grade: B-