The second of Francis Ford Coppola's films based on the popular juvenile novels of S.E. Hinton (the first being The Outsiders), Rumble Fish split critics into opposite camps: those who admired the film for its heavily stylised indulgence, and those who hated it for the very same reason. Whatever the response, it's clearly the work of a maverick director who isn't afraid to push the limits of his innovative talent. Filmed almost entirely in black and white with an occasional dash of color for symbolic effect, this tale of alienated youth centers on gang leader Rusty... James (Matt Dillon) and his band of punk pals. Rusty's got a girlfriend (Diane Lane), an older brother named Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), and a drunken father (Dennis Hopper) who've all given up trying to straighten him out. He's best at making trouble, and he pursues that skill with an enthusiastic flair that eventually catches up with him. But it's not the whacked-out story here that matters--it's the uninhibited verve of Coppola's visual approach, which includes everything from time-lapse clouds to the kind of smoky streets and alleyways that could only exist in the movies. The supporting cast includes a host of fresh faces who went on to thriving careers, including Nicolas Cage, Christopher Penn, Vincent Spano, Laurence Fishburne, and musician Tom Waits. --Jeff Shannon [show more]
The theme of time running out runs right through this movie, from time lapse photography to images of clocks speeded up or without hands. The second of S.E.Hinton's books translated to film by Francis Ford Coppola translates well. Filmed in Black and White for greater effect and the first soundtrack for Stewart Copeland, he went on to do The Equaliser and Spyro. Mickey Rourke provides a brooding performance of subdued quality, I read in an interview at the time that for the first two weeks he thought he was going to get sacked. Motorcycle Boy and his father are clearly educated with the discussion on Cassandra in two terms. This goes over Rusty James head. He's not stupid, just not educated. Early performances from Nick Cage, Chris Penn and Diane Lane. With the quality of Dennis Hopper, Tom Waits and Laurence Fishburne thrown in for good measure. It's a quality piece. Enjoy.
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Francis Ford Coppola co-writes and directs this drama starring Matt Dillon and Mickey Rourke. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a local teenage gang leader (Rourke), despite reforming his ways, is still the hero of local adolescents. His younger brother Rusty (Dillon) idolises him, even though his mentor strives to persuade him that he has done nothing to be proud of. Meanwhile, things start to go downhill for Rusty as he's suspended from school, his relationship with his girlfriend Patty (Diane Lane) deteriorates and his brother refuses to reunite with him.
Francis Ford Coppola directed this beautiful black-and-white version of S.E. Hinton's popular youth novel. RUMBLE FISH explores the relationship between a young street thug, Rusty James (Matt Dillon), and his older brother, the legendary Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke). When Motorcycle Boy comes back to town, he finds Rusty James trying to imitate his former gang leader ways and their father (Dennis Hopper) trying to drink away a troubled past. The only colour images in the film are the shots of the Siamese fighting fish that the colour-blind Motorcycle Boy admires.
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