Fear City

Disappointing follow up for Abel Ferrara to the excellent Ms. 45(1981) for a few reasons. One, there is not the same emotional or intensity level of the previous film. Two, the main character compared to Thana is almost not likable. Three, at times the film is fascinating to watch while other times the film bogs down to boring.

Doesn't know whether it wants to be a slasher pic, a mafia epic or both. The inclusion of the mafia in Fear City(1984) sort of reminds me of Fritz Lang's M(1931). Like in M(1931), the mafia is interested in finding the stalker/murderer because he's hurting their business. Part of Fear City(1984) is a warmup for King of New York(1990) and The Funeral(1996).

A ridiculous aspect of the movie is the idea of the karate killer. I wondered why this film was not named The Karate Killer which is a better title than Fear City(1984). The karate stalker/murderer seems out of place in Fear City(1984) for he is someone who belongs more in a Steven Seagal film and less in an Abel Ferrara feature. Major putdown that hurts the film a lot.

Matt Rossi is a character that's hard to pin down. In some scenes he is arrogant and unlikable. In other scenes Matt Rossi is guilt ridden and vulnerable. Its this guilt ridden quality of Matt Rossi that puts him in the line of Ferrara characters such as Thana(Ms. 45), Frank(King of New York), and the Lt(Bad Lieutenant).

The filming of the sleezy locale of Fear City(1984) is one of the film's saving graces. Abel Ferrara is terrific at showing a part of New York where sleeze, sex , and death are common and life or human flesh is cheap. Done before the current Mayor of New York City cleaned that part of the city up. In the style of many similar Italian erotic thrillers.

Fear City(1984) and Lucio Fulci's The New York Ripper(1982) have a lot in common with each other. One, both films take place in the sleezy parts of Times Square during the 1980s. Two, the two films have a killer whose on an insane mission for human purity. Three, the violence and the sex in Fear City(1984) and New York Ripper(1982) are depicted in an ugly and unpleasent fashion.

Like other Ferrara features except for Bad Lieutenant(1992), Fear City was badly cut for its theatrical release in the United States. It seems that the director's films are not well liked by the MPPA. I might see the movie in a different light if I ever saw the complete uncut version of Fear City(1984). Scenes that were cut or trimmed involved heavy graphic violence.

The first flashback sequence is a fantasic blend of realism and surreal. Done with the same horror quality as the dream of Thana from Ms. 45(1981). The second flashback sequence is even better. Shows how Matt Rossi got involved with Mafia Boss, Carmine.

The fight between boxer Matt Rossi and the Karate Killer is both entertaining and silly. A strange way for Matt Rossi and the Karate Killer to confront each other. This sequence loses some steam after a few minutes bcause of the one sided match. Pales in comparison to the Halloween party massacre sequence in Ms. 45(1981).

Tom Berenger is average in the role of the tormented Matt Rossi. The best acting in Fear City(1984) belongs to Michael V Gazzo who gives some unintentional comic relief as erotic dance club owner, Mikey. The attack on the first dancer is done with the same editing technique as with the first rape on Thana in Ms. 45(1981). Melanie Griffith plays the same kind of character here that she did on Brian De Palma's Body Double(1984)[She is extremely beautiful and sensual more in Fear City than in any other of her films].

Although FEAR CITY is provocatively titillating, and sex drenched, it really never manages to seduce. However, the film does a remarkable job of capturing the essence of early 80's tawdry 42nd St. Midtown Manhattan (Pre-Disneyfication). And, the film boasts a cavalcade of 80's talent; Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams, Melanie Griffith, and Rae Dawn Chong. Although director Able Ferrara was throttled by too many producers, he has still managed to craft a fairly interesting picture. What makes FEAR CITY slightly unusual is the treatment of the killer. In most films of this nature, the primary aim is to identify and demonstrate the Evil Doer's, Means, Motive, and Opportunity. However, in FEAR CITY Ferrara only shows the manifestation of the killer's violence, and nearly nothing is divulged of his character or motivation. The killer is shown as a mere cipher, and such a depiction is more in keeping with the Horror Genre rather than Detective Fiction. FEAR CITY is certainly not a great film, or even one of Able Ferrar's better efforts, but it is still worthy of a look.

Abel Ferrara has definitely done better things in his life. But I think this is just the uneasy transition point between the early gritty horror of Ms. 45 and the later high gloss of "King of New York." There are many points at which Ferara has rarely been as outrageous as such as the stabbing of a stripper montaged together with a sexy strip routine. I also think he deserves points for putting half naked women in almost every scene.

But the martial arts fighting serial killer was utterly ridiculous and in the ending fighht scene I didn't see why he had to be so tough if his aim in life was to beat up women half his size and weight.., This was made for cable by the way, they just decided not to air it.

A psycho killer is slashing beautiful strippers in New York.Tom Berenger tries to stop him!"Fear City" is pretty good,but it's obvious that scenes of violence were heavily cut.It's really a shame,I'd love to see an uncut version.The urban setting of New York and the whole story reminds me a little bit "Maniac"(1980)and "The New York Ripper"(1982).There's plenty of sleaze and tons of nudity(even Melanie Griffith is naked in a couple of scenes!).So if you like Abel Ferrara movies("Ms 45","Driller Killer")check out this vastly underrated film.

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't a somewhat peculiar movie. The bursts of violence are horrific, and the picture maintains an emphatically gritty tone, yet scenes spotlighting the killer feel a tad contrived. There's several noteworthy names and faces appearing here, and the roles they are given to fill have complicated histories and backgrounds that could be teased out to even more splendid, visceral or emotional ends. Yet most of the figures quietly come and go in the narrative, and the one centered as the protagonist - Matt Rossi, portrayed by Tom Berenger - feels more like a man caught in a whirlwind than an active force driving the story. For all the characters and threads of plot herein, the development of that plot comes across less as a line moving forward, and more as a grim malaise of wretchedness slowly spreading outward in all directions. As such, each subsequent concrete story beat that propels the runtime almost feels out of place. 'Fear City' is solidly enjoyable, but it's a bit of an oddity, and I can't begrudge anyone who holds it in lower esteem.

The vibe is definitely one of neo-noir - seedy characters all around, dubious dealings, bad business, and circumstances that progressively spin out of control. Within that vague context, there's a lot to love about Nicholas St. John's screenplay: the very human characters; the dialogue oozing fear, exhaustion, and broad spite; the scene writing that over the course of the length adopts an evermore dire air of immediacy. And I do quite like the overall narrative, for while it feels a trifle unorthodox, and perhaps unsteady on its feet, the curiousness of the approach here is by no means an inherent mark against it. In fact, by keeping the storytelling relatively nebulous and fuzzy, one can infer a measure of universality - this could be anywhere, at any time, and the themes and characters could apply elsewhere and otherwise - in contrast to the specificity that a more streamlined, distinct narrative would impose. Similarly, even as the killer is shown to have a couple qualities that set him apart from any average John Doe, the movie declines to impart a precise motive or reasoning, lending credence to the notion that this unnamed attacker who voices such strident misogyny is a stand-in for every person who by any account exhibits the same senseless hatred of women. And, if one reads such harsh connotations into the amorphous, open slant of the writing, 'Fear City' becomes even more bleak - and for that, even more engrossing.

Combine all this with the tremendous film-making skills of Abel Ferrara, who makes all the grime of New York feel extra real and personal, and it's hard not to become invested in the movie even though something feels persistently, indescribably "off." I won't say that this is a "fun" viewing experience, but at length it's a strongly engaging one. The hair and makeup work, costume design, and broad production design are swell, and the cinematography is excellent. The sequencing partly suffers from and feeds into the same muddied haze that clouds the writing, but the film editing at large is executed well. And yet for all the fine contributions that characterize 'Fear City,' and for as enjoyable as the picture is overall, the aspect of its craft to stand out the most isn't what you'd think. "New York doll," a song performed by David Johansen that opens the film and closes the end credits, is marvelous. It quickly sets a dark tone for this 80s picture, and exemplifies a brilliant, invigorating score and soundtrack that may be the single best part of the feature.

It's not without its flaws. At the same time that the approach to storytelling opens different possibilities, the strangely noncommittal writing of characters and narrative development is a little off-putting. It's a fine, quixotic balance the feature tries to strike, and the results are mixed. All this is kind of beside the point, though: one can dissect the minutiae of the title from top to bottom, but at the end of the day, it's dark, it's violent, and it keeps us watching. Warts and all, 'Fear City' is better than not, and its imperfections kind of add to its appeal. Content warnings should be noted for substantial nudity, and violence against women, and even putting these aside Ferrara's style won't meet the personal preferences of all viewers. Still, if you have the chance to watch it, there's a lot to like about 'Fear City,' and I think it's worth checking out.