Fear City Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Fear City Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 9, 2024

Making a name for himself with tough, violent pictures such as “The Driller Killer” and “Ms .45,” director Abel Ferrara graduates to a slightly larger sense of exploitation interests with 1984’s “Fear City.” It’s a New York City crime saga that revels in seediness and anger, with frequent Ferrara collaborator Nicholas St. John scripting a study of hard men forced to deal with a rising threat on the streets. It’s a B-movie that plays with literary ambitions, hoping to engage viewers with a multi-character examination of corruption and hopelessness, but also delivers some cheap thrills as the production tries to do so much with little resources.

In New York City, Matt (Tom Berenger) is an ex-boxer trying his hand at managing exotic dancers, joined by pal Nicky (Jack Scalia). Business has been good, but now there’s a threat on the streets, with a madman targeting the strippers, aiming to hurt and kill them to feed his insanity, keeping a diary of his violence. Matt and Nicky try to maintain order, facing nervous clients and frustrated club owners, while homicide cop Wheeler (Billy Dee Williams) has no patience for the partners, keeping a close eye on them. Matt also has a distraction in Loretta (Melanie Griffith), a dancer and ex-lover he’s trying to reconnect with during this turbulent time.

“Fear City” should really be presented in Odorama, taking the audience into the sin-laden alleys and strip clubs of NYC. Ferrara aims to highlight the ugliness of it all, and also an askew sense of order, with Matt and Nicky running a legitimate business that’s tied to all sorts of criminal activity, finding Wheeler frustrated that he can’t bust the pair, looking for any opportunity to do so. “Fear City” is a serial killer story, with an unnamed man slicing and dicing young women employed by Matt and Nicky, but such violence is only part of the movie. There’s more with Matt’s history as a disgraced boxer and his relationship with Loretta, an ex-junkie wary of reengaging with him. Wheeler and his investigation periodically returns to view, along with the suffering of club owner Mike (Michael V. Gazzo). And time is also spent with business rivals and the mafia, who maintain underworld authority.

Fear City Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Fear City" was previously released by Shout Factory in 2012 , with the Unrated Cut using the best materials at the time to present a complete version of the feature. The company returns with a second release of "Fear City," which sources the Unrated and Theatrical cuts of the movie from a "new 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive." Detail is generally acceptable, reaching as far as possible with a decent sense of skin particulars, exploring weathered faces on the cast and a substantial amount of exotic dancer displays. Costuming remains fibrous, preserving intended sheerness at times. New York City life remains active with deep backgrounds, and club interiors are open for examination. Colors are alert, doing especially well with club lighting and street signage, which looks vibrant. Dancer costuming is also distinct, with big primaries. The cooler hues of city life are appreciable, and skin tones are mostly natural, with some hotness here and there. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression holds together.

Fear City Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix handles the bluntness of "Fear City," which offers acceptable dialogue exchanges, balancing heated encounters. Scoring cues support with a clear synth sound, and soundtrack selections deliver acceptable vocals. Street atmospherics are appreciable.

Fear City Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Fear City Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Fear City" is pulpy and scuzzy, playing like a trashy book with too many characters dealing with an abundance of problems. Ferrara can't always maintain control of the picture, occasionally losing the war with editing as subplots are crudely cut down, but there's definitely a vibe to the endeavor, which helps to hold it together. There's a driving sense of panic and revenge, and performances are appropriate for such atmosphere, giving Ferrara some level of dramatic depth to help define his journey into the bleakness of NYC and its love of misery.