Episode 56: Episode 56: Streets of Fire/The Professionals

NAPPED TIME: “Tonight is the night to be young.” Don’t you hate when this happen? Someone abducts a loved one. Takes them far away. And you have to go after them and bring them back. And you haven’t even had your coffee yet. Sounds like it’s time for Episode 56 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I’ll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. For this episode, I am happy to welcome as my guest, TV producer Casey O’Connor (Ridiculousness), who has chosen the Walter Hill rock and roll action film, Streets and Fire, while I have chosen Richard Brooks revisionist western and Burt Lancaster vehicle, The Professionals, both films inspired by the Iliad in which a group of people are sent to retrieve a loved one who has been abducted. And in this episode, we answer such questions as: Why did Streets of Fire lose money? What was odd about Diane Lane’s age in Streets of Fire? What is revisionist about The Professionals? How did Amy Madigan’s role change once she was cast? What was odd about the directing category of the 1967 Oscars? Where did the title of Streets of Fire come from and what happened in connection to it? What was the ninth most popular movie at the French box office in 1966? What famous comedian can be seen as an extra in Streets of Fire? What is Richard Brooks most lasting contribution to film noir and what did the censors do? Which song from Streets of Fire became a top 10 Billboard hit in 1984? What is the Blasters and would you want to be one? Be sure and check out Casey’s show on MTV: Ridiculousness And check out his cool lamps made from VHS tapes at https://www.voltagevhs.com/ Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/ My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss