Times Square

I must confess up front to a favorable bias toward "Times Square". Just before its release I recall seeing the trailer and being won over by the scene in the hospital where Nikki begins eating the flowers. Since this was only about 10 seconds into the trailer it is fair to say that I immediately connected with the film. The same trailer is included with the DVD and I was happy to see that my memory of the event was accurate. After seeing the actual feature I went out and bought the double album, which I still own.I know more about films now than I did 25 years ago and thanks to the DVD commentary (by Director Allen Moyle and Robin Johnson-who played Nikki) I now know a lot about what went into the making of "Times Square". Unfortunately Robin's co-star Trini Alvarado (Pammy) was not available for the commentary. Although most viewers consider Nikki the central character, Nikki really needs Pammy to play off (much like Charlize Theron needs Christina Ricci's reaction shots in "Monster"), yet Pammy's scenes without Nikki are some of the best in the film so you can't really say one character is more important than the other."Times Square" suffered the same fate that Orson Welles' "The Magnificent Ambersons" did 40 years earlier. The producers took control of the final cut, re-shot some scenes, deleted others, and released a version that did not reflect the director's vision. Apparently no one has ever been able to find the deleted footage for either film. Although "Times Square" was butchered even more than "Ambersons", it seems to have been less damaged. In part that is because the originally intended version would never have approached the perfection of the original "Amberson's". Perhaps more importantly, "Times Square" has a Haskel Wexler gritty documentary style that simply transcends the narrative elements of the story. So changes to the storyline could not take away from its basic ambiance nor from its preservation of the look of 1979 Times Square-something that was even then a ghost world.Moyle now wishes he had not left the production after a dispute over including additional songs (so they could have a double album) because his continued presence would have had some damage control value. Producer Robert Stigwood ("Saturday Night Fever", "Saying Alive", "Jesus Christ Superstar", Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" ) was determined to release yet another of his musical exploitation films designed to make a lot of money on the soundtrack. This accounts for the inclusion of the completely inappropriate "Help Me" (The Bee Gees), the movie actually goes out on that song although they switch to something more appropriate midway through the credits.The commercialization of the film also included dropping all obvious hints of a lesbian relationship between the two girls. This was probably a commercial mistake because a public controversy might have actually increased attendance. Ironically, if the lesbian angle had remained Moyle would have been accused of exploitation because it is really unnecessary for the storyline. Likewise the script changes needed when Alvarado refused to dance topless saved Moyle from looking like an exploiter.While what survives has major continuity and character development issues, the core of the story may actually work better. Two emotionally damaged girls-polar opposites- bond and help each other. It ends with Altman's cool "Kansas City" twist where the seemingly weaker girl becomes protective of the tough girl.I like the way that Pamela's father finally gets it and backs away, letting her continue to help Nikki until she feels that Nikki can continue without her. You first realize how strong and together Nikki has made Pammy by the end of my favorite montage sequence. After ordering her out, Nikki trashes their room, tries unsuccessfully to commit suicide, and completely breaks down at the radio station. Inter-cut with this is a shot of Pammy standing outside her father's home. At the station Nikki is screaming "Pammy" over and over as they agreed to do earlier in the film in moments of total despair. The audio of these screams is extended into the morning after establishing shot of their dock building. Johnny comes into the seemingly empty room and lifts the blanket revealing a peacefully sleeping Pammy sucking her thumb-she has returned to help Nikki.Another highlight is the scene I already mentioned of Nikki eating the flowers in their hospital room. What makes this work is its point-of-view dynamic. Moyle artfully connects us to Pammy for the first time by allowing us to see Nikki from her POV. Later he places us back into Pammy's POV as Nikki non-verbally convinces Pammy to leave the hospital with her. The hospital exit scene only works credibility-wise because the first scene set us up for it.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

This brings me back to the 80's! I love this movie and I love Nikki!

dirty city. two young runaways start a cult following with their spontaneous radio appearances on a radio dj's show out to create the next big thing.

It's been years since I've seen this movie. I've been looking for it on DVD for years. Glad it was re-released again. The quality is better than I expected. Movie is good, not great. There are a couple of scenes that make one cringe nowadays but still worth watching. I have to admit that the only reason I wanted to see this movie in the '80s was because Tim Curry is in it. Turned out he is only a supporting character in the film which was perfect for the movie. Since it was filmed in Times Square, it's great to see Times Square the way it was before it was made into a sanitized tourist spot.The soundtrack is GREAT!!! Many songs are now considered classics but when the movie came out in 1980, they were only minor hits or on the fringes. Let's hope someone realizes this and gives the soundtrack the same treatment as the movie. Every song fits perfectly in this movie. I have the soundtrack on vinyl. Would love to have it on CD for my car. Any best soundtracks of the '80s list that doesn't include Times Square isn't worth reading. This soundtrack rivals ANY soundtrack released in the '80s!!!

I have been wanting to purchase this 80's movie on dvd for many years, but could only find it on vhs format or released on dvd in other countries which would not play on my DVD player. But Finally, after 42 years... someone decided to re-release this incredible movie on a DVD that can be viewed on a USA format dvd player. Now if only someone would re-release this amazing soundtrack. A must see!

Way back in 1980, the pre-release hype for "Times Square" told us that this flick should do for punk and new wave music what "Saturday Night Fever" had done for disco.Didn't quite work out.For while "Times Square" may have been the first mainstream flick to boast tunes by the likes of The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Pretenders, XTC and others, the movie never matches the edge or the energy of its own soundtrack. Not only does this film too often fall flat, it also falls prey to the the most overused teen movie cliches. Parents are ALWAYS oppressive, stodgy old fools who NEVER understand their kids. Kids are ALWAYS wise beyond their years and ALWAYS know what's best for them. Or, in short: Kids good, Grownups bad.Of course, even sticking to such hackneyed conventions might not have been a complete deal-wrecker if the film's two female teen protagonists didn't spend most of their time onscreen engaging in such horrifying, life-threatening shenanigans. In the logic of writer/director Alan Moyle, it's okay to steal an ambulance, go on a wild joyride and nearly kill dozens of other drivers. It's no big deal to commit armed robbery - as long as you do it with your psychotic but soulful new friend. It's just fine to get a job dancing at a sleazy strip joint, even if you are only 13 years old. Most importantly, it shows great depth of character to accept the pimps and drug dealers of Times Square as your new family...while you reject your stuffed-shirt, recently widowed dad. In "Times Square," such felonies and lapses of judgment are supposed to be accepted as nothing more than lively teenage rebellion.But as harebrained as is Moyle's take on youthful rebellion, it's pure genius compared to his apparent view of teen mental illness. In this movie, after all, if you're a young woman and show signs of serious emotional problems, the WORST thing an adult can do is take you to see a doctor. Instead, your parents and teachers should just stand back while you run wild in the local porn district and hole up in an abandoned warehouse. In "Times Square," psychosis and depression are merely smokescreens created by adults to squelch the artful creativity of free-spirited young women.In an odd way, this film - which wants to be so subversive - is every bit as sanitized as the current version of the locale for which it's named. The various cutthroats and miscreants of Moyle's cinematic Times Square, after all, are perfectly harmless. They're simply the 'real people' of NYC, and we're somehow supposed to believe that a couple of 13-year-old girls would be perfectly safe wandering among them.But even though this isn't a good movie, the DVD is by no means a complete bust. It does give a glimpse into a very different time in New York City. Just catching some of the sights and sounds of Times Square in all its sleazy glory adds interest for fans of the low-budget movies that used to play in the ratty theaters there. Likewise, the commentary track by director Moyle and star Robin Johnson provides lots of trivia and insight. And it's here, in the commentary tracks of substandard movies, that we sometimes best see into the minds and egos of filmmakers. Moyle knows this isn't a good movie, but he tries his darndest to convince us - or himself - that it has lots of good moments. And, more significantly, he seems to blame everyone but himself for the fact that the movie just didn't turn out as it was supposed to. Surely this wouldn't be the first time that a film was ruined by producers and studio honchos. But, considering some of Moyle's other work (the Christian Slater stinkeroo "Pump Up the Volume" comes to mind) it's hard to imagine that "Times Square" would have been much better even if he had held complete control over every last frame.

Like Tim Curry and the soundtracj

Saw this film way back in the 80s and it still holds up well today, good quality print, better than the cover would imply, great sound track and pretty good acting, Tim adds a good narrative to the story and shows the grim industrial side of new York at the end of the 70s

While Times Square is a great New wave (Not punk) movie it suffers for me the problem of often jumping the plot too quick.One minute she's composed a poem that is proposed to be a song, next cut she's on stage singing it. - No explanation of how. It was just that easy right?!One minute she's singing her song then very soon she's in the radio station studio - again, no story of how that happened. Just Wham bam it's done.Likewise with the end scene, tons of kids in similar style make up & clothes they've obviously heard of her on the radio so go on... how did they figure out her look too? There's obviously back up stories one could tell here. Including the end piece with a shot of who we assume is her father & also the mysterious she disappears ending.If a directors cut doesn't exist then obviously a remake would benefit this film. It's obvious you could make a 2 hrs film or even a tv series with the back stories of what's missing.Good film. Good music. Too much fast cutting to the action.Actually thinking about this & today's tv styles maybe the director was ahead of his time. Myself I'd prefer more though.

Good film , worth watching

Ok nothing special

Great film fast delivery.