My HD-DVD of Walter Hill's cult classic action film "STREETS OF FIRE" has just arrrived !

Can't wait to see this in HD ! Great visual style in this movie and the soundtrack should be awesome (also a young, hot, leather-clad Diane Lane in HD!):D

Will post my thoughts when I get a chance to watch it.

"BOURNE" arrived too!:D

like i said at HDD, hurry it up already! :D

cant wait to hear about these movies... mine should arrive on monday!

ENVY.

Please let us know how the transfer on STREETS is!!

Damn these "I just got *[insert movie title here]* but can't watch it for the next 2 days" threads! :D

I'm watching it tonight, so will let you know my thoughts then. Cheers.

Then I'll watch "Bourne Identity" tomorrow.

O.K.

The film is as stylish and action-packed as you remember it. It is all style over substance (what substance?) and the superbly staged fights and music numbers are still great. The stunning Diane Lane looks great as usual and Michael Pare is as laconic and leaden as you remember as Tom Cody. Willem Dafoe is a superb villain in his leather boiler suit. The soundtrack and visual design is superb. Entertaining and inventive - "STREETS OF FIRE" is great stuff!

The picture is a HUGE leap forward over the non-anamorphic standard def release. It is a massive difference. Detail is superb! The grain is definately there in abundance but it is in keeping with the style of the film and only becomes noticeable in the films (many) dark scenes. This HD-DVD is slightly brighter and much more dimensional than the SD-DVD. Everything is much MUCH clearer and the vivid colors are reproduced faithfully. The neon looks AWESOME!

The sound is fine. The classic soundtrack seems different to me from the SD release. The HD-DVD is more detailed and has more pizzazz. Everything is less muddy and much clearer, but... there is less bass slam and the musical numbers seem more articulate but with less thump. I guess it depends on how you like your music to which soundtrack version you prefer. For me the HD-DVD just, but it is clearly NOT the upgrade that the picture quality is.

Now the disappointing news... no extras. Nothing. Walter Hill pretty much disowns his films when they leave the theaters and that is true here. In fact, "THE WARRIORS" is the only film he has had anything to do with on home video (and that was because there was a video game coming out and he wanted to make it more "comic-y").

Still, no trailers (there was one on the DVD and two on the laserdisc), no music videos or making of featurette (they were available on a VHS cassette when the film was released), no commentary, and not even any darn insert, production notes or cast and crew bios! A shame and a missed opportunity.

So, all in all, a mixed bag. A huge video upgrade to the picture quality (it is THE BEST this film has ever looked at home), a comparable (although different) soundtrack mix, and disappointingly no extras at all. They have decided to go back to the original theatrical poster for the cover though.

If you are a fan of action films, Walter Hill films, stylized films, Diane Lane or Willem Dafoe, "STREETS OF FIRE" is a must own film and it has amassed a sizable cult audience. The HD-DVD is an upgrade in some departments but a step backwards in others.

They have decided to go back to the original theatrical poster for the cover though.

I'm not one to nit-pick over cover art, but this was a GREAT decision for Universal. The theatrical poster for this was really cool and the photochop job they had planned to use was not good.

If you are a fan of action films, Walter Hill films, stylized films, Diane Lane or Willem Dafoe, "STREETS OF FIRE" is a must own film and it has amassed a sizable cult audience.

No love for Michael Paré? :)

The picture is a HUGE leap forward over the non-anamorphic standard def release. It is a massive difference. Detail is superb! The grain is definately there in abundance but it is in keeping with the style of the film and only becomes noticeable in the films (many) dark scenes. This HD-DVD is slightly brighter and much more dimensional than the SD-DVD. Everything is much MUCH clearer and the vivid colors are reproduced faithfully. The neon looks AWESOME!

The sound is fine. The classic soundtrack seems different to me from the SD release. The HD-DVD is more detailed and has more pizzazz. Everything is less muddy and much clearer, but... there is less bass slam and the musical numbers seem more articulate but with less thump. I guess it depends on how you like your music to which soundtrack version you prefer. For me the HD-DVD just, but it is clearly NOT the upgrade that the picture quality is.

So, all in all, a mixed bag. A huge video upgrade to the picture quality (it is THE BEST this film has ever looked at home), a comparable (although different) soundtrack mix, and disappointingly no extras at all. They have decided to go back to the original theatrical poster for the cover though.



Woot! Now I REALLY can't wait for this one.

Cool, my copy will be here soon.

I'm not one to nit-pick over cover art, but this was a GREAT decision for Universal. The theatrical poster for this was really cool and the photochop job they had planned to use was not good.



No love for Michael Paré? :)

Yep. Good point. If memory serves me correctly, Michael Pare was quite big around the time of "STREETS OF FIRE". "EDDIE AND CRUISERS" had just come out and he was a bit of a heartthrob and "hard-case". However, his performance in "STREETS OF FIRE" was VERY badly panned by critics. He looked right, he had the right attitude, but watching the film now you can see how the critics called him "wooden" and "stiff". The guy sadly disappeared from mainstream films totally... ending up in direct-to-video stuff.

Lane, Dafoe, and Paxton went onto do really well for themselves. Lane even won an Oscar a couple years back for "Unfaithful" and I think Dafoe may have been Oscar nominated too. All good actors.

Lane, Dafoe, and Paxton went onto do really well for themselves. Lane even won an Oscar a couple years back for "Unfaithful" and I think Dafoe may have been Oscar nominated too. All good actors.

True. Although Lane never won an Oscar. She was only nominated. Dafoe's been nominated twice, but also never won. And Amy Madigan, who plays McCoy has had a nice career and was Oscar nominated too.

^

Apparently, the Academy loves the cast of Streets of Fire... but they have no love for Michael Paré either. ;)

The first thing I ever saw Michael Pare in was "The Greatest American Hero". He played one of William Katt's students, the tough guy.

I just picked up the Streets of Fire HD DVD today and I can't wait to check it out tonight. I was a little disappointed when I saw Universal used an HD-15 for this release, but without any extras, it might not be a big deal. Also, the movie's only a little over 90 mins.

I just watched this last night as it is one of my favorite movies. The picture is superb. I remember this movie being advertised many years ago as one of the first movies with surround sound. I think the sound could have been better on the HD DVD, but I'm not sure what tracks they had to work with. The songs still sound good and the great picture makes this HD DVD a pleasure to watch. I know many on the Blu side are really jealous that we have this movie now. Perhaps more of them will break down now and buy a HD DVD player.

Yeah, with HD DVD players getting really cheap, there's no reason why Blu peeps who'd love to see some Universal movies wouldn't just pick up an A2.

^

Apparently, the Academy loves the cast of Streets of Fire... but they have no love for Michael Paré either. ;)

I've always enjoyed Michael's performances. I find him neither wooden nor leaden, but he does always play pretty much the same kind of character, so perhaps there is a range issue. However, I personally find a lot of character to his characters, and that doesn't come from wood or lead.

According to Amazon, this title is still pre-order, so how is it that people are receiving it already?

What's the background color of the spine? And which picture do they use for the cover art? The one up on amazon (http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Y6vnCbE0L._SS500_.jpg) or the one highdefdigest (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/streetsoffire.html) ? Thanks.

What's the background color of the spine? And which picture do they use for the cover art? The one up on amazon (http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Y6vnCbE0L._SS500_.jpg) or the one highdefdigest (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/streetsoffire.html) ? Thanks.

The one on Amazon but with Diane Lane and Willem Dafoe's name above "STREETS OF FIRE"

I've always enjoyed Michael's performances. I find him neither wooden nor leaden, but he does always play pretty much the same kind of character, so perhaps there is a range issue. However, I personally find a lot of character to his characters, and that doesn't come from wood or lead.

According to Amazon, this title is still pre-order, so how is it that people are receiving it already?
I went to Laser Blazer on Pico this past Wednesday and they had 5 on them on the shelf.

How about the side label (spine)? What color is the backround?

How about the side label (spine)? What color is the backround?
It's black with the title in yellow.