Alphabet City (1984)

Sick Product of a Sick System

Instant Favorite.

Expected more

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

On avenues A, B, and C, you have everything you want and need. What are you looking for? Name your price, and its yours! All three streets were given to a young 19 year old lad named Johnny, who has many responsibilities, but his main responsibility....keeping track of the drugs! And money! As if that wasn't enough of a burden, he has his home life, which is an absolute stink fest. His mom will sleep and dump a man quicker then you can know his name, and his sister doesn't stay around long enough to know what is going on. When Johnny is instructed to torch the same building his family is staying in, he wants his mom to go, but she doesn't know where. He doesn't care where, he just wants her to...go. In the meantime, poor Johnny is catching heat from the New York mobsters who want full control of their streets back, but Johnny's not going down without a fight, or a care in the world. Lucky for Johnny, this is a low budget movie, so its not going to get too brutal...or believable. On the plus side, we have some cool 80's effects going on in Alphabet City, but it can't make up for the lackluster script or plot that barely exists. Many scenes just drag, and its boring as hell. However, its a great attempt, the efforts seem to be there, even if it does fail on every level, and it does have a good concept to work with. It just doesn't....work....as bad as I would have wanted it to, it just doesn't work. A likeable movie? Sure, why not! It's not a bad movie, even if it does have its flaws. It's not a good movie either, so be prepared for a lot of....oh, can you please overlook the bad editing? The EDITING! It's way too obvious, and its one of my main complaints with the film. They either didn't know what they were doing, or they didn't have enough time to work on it. I don't know. Packed into this, a few scenes of awesome, and a few scenes of pure adrenaline rush! Does it make up for the downfalls? NO! But it sure doesn't kill the watch, either. 5 out of 10 stars from me.

Looking at film history, one can pick any decade and easily find a film that deals with the subject teen angst, crime, or juvenile delinquency. The 80's are no exception to that, as we can see with 1984's "Alphabet City". Taking place in the real life (and at the time troubled) neighborhood of New York City, it concerns the story of a young, punk street dealer named Johnny (Vincent Spano in his younger days). Johnny lives the life, has a hot girlfriend and young daughter, as well as a sweat ride. But he begins to have second thoughts about everything when he's ordered by his mob boss, Gino (a very effective Raymond Serra) to burn down the building where his mother and little sister are living. What follows next is a run for his life as Johnny does everything to collect old debts to get himself and his family out of dodge. Before I go on, let me be honest: The film won't win any academy awards. It is what is, a low budget teen crime drama. And yet the film is memorable, if not for its writing than for the look and feel of it. "Alphabet City" perfectly captures the time it was made in, the early eighties, be it the fashion (the bright colored "tights" girls used to wear in night clubs, Oh Yeah!) or the quasi disco/early 80's dance music that was happening at the time. One song called "Lady Luck" is especially memorable since they play it throughout much of the film. It might not be anything special, but after a while, it is pretty catchy. Another point that helps is the dedication the actors give to their roles, despite the film being as low budget as it is. Vincent Spano is fairly convincing as the drug dealer who grows a conscience, as is Michael Winslow as Lippy, Johnny's drug addicted partner in crime. In particular, Winslow makes you feel for Lippy, as he inspires feelings of hopelessness and despair with his crazy antics and street rhythms. Rounding out the cast is Kate Vernon as Angie, Johnny's girlfriend, and a very young and just starting out Jami Gertz as Johnny's sister Sophia. But above all, perhaps what makes "Alphabet City" so memorable is a genuine feeling of the price one might be required to pay when he enters the drug game (Another commenter on this site who admits to being involved in the drug trade during this time said the same thing. Luckily for him, he was able to get out of the game but not before seeing many of his friends being "retired" for good). And on that note, if you're in the mood for some 80's fun and decent teen story, check out "Alphabet City". Directed by Amos Poe.

i recently saw this flick after 20 odd years & while it is one that 'got away', its still pretty decent for the time... (what the producers wanted - was an "urban teen flick"... good luck!) it was my first 35mm, fully crewed production & shot in 20 nights & we did best under the circumstances, and we had a blast shooting it. editing was difficult to say the least. it was a huge, huge learning experience. i had a lot of support from oliver wood (DP), line-producers Ben Gruberg & Roberta Friedman, and Greg Heller, who wrote the story. Nord Haggerty and Anna Taylor did a a great job with production design and costumes under very limited budget. Nile's music sounds better than ever. i wish we'd have shot the real ending... (which was to "political" for the producers) i agree w/comments that there are cheesy segments & i'd like to see Vince act in more movies! Jamie & Michael Winslow still charm in their own ways... anyway, thanks for watching it on late nite TV!

While not a well received film, it was still highly enjoyable. Visually driven (in the same vein as Miami Vice) with enough goodies to keep you interested. Unfortunately, Vincent Spano never rose above his promising career of the '80s. Original soundtrack by Nile Rodgers perfectly accompanies the film. Now onto the absurd comments by UnrealKillerGirl. I guess you must have conveniently overlooked Park Avenue? LOL! One of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the world. How 'bout Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sex & The City, The Gastineau Girls, Maid In Manhattan, Arthur, Barefoot In The Park, Autumn In New York, and a gazillion other films & TV shows that romanticize the Greatest City In The World?! Why not watch the above examples and get a more balanced view? Obviously, "Alphabet City" is merely a depiction of one neighborhood among hundreds that lie in The City That Never Sleeps. A neighborhood that is no longer riddled with crime. The NYC of today is quite a far cry from yesteryear. Since 1993, NYC has become the safest, largest city in the nation. Time Square (crossroads of the world) is one of the Top 10 family destinations in America for tourists. Yes, if you want to be bored out of your wits, by all means, stay in Dubuque! LOL! If you don't want to miss out on Broadway, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, 24/7 nightlife, Wall Street, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, MTV Studios in Times Square (crossroads of the world), Actors Studio, The United Nations, 5th Avenue, Yankee Stadium, Dave Letterman, SNL, Conan, Radio City Music Hall, Museum of Radio & TV, miles of food to explore from hundreds of nations, then shlep on down and quash your misconceptions! Otherwise, you will miss out on the world, because everything can be found in Gotham City! It wasn't nicknamed "The State That Has Everything" for its health! eh -D, NYC "I moved into my apartment Sept. 10. In one day I saw the worst but also the best of New York. Its people are glorious, marvelous. The best. First-run movies? We got it. Tops in theater? We got it. Ballet, opera, circus, concerts. More culture here, more in the way of arts than anywhere in the world. New York is the Athens of today" - MATT DAMON (as told to Cindy Adams of Page 6, NY Post - oldest, continuously published newspaper in America; founded by one of our founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton).."New York City has the zoo, aquarium, museums, fashion center, diamond center, U.N., Statue of Liberty; and it's got the Yanks and the Mets; and it's got every kind of food but lousy; and it's the home of the one-namers like Harrison, Dustin, Calvin, Katie, Rosie, Bianca, Bernadette, Matt, Bryant, Vanessa, Julia, Halle, Gwyneth, Donald, Ivana, Puffy" - CINDY ADAMS (Page 6, NY Post)