Told in a nonlinear fashion the story bounces back in forth in time. Once you get used to the rhythm of it, you can kind of follow the story as Alex finds work, helps his friends with crimes and performs so many horrific and utterly gratuitous murders. I get that horror is supposed to be… well… horrifying, but this is just over the top with a truly stunning array of grotesque images that take way too long. The Streets Run Red is the promise of every grindhouse movie poster realized with a variety of women stripped naked and mutilated right in front of you.
“…all the creativity of the film was reserved for the various ways he’d murder people…”
From a story aspect, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. And again, what is wrong with you? So let’s look at some of the other aspects of The Streets Run Red. Here’s where the movie fails as a piece of cinema. It’s like Troma without the childlike whimsy. The acting is amateurish, the sound is tinny (like everyone is talking through a coffee can), and the camera work is weak at best. And while (like other kinds of porn) no one would watch this for the cinematic technique, it is strange for a movie centered on the hunt for the “Kubrick Killer” to not have better camera work. It would seem that all the creativity of the film was reserved for the various ways he’d murder people.
And like a lot of exploitation films, The Streets Run Red tries to shoehorn in a social message or two. A quick scene where some characters try to justify enjoying this kind of movie and a few lines about race relations. However, any point they may have been trying to make is undercut by the final scene.
If you’re going to watch The Streets Run Red (and I suggest you don’t), you will need a strong stomach and/or an utter contempt for your fellow humans.
"…the promise of every grindhouse movie poster realized…"
