Times Square (1980) Reviews

• If only they hadn't ruined Times Square

  littleshelagh2004-12-11

  People who love: will get a kick out of this movie. I recommend it, especially if you don't require that you grow spiritually or expand your vocabulary every time you invest 90 minutes in a movie.

• I Love This Film

  aimless-462005-08-15

  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"), plus Pammy's scenes without Nikki are some of the best in the film and Pammy is the character who undergoes all the changes in the story, so you can't really say that one of them 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 at least 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. Finally there is Nikki's "people dig dyin on me" line.

• Truly A Classic!

  Kitale2004-09-23

  First of all, I saw the preview of the movie before it came out and it had the scene where Nicky silently urges Pammy to run away with her from the hospital, to The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated". That alone blew me away. Then I bought the 2 LP soundtrack before the movie came out and listened to it over and over. By the time the movie premiered, I was more than ready for it. It showed for two weeks at a local theater and I saw it once a day every day for two weeks. I really had no life! I ordered the VHS tape sometime in the 80's and paid $60 for it. Now I own the DVD and enjoyed the commentary. I don't have the CD and wonder if The Cars' Dangerous Type is on it. Anyway, I don't have to tell you I loved it very much. I know the editing was clumsy and they cut out so many scenes that sometimes it didn't make any sense, but it is such a fun movie. the soundtrack is the best ever. The Ramones, Suzi Quatro, Patti Smith, Pretenders, Robin Johnson, Roxy Music, XTC, Desmond Child & Rouge, The Cars (not included on the soundtrack), etc. This movie introduced me to New Wave and punk. There are so many neat scenes in the movie: - The seduction - non-verbal with only Ramones singing "I Wanna Be Sedated - of Pammy by Nicky to leave the hospital. - The card game on the street "You snooze you lose" - Running through the adult theater. - The hilarious hold-up - Dropping TVs to The Cars' "Dangerous Type" - "Your Daughter Is One" - Any scene with Tim Curry - "Life, more than Television." Do I love this movie or what?

• Punk Movie Ethic: The Fabulous Revolt of the Spectacularly Alienated (spoilers)

  vertigo_142005-09-08

  Times Square is a film inspired by a young woman's diary found by director Allen Moyle. It was many years before I was finally able to obtain a copy of 'Times Square,' although I was ultimately disappointed with what has established itself as a steady cult classic (to no surprise) that represents the old days of real New York (filmed entirely on location) and the emergence of New Wave (not so much punk, despite the "official" synopsis). Robin Johnson plays gutsy social street misfit, Nicky, who is placed in a hospital because, for some reason, "reasonable" doctors have attributed her crude behavior with some sort of mental defect. There, she befriends quiet, shy Pamela (Trini Alvarado) who is being tested by doctors in the hospital much to the urgings of her wealthy, but misunderstanding father who is unwilling to listen to Pamela and realize that she's just a normal kid that needs some attention and natural affection. Nicky, never willing to be held down (as characterized by her "Feed Me/I'm A Dog" song later in the film), helps Pam bust out of their little prison to become street nomads, doing what they have to for cash. But, they become youth idols and popular rebels when Pam's father gets together his team of social workers and legal aid to track Pam down under the assumption that she has been kidnapped. With the help of Nicky and their assorted troublemaking around New York, Pam eventually breaks out of her shell while speaking back to her father through local radio DJ, Johnny LaGuardia (Tim Curry!), among other things. It's the typical punk rock ethic movie, though not done quite as harshly nor probably as honestly as other punk rock ethic films have (such as Suburbia or the more light-hearted selections). That is, the tales of the misunderstood youth who try to vocalize their frustrations to the very people (usually some form of dogged authority such as parents or school officials or law enforcement) through some of revolt. Here, it happens to be a culturally motivated one. The story, then is nothing new, and could've been much more enjoyable, at least for me, if there was more variety within the story. As the movie progresses, it becomes too much about Nicky, and I know that this was obviously done for a reason--because while Pamela can reform to at least some sense of normal, this is something that Nicky has never really known (or no longer knows) and has no one else to turn to. Besides, her personality means that she would never acquiesce as easily as Pam did (although Pam had her reasons, too). However, Tim Curry fans or cult classic fans, particularly those who enjoyed cult classics motivated by the punk/new wave culture themes of youth alienation and good-natured rebellion and alienation (like Suburbia, Repo Man, Rock N' Roll High School, Tokyo Pop, and, outside of this music-influenced genre, The Legend of Billie Jean), then this is at least worth giving a try.

• Recklessly edited, but "no sense makes sense," right?

  TelevisionJunkie2001-09-19

  As Maltin said, the film is "scored for the deaf," which isn't a bad thing - it at least displays some good songs from the era. The bizarre script is made convincing through excellent performances from Alverado and Johnson. Tim Curry, who only spent a few days working on the film, turns in a good performance too, despite his hokey accent (Just what sort of accent is that supposed to be? Still, it beats the mind-numbingly-fake one he used in "Congo."). The film may be short on focused plot, but wry, cynical dialogue abounds, mostly uttered by Curry. The main problem with this film is the editing. It's obvious watching this movie the first time that something is missing. In trying to make a double-album-soundtrack, they sacrificed character development by jamming in as much music as possible. By doing so, they made the already-unbelievable script even more thin, making it unable to compete with the screen-time that the musical sequences received. Which leaves a reckless coming-of-age story to play out like a two-hour music-video. Sad in one way, the film could have been so much better, but it did give the movie a cult-like quality which set it firmly in a specific place and time. What's left often seems unreal and senseless, but Alvarado and Johnson are just so convincing with the little bit that they were given that one isn't always inclined to notice (which leads me to wonder why neither actress went on to bigger and better things). Much speculation has been given to the lesbian-theme-aspect of the film. While the finished film only hints at it, scenes were supposedly played-out more in the original drafts of the script, although much of that was never filmed. Johnson is so butch it's hard to believe she's not a biker in real-life. Alvarado, who's initially shy and insecure, winds up shedding her wallflower image to idolize and embrace the ideals of her new friend. When Alvarado's focus shifts towards Curry, a jealous and drunken Johnson lashes out as if she'd just been cheated on. And just to annoy fans of the film, scenes from the trailor showed a scene (that was ultimately cut out) where Johnson and Alvarado splashed around and played in the river. Wouldn't it have been scandalous at that time to have two young girls in their early teens portrayed in a gay relationship? (Then again, many didn't realize the gay-themes that were so blatant in "A Nightmare On Elm Street 2" when it was first released five years later.) It's been rumored that other lesbian-themed footage was shot and subsequently cut out, but since the film was such a forgotten flop, we may never know how much. I'm willing to bet this could have been an epic four-hour movie. When the DVD was being compiled, Achor Bay Entertainment did a search for missing footage, but they were unsuccessful at locating any. We're left only to imagine what the film could have been if they had toned down the music and stuck to the original vision. Perhaps one day. ..