Dark Streets

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

A naive playboy investigating the suspicious death of his wealthy father finds his charmed life as owner of the hottest nightclub in town suddenly spiraling into disaster in this shadowy film noir fever dream from director Rachel Samuels. Gabriel Mann, Bijou Phillips, Izabella Miko, and Elias Koteas headline the film, which features music by Aaron Neville, Etta James, Dr. John, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, and more. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Screen: Color
• Features:
  • Director & Cast Commentary
  • Deleted & Alternate Scenes
  • cc

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Gabriel Mann - Chaz Davenport
       Bijou Phillips - Crystal Labelle
       Izabella Miko - Maddie Bonderont
       Elias Koteas - The Lieutenant
       Toledo - Prince Royale
       Michael Fairman - Nathaniel Davenport

• Director:

  Rachel Samuels

• Producer:

  Claus Clausen, Glenn M. Stewart, Andrea Balen, Corina Danckwerts

• Screen Story:

  Glenn M. Stewart

• Play Author:

  Glenn M. Stewart

• Screenwriter:

  Wallace King

• Cinematographer:

  Sharone Meir

• Composer (Music Score):

  George Acogny

• Songwriter:

  James Compton, Tim Langhorne Brown, Tony De Meur

• Editor:

  Michael J. Duthie, Anne Goursaud

• Production Designer:

  Frank Bollinger

• Executive Producer:

  Steffen Aumüller

• Costume Designer:

  Maria Schicker

• Choreography:

  Keith Young

• Casting:

  Johanna Ray

• Executive Music Producer:

  George Acogny

• Post Production Supervisor:

  Christopher F. Woods

REVIEW:

• "A bullet's kiss is a cold way to meet betrayal." Thus begins Dark Streets, and that line, spoken in a bluesy rasp by Prince (Toledo), the film's narrator, and the dark slow-motion imagery that accompanies it, sets the tone for Dark Streets, director Rachel Samuels' hyper-stylized musical-noir pastiche. DP Sharone Meir's images are blurred at the edges, as though they were shot through a veil of smoke and Vaseline. Samuels successfully sets a mood, surrounding her main character, Chaz Davenport (Gabriel Mann), with a rogue's gallery of underhanded oddballs and dangerous women. Toledo, as one of the performers at Chaz's nightclub, gives a fresh and charismatic performance, while Elias Koteas delivers an interesting new twist on the menacing weirdo role he's perfected in films like Crash and Exotica. Bijou Phillips (playing Crystal, another performer) is surprisingly adept, particularly in her slinky musical numbers. The musical aspects of the film generally work well -- no small feat from a relatively inexperienced director approaching the genre for the first time -- and the soundtrack, featuring great New Orleans-based performers like Dr. John, Solomon Burke, and Aaron Neville, helps to further establish the film's sultry mood. Mann is an appealing actor, but he seems a bit boyish for this role. All the flash and style that Samuels musters makes the film fairly engrossing, but the script, with its convoluted but predictable plot and its clunky dialogue, can't match the film's visual and musical force. While it's acceptable stylization for the images to be blurry around the edges, the script needs to be sharper. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi