Savage Streets

**_A group of high school girls is harassed by a small gang in Los Angeles_** This mixes the high school sequences of “Carrie” with the gang elements of “Switchblade Sisters,” except that the girls here are just friends and not a gang. While it’s comic booky and exaggerated, it’s not surreal like “The Warriors.” Soon-to-come 80s’ comparisons include “Certain Fury,” “Tuff Turf,” “The New Kids” and “Dangerously Close.” The intimidating Robert Dryer plays the gang leader, Jake, and was 34 during shooting, although his character is implied to be around 19. He’s good at playing over-the-top angry but hams it up a little too much to be believable. Meanwhile Linda Blair is a bit too biyatchy to buy. When a female teacher shows compassion and concern, she can’t let her ‘tough girl’ act down for a moment. John Vernon plays the formidable principal, who gives the impression that he was involved in gang activity back in the day. Linnea Quigley interestingly plays against type as the deaf-mute sister of the protagonist (Blair). She was 25 during shooting, almost 26, but looked and acted 16-17. It runs about 1h 30m and was shot in early 1984 in Los Angeles. GRADE: B-