This is a lame one, but it is the only one I can honestly think of right now in any detail. The film is Real Men starring John Ritter and Jim Belushi. The two of them beat up a lot of agents (CIA? FBI?) dressed as clowns. It is characterized by Belushi's character as a "clown attack."
Awesome? Debatable, but there ya go.
----------------------- It's been emotional.
Posts: 3128 | Location: FoCo | Registered: 07 January 2005
Ha Ha! Killer Klowns From Outer Space has a similar scene, but it's gorier.
I'll have to think harder on this one, but I'm sure some of Hitch's classic subjective shots took place in an alley. The second The Man Who Knew Too Much comes to mind.
Can you give us more info on how the alleys in films relates to your theme?
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
Spiderman 2- Parker changes to Spiderman in alley was fun and later when Parker tosses the Spidey costume in an alley trash-can (which mirrored at least one comic book version of the scene).
Probably favorite alley scene I can think of right away is from The President's Analyst. James Coburn running from spies meaning to kidnap or kill him, darts through an alley or two, looking extremely scared and paranoid (can't blame him). Soon afterwards, US and Russian agents Godfrey Cambridge and Severn Darden, pursuing Coburn, chat while walking through a couple alleys (and side streets). But each time they enter a new alley or side-street, the two are wearing completely different clothes! Talk about changing disguises!
Posts: 8456 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Hey, thanks for the suggestions. I'm writing about how alleys and laneways contribute to the cultivation of community in North American neighbourhoods. The structure is a series of five linked essays that all deal with some aspect of urban back alleys and laneways: the psychology of the alley (yes, there are academics who consider this), the alley as living room and grave (think Vancouver's downtown eastside). The films come in with the essay on alleys as inspiration for the arts. You'd be surprised how many photographers and painters try to capture alleys in their work. Then I thought about film and great alley scenes. Friends have suggested Dirty Harry, Road to Perdition, Thief, West Side Story. My personal favorite is Collateral, with those lush night shots. Please keep the suggestions coming!
Another scene which comes to mind is the incredibly long fight scene in an alley between Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David in They Live. Basically, there's a 10-minute fistfight/wrestling match because one guy wants the other one to put on some sunglasses and the other guy refuses; if he put on the glasses, he could see the truth of what's happening, but he doesn't know that.
Also, there's a violent alley scene in The Sting where Robert Redford finds himself about to be whacked by an assasin, as he walks toward an oncoming friend.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
Originally posted by mark f: Another scene which comes to mind is the incredibly long fight scene in an alley between Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David in They Live.
Good one, mark. That's the most painfully long fight scenes in the history of fight scenes. It actually lasts 5 minutes and 20 seconds. They Live is one of those films that I'm not sure if it's bad, good, so bad it's good, or so good it's bad. It does have one of my favorite pieces of dialogue ever, though. "I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." Evidently, Roddy Piper ad-libbed that line.
----- I’ll be Ben Gazzara, you’ll be Gena Rowlands.
Posts: 5160 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Another film that comes to mind is City of the Lost Children. The nameless city the story took place in seemed to consist of more alleys and narrow side-lanes than any movie I've seen. The more memorable alley scenes consist of Miette & One searching for information on his missing little brother. A similiar style movie, Dark City, has a few alley scenes, one I recall where the lead character Murdock uses his "tuning" power to create a door in a brick wall.
Noir films seem to be the best place for use of alleyways. Wish I could recall more such films with the better scenes.
Posts: 8456 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
The Third Man may not have any alley scenes, but it sure seems like it does, especially the way people are chasing each other's shadows and escaping all the time. The Naked City and On the Waterfront were filmed on location in NYC, and both have many memorable, violent scenes in alleys.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
I really liked the alley scene in "The Departed"...Leo DiCaprio follows Matt Damon out of the porno theatre; Damon realizes he's being chased and mistakenly stabs an Asian guy, etc. For some reason it reminded me of the scene in "Cat People" where the woman is being followed at night (that may have involved an alley, but I can't remember for sure..another cool scene nonetheless)
It was one of the few moments where the movie really came to life for me, and I felt I was in the hands of a master director, which Scorcese is. The rest of the film was good, but not what he's capable of.
Speaking of noir, I believe there is some good alley action in "Touch of Evil."
I may be wrong but there are plenty of awesome alley scenes in Sin City. The one where Jackie Boy finally meets his demise comes to mind but I am pretty sure there are some other good ones in that movie alone.
----- Things could be different but they’re not…
Posts: 5705 | Location: Texas | Registered: 27 December 2005
Since They Live is spoken for, I guess I'll go with Patrick Swayze getting murdered in the alley in Ghost. Wouldn't we all love to murder Patrick Swayze in an alley.
notice that alleys in movies are wet? Seems that way to me. I love alleys, walking through them shows the backside of our culture. Fear not, walk an alley. It is like getting off the freeway and driving the backroads.
Originally posted by Nhazghaal: Since They Live is spoken for, I guess I'll go with Patrick Swayze getting murdered in the alley in Ghost. Wouldn't we all love to murder Patrick Swayze in an alley.
Originally posted by mark f: Another scene which comes to mind is the incredibly long fight scene in an alley between Rowdy Roddy Piper and Keith David in They Live.
Good one, mark. That's the most painfully long fight scenes in the history of fight scenes. It actually lasts 5 minutes and 20 seconds. They Live is one of those films that I'm not sure if it's bad, good, so bad it's good, or so good it's bad. It does have one of my favorite pieces of dialogue ever, though. "I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." Evidently, Roddy Piper ad-libbed that line.
Anyone see the South Park shot-for-shot spoof of that fight scene, between Jimmy and Timmy. For those who didn't first watch They Live it may not be that funny, but for those who have, it's hilarious.
And for what its worth I loved the first two acts of They Live, but then it seemed to fall flat by the end. Still a pretty cool (and corny) movie, all in all.
