Strong and Moving!

Good concept, poorly executed.

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

On avenues A, B, and C, you have everything you want and need. What are you looking for? Name your price, and its yours! All three streets were given to a young 19 year old lad named Johnny, who has many responsibilities, but his main responsibility....keeping track of the drugs! And money! As if that wasn't enough of a burden, he has his home life, which is an absolute stink fest. His mom will sleep and dump a man quicker then you can know his name, and his sister doesn't stay around long enough to know what is going on. When Johnny is instructed to torch the same building his family is staying in, he wants his mom to go, but she doesn't know where. He doesn't care where, he just wants her to...go. In the meantime, poor Johnny is catching heat from the New York mobsters who want full control of their streets back, but Johnny's not going down without a fight, or a care in the world. Lucky for Johnny, this is a low budget movie, so its not going to get too brutal...or believable. On the plus side, we have some cool 80's effects going on in Alphabet City, but it can't make up for the lackluster script or plot that barely exists. Many scenes just drag, and its boring as hell. However, its a great attempt, the efforts seem to be there, even if it does fail on every level, and it does have a good concept to work with. It just doesn't....work....as bad as I would have wanted it to, it just doesn't work. A likeable movie? Sure, why not! It's not a bad movie, even if it does have its flaws. It's not a good movie either, so be prepared for a lot of....oh, can you please overlook the bad editing? The EDITING! It's way too obvious, and its one of my main complaints with the film. They either didn't know what they were doing, or they didn't have enough time to work on it. I don't know. Packed into this, a few scenes of awesome, and a few scenes of pure adrenaline rush! Does it make up for the downfalls? NO! But it sure doesn't kill the watch, either. 5 out of 10 stars from me.

Looking at film history, one can pick any decade and easily find a film that deals with the subject teen angst, crime, or juvenile delinquency. The 80's are no exception to that, as we can see with 1984's "Alphabet City". Taking place in the real life (and at the time troubled) neighborhood of New York City, it concerns the story of a young, punk street dealer named Johnny (Vincent Spano in his younger days). Johnny lives the life, has a hot girlfriend and young daughter, as well as a sweat ride. But he begins to have second thoughts about everything when he's ordered by his mob boss, Gino (a very effective Raymond Serra) to burn down the building where his mother and little sister are living. What follows next is a run for his life as Johnny does everything to collect old debts to get himself and his family out of dodge. Before I go on, let me be honest: The film won't win any academy awards. It is what is, a low budget teen crime drama. And yet the film is memorable, if not for its writing than for the look and feel of it. "Alphabet City" perfectly captures the time it was made in, the early eighties, be it the fashion (the bright colored "tights" girls used to wear in night clubs, Oh Yeah!) or the quasi disco/early 80's dance music that was happening at the time. One song called "Lady Luck" is especially memorable since they play it throughout much of the film. It might not be anything special, but after a while, it is pretty catchy. Another point that helps is the dedication the actors give to their roles, despite the film being as low budget as it is. Vincent Spano is fairly convincing as the drug dealer who grows a conscience, as is Michael Winslow as Lippy, Johnny's drug addicted partner in crime. In particular, Winslow makes you feel for Lippy, as he inspires feelings of hopelessness and despair with his crazy antics and street rhythms. Rounding out the cast is Kate Vernon as Angie, Johnny's girlfriend, and a very young and just starting out Jami Gertz as Johnny's sister Sophia. But above all, perhaps what makes "Alphabet City" so memorable is a genuine feeling of the price one might be required to pay when he enters the drug game (Another commenter on this site who admits to being involved in the drug trade during this time said the same thing. Luckily for him, he was able to get out of the game but not before seeing many of his friends being "retired" for good). And on that note, if you're in the mood for some 80's fun and decent teen story, check out "Alphabet City". Directed by Amos Poe.

Ugh, this has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen, and this, in addition other movies I have seen, makes me very cautious of anything with Vincent Spano in the starring role.Alphabet City, is as one viewer commented, a nice visual display. Though space is developed out of a few cheaply constructed movie sets, it seems to be the only thing done with great care, presenting an atmosphere of moody colors (green and purple lighting dominates) and architecture. However, for most movies, visual aesthetics cannot alone suffice for the entertainment of a whole film. And with Alphabet City, it doesn't account for much more than a condolence prize as if to say, "well, at least the movie looked nice."Alphabet City takes place in the course of one day. Local street dealer, Johnny (Vincent Spano), comes off as arrogant more than he does tough. With everyone so nonchalant about his present occupation (which includes being a Mafia subordinate), it is a wonder why everyone is so shocked when things fall apart. Did they expect the good life of fast money to last forever? Early in the movie, the writers hint that something is wrong. That we should expect trouble, and the only place we should anticipate it, is to arise from Johnny's life as a street gangster. I mean, what the hell else should we expect it from, since nothing else really happens in this stupid movie. And, this is a little difficult to surmise at first, since we don't really get much of a story. We don't know much about the characters pivotal to Johnny's role.Johnny just keeps up the limited, arrogant character throughout the movie as he realizes things are going down. We aren't given much reason to care about the sequence of events, since nothing is really differentiated from one to another. For example, a bust breaks out at "The Store" where significant dealings occur. A heap of money is lost, leaving Johnny owing his boss a whopping fifteen grand (why a guy that powerful would hang on to Johnny who was noted for losing much cash before, still want to do so is questionable). But, it's like, Vincent Spano's deadpan delivery makes us wonder whether Johnny really cares about much of anything. He's too buy keeping up the tough guy front. And that's the case for the entire movie. The events transpire without too much development, and as a viewer, I certainly lose interest in a movie like this, because it only provides minimal explanation of what is going on, and gives little reason to tell the viewer why these occurrences are important. Alphabet City is a real disaster.

While not a well received film, it was still highly enjoyable. Visually driven (in the same vein as Miami Vice) with enough goodies to keep you interested. Unfortunately, Vincent Spano never rose above his promising career of the '80s. Original soundtrack by Nile Rodgers perfectly accompanies the film. Now onto the absurd comments by UnrealKillerGirl. I guess you must have conveniently overlooked Park Avenue? LOL! One of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the world. How 'bout Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sex & The City, The Gastineau Girls, Maid In Manhattan, Arthur, Barefoot In The Park, Autumn In New York, and a gazillion other films & TV shows that romanticize the Greatest City In The World?! Why not watch the above examples and get a more balanced view? Obviously, "Alphabet City" is merely a depiction of one neighborhood among hundreds that lie in The City That Never Sleeps. A neighborhood that is no longer riddled with crime. The NYC of today is quite a far cry from yesteryear. Since 1993, NYC has become the safest, largest city in the nation. Time Square (crossroads of the world) is one of the Top 10 family destinations in America for tourists. Yes, if you want to be bored out of your wits, by all means, stay in Dubuque! LOL! If you don't want to miss out on Broadway, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, 24/7 nightlife, Wall Street, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, MTV Studios in Times Square (crossroads of the world), Actors Studio, The United Nations, 5th Avenue, Yankee Stadium, Dave Letterman, SNL, Conan, Radio City Music Hall, Museum of Radio & TV, miles of food to explore from hundreds of nations, then shlep on down and quash your misconceptions! Otherwise, you will miss out on the world, because everything can be found in Gotham City! It wasn't nicknamed "The State That Has Everything" for its health! eh -D, NYC "I moved into my apartment Sept. 10. In one day I saw the worst but also the best of New York. Its people are glorious, marvelous. The best. First-run movies? We got it. Tops in theater? We got it. Ballet, opera, circus, concerts. More culture here, more in the way of arts than anywhere in the world. New York is the Athens of today" - MATT DAMON (as told to Cindy Adams of Page 6, NY Post - oldest, continuously published newspaper in America; founded by one of our founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton).."New York City has the zoo, aquarium, museums, fashion center, diamond center, U.N., Statue of Liberty; and it's got the Yanks and the Mets; and it's got every kind of food but lousy; and it's the home of the one-namers like Harrison, Dustin, Calvin, Katie, Rosie, Bianca, Bernadette, Matt, Bryant, Vanessa, Julia, Halle, Gwyneth, Donald, Ivana, Puffy" - CINDY ADAMS (Page 6, NY Post)