There are so many films that came out during the 80s that just seem to so perfectly encapsulate the era, it’s hard to think of any other decade that had such an overt cinematic style. The birth of VHS paved the way for a whole new breed of trash cinema, and made it possible for auteurs from all walks of life to bring their low-budget creations to the masses.
1987’s Street Trash is not only one of these films, but it might go down in history as one of the penultimate 80s cult classics. The utterly insane amount of gore coupled with the classic 80s fashion and music makes this a campy gem that simply should not be missed.
The film focuses on the lives of vagrants who roam the streets of a very seedy and dirty Brooklyn, looking for a quick buck so they can buy their next bottle of booze. One day, the local liquor store owner finds a strange crate with bottles marked “Viper” and thinks he can make a few dollars selling the rot gut to the bums. Unbeknownst to him, the mysterious purple liquid instantly makes the poor chaps melt. That’s right, it makes them melt. It makes them melt in the grossest, most horrific fashion, spraying a rainbow of bodily fluids everywhere.
The plot of the film is thin at best. The scenes meander from character to character, giving us little pieces of their lives, but not really focusing on one person for too long. Normally, this would prove to be problematic but in a movie like this, you never know what could be coming next, which made it all the more enjoyable.
The setting took place in modern times, when Brooklyn wasn’t teeming with hipsters and coffee shops. If we write our history books based on movies of the 80s, we would be lead to believe that literally everything was dirty and you could never leave your house without getting mugged, raped, murdered, or some combination of all three. It seems like there were two very distinct styles of portraying city life back then. There was the Wall Street style, were everything was white and pastel and excess was king. Then there was murkier side, where everything was much darker and everyone apparently lived in filth.
Street Trash is a product of its time through and through. It’s a cult film that attempts to make a social commentary by blowing everything drastically out of proportion in every way possible. Those with weak stomachs should probably steer clear, but for all you fans of 80s cult cinema, this is an absolute must see.
