Blog 6
Intertextuality Intro:
"Intertextuality, in basic terms, means that we pay close attention to the ways in which multiple texts intersect with one another" (Last Detail). As we dig into the intertextual connections between Streets of Fire (1984) and Winchester '73 (1950), these two films reveal compelling thematic and stylistic parallels across genres, despite their drastic differences in setting and tone. Both films engage deeply with mythic storytelling, distinct forms of heroism, and the complexities of revenge, while offering a dialogue with other works in cinema history. This analysis will explore the intersection of these two films, drawing connections to films previously discuss like, Point Blank, Nightcrawler, To Live and Die in L.A, and OK Corral. I will use these films to show the intertextuality in different ways compared to Streets of Fire and Winchester '73.
Intertextuality Between Streets of Fire and Winchester '73
One of the most striking elements that links Streets of Fire and Winchester '73 is their reliance on mythic structures, particularly the hero's journey. Both films center on male protagonists who engage on quests, driven by personal motivations that intersect with larger, mythic narratives. In Winchester '73, Lin McAdam (James Stewart) is on a quest for vengeance, pursuing his enemy, Dutch Henry Brown, across the Old West. His journey is framed within the western genre, but its roots in the classic revenge narrative as a man getting his revenge.
Similarly, Streets of Fire follows Tom Cody (Michael Paré) as he returns to his urban, dystopian world to rescue his ex-girlfriend, Ellen Aim (Diane Lane), who has been kidnapped by a biker gang. Though the setting is a mix of 1950s rock-and-roll nostalgia and 1980s urban life, the narrative is drawing from the same well of the hero's journey. Both Cody and McAdam are driven by personal relationships but are ultimately positioned as archetypal figures, the lone hero standing against a world of chaos.
Particularly Point Blank (1967), like McAdam and Cody, Walker (Lee Marvin) in Point Blank is on a revenge quest, but the film's fragmented, disorienting style disrupts the traditional hero's journey. Point Blank plays with time and space, as Lee is going through many different problems, while Streets of Fire and Winchester '73 retain more linear narratives. Nonetheless, all three protagonists embody a mythic determination, often silent and stoic, as they pursue their goals against overwhelming odds. No matter what gets in their way, death possible, they go through to try to be that guy who can do it all.
One of the most engaging aspects of an intertextual comparison between Streets of Fire and Winchester '73 is the way both films play with genres. Winchester '73 is a classic western, yet it incorporates elements of noir in its shadowy world, particularly in the character of McAdam, whose quest for revenge blurs the line between hero and antihero. Director Anthony Mann's use of deep focus and sharp contrast creates a sense of tension, visually reinforcing the emotional turmoil of its protagonist.
As the black and white makes a better visual on the time period and way on life McAdam was living.
This blending of genres can be seen in Streets of Fire as well, though in a drastically different context. The film is often described as a mixture of action, musical, and dystopian fantasy. Walter Hill, the director, employs neon lighting, heavy shadows, and rain-soaked streets to create a world that feels at once familiar and otherworldly, much like the world of Winchester '73, where the wide-open spaces of the West are suffused with a sense of claustrophobia and dread. The blending of genres in both films allows them to transcend the limitations of their respective categories, offering audiences a richer, more textured viewing experience.
In comparing Streets of Fire to Nightcrawler (2014), the visual parallels are particularly interesting. Both films use neon lighting and urban landscapes to create a heightened, surreal atmosphere. In Nightcrawler, the city of Los Angeles is portrayed as a cold, dangerous place, where ambition turns deadly. Similarly, Streets of Fire presents a city that is both vibrant and decaying, a battleground for Cody's heroic journey. The use of color and light in both films underscores their thematic explorations of alienation and violence in urban environments, despite their differing genres.
The Gun as a Symbol of Power
"This is a movie where there isn't really a traditional main character—instead, this film will follow a gun. In history, the Winchester repeating rifle is colloquially known as "the gun that won the west," which acknowledges the technological impact of an invention that made violence more efficient" (Last Detail). Both Streets of Fire and Winchester '73 center their narratives around a weapon that becomes more than a tool, it is a symbol of power, control, and identity. In Winchester '73, the rifle of the same name is practically a character unto itself, passing from hand to hand throughout the film, representing different aspects of power depending on who wields it. For McAdam, the Winchester is tied to his identity and his sense of justice, as he pursues Dutch Henry Brown, who has stolen the rifle. The rifle becomes a symbol of his quest, the object that unites his vengeance and his sense of morality.
In Streets of Fire, while there is no singular weapon that holds the same iconic status as the Winchester rifle, the film's climactic battle between Tom Cody and Raven Shaddock (Willem Dafoe) emphasizes the role of violence as a means of asserting power. As the power is changed throughout the films, at the end the power all ends in the right person's hand. The sledgehammer duel that replaces a typical gunfight is striking in its primal intensity, a visual marker of the film's blending of mythic and modern elements. Weapons in Streets of Fire serve to underline the characters' roles within the narrative, much like in Winchester '73, where the Winchester becomes a symbol of the Western hero's identity.
This idea of a symbolic weapon is also present in,To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), particularly in how violence is framed as an extension of the characters' moral decay. The gunfights in, To Live and Die in L.A. are chaotic and brutal, much like the sledgehammer duel in Streets of Fire, where raw physicality replaces the more traditional, stylized western shootout. It is a gun fire that Willem Dafoe shows as the villain as he usually plays. The battles he is in characterizes the film.
Both films present complex gender dynamics, particularly around the theme of rescue and protection. In Winchester '73, women are largely marginalized, serving as love interests. Lola (Shelley Winters) is one of the few female characters, and while she exhibits some agency, her role is ultimately defined by the men around her. This reflects the traditional gender roles of the Western genre, where male heroism is defined in relation to the protection of women.
In contrast, Streets of Fire subverts these dynamics to an extent. While Ellen Aim is kidnapped and must be rescued by Cody, her role is more complex than that of a passive regular mistress. She is a successful singer, a woman who has achieved fame on her own terms, and her relationship with Cody is marked by mutual respect, even if the film still centers on his heroic actions, she is a character that provides something to the movie. The dynamic between Ellen and Cody echoes the tension between male and female activity found in Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957), where women play a background role to the male-driven narrative of honor and violence, but with moments of subverted expectations. This shows the different in roles that women played back then, to now.
Conclusion
Streets of Fire and Winchester '73 may occupy different cinematic spaces, one as a fantasy and the other as a classic Western, but both films explore similar themes of heroism, revenge, and power. Their visual styles, and genre blending offer similar ground for intertextual analysis, particularly when placed alongside other films we've studied. From the neon-lit streets of Nightcrawler and the revenge story of Point Blank. In both Streets of Fire and Winchester '73, the journey of the hero, the role of violence, and the dynamics of power offer a rich showing for examining the connections between past and present, myth and reality in the world of film. "Intertextuality offers a way to consider a number of factors in the shaping of a film adaptation. It demonstrates that multiple factors influence the creation of any film and ultimately make our understanding of those films richer." (Last Detail).