Street Trash

Melting hobos, severed penises, rape and necrophilia, racial and class stereotypes, decapitations, James Lorinz… this movie appears to have it all. So why am I not laughing?

I’m not sure how to take Street Trash; it certainly has its charm with its buckets of rainbow gore, but it’s not as great as most people make it out to be. Since its release over twenty years ago Street Trash has become a bit of a cult classic thanks to its infamous sequences where local bums melt after each drinking a mysterious bottle of booze called Viper. It’s basically the film’s selling point, but that’s all it got going for itself. It’s also very offensive and politically incorrect. Now this is not a bad thing necessarily. In fact, much of its appeal is how it is offensive and was intentionally made that way by writer Roy Frumkes. But what makes it bad is the fact that it is not very good at being offensive and politically incorrect. There’s no reason for it, it’s just offensive for the sake of being offensive. As a result, the film feels juvenile and effortless.

And for the most part, nothing really happens here: there’s no story, just a bunch of random vignettes that have nothing to do with each other, all revolving around melting hobos. The weirdest scene is where a hobo’s dick is ripped off and used for a game of hot potato. The only developing story involves a detective investigating the deaths by vomiting on members of the Mafia, but that story ends halfway through when he is killed by the villain of the film, a crazed Vietnam vet who runs the junkyard where all the bums live and has quite the crack-whore lady friend. The only character we get to know is Fred, a bum who’s just trying to get by, but is not very likable.

Who is likable is a doorman who works for a local Mafia boss, played by James Lorinz, best known as the star of Frankenhooker. He has nothing to do with the story but has all the best scenes, basically stealing the show here. It still baffles me that Lorinz doesn’t have a career similar to Bruce Campbell. He’s the best part of this movie. But even with that and the colourful ooze, it’s not enough to keep you interested

You have to hand it to Street Trash though; it is one of the most original films ever made. Whoever it was that thought of a story about bums melting from a drink was certainly crazy enough to actually shoot it and somehow pulled it off with a fair bit of success. This something you’d expect in a Troma film, but unfortunately it is nowhere near as interesting. It has no focus, it is quite perverse without any reason, and it’s just not that funny. In the end, Street Trash is overhyped and isn’t as good as many people say it is. But maybe it’s just me. A lot of people like this film, and it is a major cult classic. Maybe I’m just missing something. It would definitely play better in front of an audience of many, so if you’re looking to check out Street Trash I recommend bringing along some friends. But don’t blame me if you lose your friends.

Final Mark: 2/5



EXTRA CRAP
The Good: Does provide a great idea to help solve poverty.

The Bad: If you’re expecting something a little more than melting bums here you’ll be seriously disappointed.

The Ugly: Sarah, the Vietnam vet’s crack-whore sex slave, is the ugliest thing this side of ‘B’.

In A Nutshell: Don’t drink Viper, no matter how cheap it is!

Useless Trivia: Bryan Singer, director of the X-Men movies and The Usual Suspects, worked on this film as a grip. Superman Returns would have been a better film if it were more like Street Trash.

Favourite Quote(s):

• Fred: Fuck you. Gimme a bottle of booze, here's my dollar, suck my dick!
• Doorman: Everybody's a hot-headed gangster. Everybody's Mister Mafia. Ha! The Don! The Don of Douchebags, that's what you are. Nick - Nick the Dick. That's what they call you, behind your back, you and your restaurant. Your stinkin' restaurant.
• Bill: Lady, I ain't so sure you don't have a cock.