CLASSIC MOVIE CORNER: "Strange Days” (1995)

“Strange Days” (1995)

MPAA Rating: R

Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tom Sizemore, Juliette Lewis, Angela Bassett, Michael Wincott

The Gist: Old school meets new school in this futuristic sci-fi film noir.

The Story: It’s almost New Year’s Eve, 1999, in an alternate America. Lenny Nero (Fiennes) is fiddling while New York City burns. Nero deals the drug of the future, “squid” disks containing recordings drawn directly from the brains of people doing illegal and illicit things. The discs, when played back using the “squid” device, give people the experience of being there: all the sounds, sights, smells and sensations. But when Nero is anonymously given a disk documenting a horrific crime, he doesn’t know what to do. The crime involves one of his friends, who herself was murdered because she witnessed a killing with a potentially explosive political impact. With the help of his best friend, Mace (Bassett), Nero must survive long enough to do what’s right.

The Review: Although “Strange Days” was a box-office flop, it continues to gain a growing cult audience. Maybe it’s ’90s nostalgia that’s bringing it back, but the sharp dialogue, fine performances and astounding first-person point-of-view camera work sure don’t hurt. James Cameron, creator of “The Terminator,” wrote the story based on then-current events. The film deals with many preoccupations of its time, including the L.A. riots and Y2K hysteria, but remains relevant because it’s so well-made. Bigelow is an awesome action director, having earlier directed “Point Break” and the vampire classic “Near Dark.” She helped develop a new handheld and lightweight 35-mm film camera to shoot the movie’s amazing “virtual reality” action sequences.

The Classic Quote: Nero: “Bullet-resistant?!? What ever happened to bullet-proof?!?” 

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)