Francis Ford Coppola is one of the most famous directors of all time. His vast portfolio covers every genre, while his casting contacts span the breadth of modern cinema. For the most part, he is the mastermind behind The GodfatherAlternatively, 80s cinema buffs will remember Coppola for directing The Outsiders. It doesn't matter which film he's known for, though; both are hugely influential. However, one of his most memorable films is a forgotten gem. That film is
Turbot fishan avant-garde crime drama in an hour-and-a-half package, uses dull black-and-white footage to hide a vibrant heart, while its stellar cast brings a gripping tale to life. So why not Turbot fish most famous? Part of its obscurity comes from its release schedule. Turbot fish It was released in theaters in 1983, the same year as its more famous brother, The Outsiders. This too was an adaptation of SE Hinton's work, though it lacked the widespread schoolyard nostalgia of The Outsiders.
The overlap between Rumble Fish and The Outsiders
- Coppola had a decidedly old-fashioned noir look in mind for Turbot fish.
- Despite critical acclaim, Turbot fishPoor box office results caused Universal Pictures to lose $8 million.
- While author SE Hinton had a cameo role as a nurse in The Outsidersplays a prostitute in Turbot fish.
In many ways, Turbot fish can be considered a companion piece to The OutsidersAlthough it is a standalone film and story, Turbot fish shares many traits with its esteemed sister film. Narratively, it serves as a continuation of SE Hinton's nostalgic, motor-oil-scented vision of the 1950s from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Perhaps as an extension of Coppola's ability to work with the best of the best, Turbot fish has a cast full of promising actors. In fact, fans of The Outsiders will recognize the main star. Matt Dillon plays Rusty James, although he gained greater fame for his portrayal of Dallas “Dally” Winston.
Joining him is optional Justice League AND Secretariat star Diane Lane as Patty, Rusty James' girlfriend. Similarly, fans of action films like Rush hour will easily recognize Chris Penn as BJ Jackson. Turbot fish It also marks the third film role for Nicolas Cage, who plays Smokey, a chain-smoker with the aptly named name.
Thematically, both films focus on the ephemeral nature of youth. However, The Outsiders presents a decidedly more accessible vision of dreamy childhood. Comparatively, Turbot fish is a relatively grittier, more gritty take on a coming-of-age tale. Its hard, noir-inspired imagery matches its heightened violence and pain, putting it in contrast to its more family-friendly, color-based sister film.
Rumble Fish Tells a Masterful Coming-of-Age Story
- Coppola compared Rusty James' adoration for The Motorcycle Boy to his relationship with his brother August.
- Coppola worked alongside SE Hinton to create the screenplay for Turbot fish.
- As The Outsidersmost of Turbot fish was filmed on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
At its core, Turbot fish It's a coming-of-age story with detective tones. Coppola's adaptation of SE Hinton's play retains the original's emphasis on time and lost opportunities. Often, Coppola's direction actively enhances those feelings. However, as many contemporary critics have noted, Turbot fish takes an ingenious approach to an otherwise simple story about sibling dynamics.
The central focus of the film is the relationship between Rusty James and his older brother, The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke). In his former life as a gangster, The Motorcycle Boy established a truce between the warring hoodlums of Tulsa. Unfortunately for everyone involved, The Motorcycle Boy has been missing for two months. Without his guidance, the gangs have degenerated into drug addiction and petty squabbles, and this conflict ultimately sparks Rusty James' mission to restore his brother's legacy.
Not long after the film begins, The Motorcycle Boy returns. Despite his reputation, he is despised by local law enforcement and feared by most of Tulsa's population. Much of this fear is fueled by rumors that The Motorcycle Boy suffers from bouts of insanity similar to his absent mother's. Despite these facts, The Motorcycle Boy professes to be a reformed citizen, spending much of the film failing to convince his younger brother to escape gang life.
Between the film's banal beginning and emotionally charged finale, the main cast is drawn into endless parades of violence. They get into fights, get mugged, and clash with local law enforcement. Through it all, the close-knit brothers' lifestyles find themselves at diametrical ends of the spectrum. As The Motorcycle Boy tries to free his brother from the cycle of violence, Rusty James' hero worship pushes him deeper into gang life.
In particular, the appeal of Turbot fish It is the fruit of both SE Hinton's narrative skills and Coppola's cutting-edge cinematography. Eliminating either side of the equation sours the experience. Contemporary audiences have rejected the film’s tangible narrative, despite critics hailing it as a cinematic masterpiece. Thus, it’s not enough to understand SE Hinton’s source novel; audiences must also evaluate Coppola’s directorial decisions.
Why Rumble Fish Is an Underrated Masterpiece
- Choreographer Michael Smuin of the San Francisco Ballet planned one of the film’s most thrilling fight scenes.
- Coppola imagined Turbot fish as a companion piece to The Outsiderscomparing his position to the relationship between Apocalypse now AND The Godfather.
- German cinema of the 1920s is cited as one of the sources of inspiration for Turbot fishhis sharp black and white images.
Commercial success is not an infallible indicator of quality; Turbot fish proves as much. The deeply thoughtful and often introspective film is a masterful embodiment of avant-garde cinema. More importantly, its very nature demands holistic attention. Nothing is random in Turbot fish .
As with any Coppola film, every choice is a deliberate cinematic statement. The black-and-white palette adds an expressionist touch and highlights The Motorcycle Boy’s colorblindness. Its stark setting and sparsely populated shots evoke the same eerie chill of walking alone at night. Even the shadows are conscious choices; some silhouettes were deliberately painted on the sets. Time-lapse shots scattered throughout the film mirror the thematic emphasis on lost opportunities and connections.
As for the young actors in the film, it was all part of Coppola's grand vision. Between takes, the cast would gather to watch films that evoked the same feelings as Turbot fishCoppola presented long-forgotten classics, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligariand stressed how the human body can convey emotions without speaking.
The end result is nothing less than the high-class art audience one expects from Coppola at his best. Even in silence, Turbot fish roars above the haze of its smoky sets. Nonverbal cues, overlooked in modern cinema, breathe life and charm into every moment. Matt Dillon and Mickey Rourke are at their bestperfectly capturing the push and pull between their characters. Motorcycle Boy gives — be it advice, quips, or comments — while Rusty James takes, often outright rejecting his older brother’s advice.
In some ways, Matt Dillon's performance as Rusty James rivals his exceptional portrayal of Dallas Winston. Dallas's brash and often brief appearances left little room for nuance; he was the archetypal bad boy. In comparison, Rusty James's internal conflict provides Dillon with plenty of emotional ammunition. The Motorcycle Boy's anti-war sentiments only add to Rusty's discomfort, forcing Dillon to walk the fine line between admiration and disappointment.
Mickey Rourke faces the same challenges. On the surface, The Motorcycle Boy is the cool, stoic sage of every movie. He dispenses advice and carries himself with inimitable confidence. Yet at the same time, he struggles with his need to protect his younger brother. His experiences as a gangster outweigh his need for admiration, causing The Motorcycle Boy to denigrate himself in front of his younger brother.
These emotional conflicts form the soul of Turbot fishbut they are only part of the overall vision. Between Turbot fish The stellar cast and captivating settings make for an intimate and conscious work of art. An otherwise simple story comes to life as an embodiment of Coppola's belief in cinema as an art form. While Hinton's writing is timeless, Francis Ford Coppola's decisions have elevated his stories to a pantheon of their own. Either way, Turbot fish it's as much a wonder as The Outsidersand it's time the world recognized it.