Times Square (1980)

Director:

Allan Moyle

Writers:

Jacob Brackman
Allan Moyle (story)
(more)

Release Date:

17 October 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

In the heart of Times Square, a poor girl becomes famous, a rich girl becomes courageous, and both become friends.

Plot:

Two ill-matched teenage girls form a punk band and soon have New York by its ears.

Plot Keywords:

Teenage Girl | Punk | New York City | New Wave | Times Square Manhattan New York City

Cast

Tim Curry	...	Johnny LaGuardia
Trini Alvarado	...	Pamela Pearl
Robin Johnson	...	Nicky Marotta
Peter Coffield	...	David Pearl
Herbert Berghof	...	Dr. Huber
David Margulies	...	Dr. Zymansky
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Rosie Washington
Michael Margotta	...	JoJo
J.C. Quinn	...	Simon
Miguel Pinero	...	Roberto
Ronald 'Smokey' Stevens	...	Heavy
Billy Mernit	...	Blondell
Paul Sass	...	Blondell
Artie Weinstein	...	Blondell
Tim Choate	...	Eastman
Elizabeth Peña	...	Disco Hostess (as Elizabeth Pena)
Kathy Lojac	...	Nurse Joan
Susan Merson	...	Nurse May
George Morfogen	...	Don Dowd
Charles Blackwell	...	Speaker
Steve James	...	Dude (as Steve W. James)
Jay Acovone	...	Plainclothes Cop
Alice Spivak	...	Magda
Calvin Ander	...	George
Peter Iacangelo	...	Plainclothes Cop
Michael Riney	...	Young D.J.
Louis Belero	...	Policeman #1
Gerald M. Kline	...	Policeman #2 (as Gerald Kline)
Ben Slack	...	Hold-Up Man
Aaron Hurst	...	Beer Vendor
Sean Hurst	...	Beer Vendor
Peter Lopiccolo	...	Shop Owner
Roger Camacho	...	T.V. Drop Kid
Roger Camacho	...	T.V. Drop Kid
Steve Pabon	...	T.V. Drop Kid
Danielle Tiletnick	...	Daughter
Donna Sirota	...	Daughter's Friend
Karen Evans	...	Waitress
Rodi Alexander	...	Cigarette Girl
Ramón Franco	...	Sleez Bag Vendor #1 (as Ramon Franco)
Riki Colon	...	Sleez Bag Vendor #2
Melanie Henderson	...	Renaissance Aide
Tulane Howard II
Larry Silvestri	...	Cop on Marquee
Mandy Cameron	...	Beer Buyer
Paula Naples	...	Beer Buyer
Scott P. Sanders	...	Intern
Tiger Haynes	...	Andy
Cammi Lynn Buttner	...	Sleez Girl
Sarah Dougherty	...	Sleez Girl
Amy Gabriel	...	Sleez Girl
Sandra Lee Goga	...	Sleez Girl
Pamela Gotlin	...	Sleez Girl
Shuna Lydon	...	Sleez Girl
Kelly McClory	...	Sleez Girl
Marlena Seda	...	Sleez Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marilyn Dobrin	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Anibal O. Lleras	...	Cabby (uncredited)
Sharon Mitchell	...	Audience Member in Nightclub (uncredited)

Directed by
Allan Moyle		(as Alan Moyle)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jacob Brackman
Allan Moyle		story (as Alan Moyle)
Leanne Unger		story

Produced by
Jacob Brackman	....	producer
Kevin McCormick	....	executive producer
John Nicolella	....	executive producer
Bill Oakes	....	associate producer
Robert Stigwood	....	producer

Original Music by
Blue Weaver

Cinematography by
James A. Contner

Film Editing by
Tom Priestley

Casting by
Barbara Claman
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Stuart Wurtzel

Set Decoration by
Leslie Bloom

Costume Design by
Robert De Mora

Makeup Department
Judi Goodman	....	hair stylist
Peter Wrona Jr.	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lou Fusaro	....	unit manager
Judith Stevens	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ed Bianchi	....	second unit director (as Edward Bianchi)
Jill Henry	....	assistant director: second unit
Alan Hopkins	....	assistant director
John Nicolella	....	second unit director
Robert E. Warren	....	second assistant director (as Robert Warren)

Art Department
David Goodnoff	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	sound editor
Bernard Hajdenberg	....	sound editor (as Bernie Hajdenberg)
Kate Hirson	....	sound editor
Michael Jacobi	....	sound editor
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound mixer (as Leslie Lazarowitz)
Harvey Rosenstock	....	sound editor
Jerry Ross	....	supervising sound editor
Robert Sciretta	....	sound recordist
Julie Tanser	....	sound editor
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording mixer

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunt player
Tammas Hamilton	....	stunt player (as Tammas J. Hamilton)
Jim Lovelett	....	stunt coordinator (as James Lovelett)
Franklin Scott	....	stunt player
Jane Solar	....	stunt player
Alex Stevens	....	stunt coordinator
Victoria Vanderkloot	....	stunt player

Camera and Electrical Department
Enrique Bravo	....	camera operator
Gary Muller	....	assistant camera
Hank Muller	....	assistant camera
Scott Rathner	....	additional second assistant camera

Editorial Department
Judith Blume	....	apprentice editor
Jim Finn	....	negative cutter
Michael Kirchberger	....	collaborating editor
Betsy Maturo	....	assistant editor
Patrick Mullins	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Norman Graf	....	musical sequence editor
Greg Sheldon	....	music editor

Other crew
Tommy Burns	....	production assistant
Lewis Gould	....	second assistant director
Sandy McLeod	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Butterfly Valley N.Y.
• EMI Films
• Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO)

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Associated Film Distribution (AFD)

Other Companies

• RSO Records  soundtrack album

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Butterfly Valley N.Y.

Trivia:

Producer Robert Stigwood insisted on including a Bee Gees song on the soundtrack because he was also the producer of Saturday Night Fever (1977).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the ambulance, Pamela Pearl turns the volume knob but the volume of the music does not change.

Quotes:

Nicky Marotta:My heart/it's pumpin'/my foot/it's runnin'/my head/it's hurtin'/it's hurtin' me./I never told you/everything/I never said the stuff I should/I was chicken to tell you/I never thought I could./ Find me/help me/save me./Can you hear me?/Can you feel me out there?/Pammy! I'm callin' you Pammy! Pammy!

Movie Connections:

References Time After Time (1979)

Soundtrack:

Damn Dog

Punk Movie Ethic: The Fabulous Revolt of the Spectacularly Alienated (spoilers)

Times Square is a film inspired by a young woman's diary found by director Allen Moyle. It was many years before I was finally able to obtain a copy of 'Times Square,' although I was ultimately disappointed with what has established itself as a steady cult classic (to no surprise) that represents the old days of real New York (filmed entirely on location) and the emergence of New Wave (not so much punk, despite the "official" synopsis).

Robin Johnson plays gutsy social street misfit, Nicky, who is placed in a hospital because, for some reason, "reasonable" doctors have attributed her crude behavior with some sort of mental defect. There, she befriends quiet, shy Pamela (Trini Alvarado) who is being tested by doctors in the hospital much to the urgings of her wealthy, but misunderstanding father who is unwilling to listen to Pamela and realize that she's just a normal kid that needs some attention and natural affection.

Nicky, never willing to be held down (as characterized by her "Feed Me/I'm A Dog" song later in the film), helps Pam bust out of their little prison to become street nomads, doing what they have to for cash. But, they become youth idols and popular rebels when Pam's father gets together his team of social workers and legal aid to track Pam down under the assumption that she has been kidnapped. With the help of Nicky and their assorted troublemaking around New York, Pam eventually breaks out of her shell while speaking back to her father through local radio DJ, Johnny LaGuardia (Tim Curry!), among other things.

It's the typical punk rock ethic movie, though not done quite as harshly nor probably as honestly as other punk rock ethic films have (such as Suburbia or the more light-hearted selections). That is, the tales of the misunderstood youth who try to vocalize their frustrations to the very people (usually some form of dogged authority such as parents or school officials or law enforcement) through some of revolt. Here, it happens to be a culturally motivated one. The story, then is nothing new, and could've been much more enjoyable, at least for me, if there was more variety within the story. As the movie progresses, it becomes too much about Nicky, and I know that this was obviously done for a reason--because while Pamela can reform to at least some sense of normal, this is something that Nicky has never really known (or no longer knows) and has no one else to turn to. Besides, her personality means that she would never acquiesce as easily as Pam did (although Pam had her reasons, too).

However, Tim Curry fans or cult classic fans, particularly those who enjoyed cult classics motivated by the punk/new wave culture themes of youth alienation and good-natured rebellion and alienation (like Suburbia, Repo Man, Rock N' Roll High School, Tokyo Pop, and, outside of this music-influenced genre, The Legend of Billie Jean), then this is at least worth giving a try.