Rating: 
Summary: Experimental masterpiece
Review: Made back to back with the Outsiders, this film helped explain the complex story and emotions contained in S. E Hinton's novel Rumble Fish. The actors and actresses portrayed the characters admirably. However, I think 15 would have been a more suitable rating for this film.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliantly Delivered!
Review: One of my favorite movies! A very passionate and emotional betrayal of white gangs and friendships of the modern age. A real kick butt movie! A must see!
Rating:
Summary: RED FISH AND BLACK BLOOD / A MASTERPIECE
Review: RUMBLE FISH is a real pearl. The kind of movie you are proud to have in your DVD collection and to present to your friends.Just think of this : Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Nicolas Cage, Laurence Fishburne, Dennis Hopper and Tom Waits reunited in one film ! And at the best moment of their mutual career, when they still were unknown actors (OK ! skip Dennis Hopper ) trying to conquer Hollywood. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, ruined by the economic disaster of ONE FROM THE HEART and the fall of Zoetrope studios, RUMBLE FISH is an artistic achievement. Filmed in black and white and haunted by an apocalyptical musical score of Stewart Copeland , it describes three days of Matt Dillon's life , three days to become a man. Three days to get rid of his brother, of his father and of the ideal world he created in order to survive. The whole cast is superb with a special mention to Mickey Rourke who could have become a new Marlon Brando if... A DVD to discover and to cherish.
Rating:
Summary: Gobsmacking!
Review: Rumble fish is one of those films that made me want to become a filmmaker. I used to put the film on in my room at college, and turn the sound off. It was like having a moving piece of art in my room. The VHS copy is fantastic, admitedly I have never seen it in wide screen. Buy this movie! If you like Bladerunner, or any strongly visual film, get this. The story is great, the acting is strong. Francis, If you are reading this... what has happened to your films? Make more like this one. Better than 'The outsiders', you may enjoy watching the Karate Kid himself before he became... ''Daniel-san''.
Rating:
Summary: Unusual but a masterpiece
Review: Rumble Fish is probably my favourite film, but it is not easy to explain why. Possibly it is because so much talent is brought together in one place and produces a strange masterpiece, which is not really lacking in any aspect. The soundtrack, by Stewart Copeland, is a wonderful backdrop to the arresting visuals. I bought the soundtrack CD, because even in isolation, it is great music. The film is beautifully shot entirely in black and white, with the exception of the Rumble (Siamese Fighting) Fish, of the title, who are a metaphor for Rusty James (Matt Dillon) and his brawl-prone friends. The monochrome photography is supposed to mirror the colour blindness of The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke). The fish - and ergo the boys - will fight their own reflections, if there's nothing else to fight. For Rusty James and friends, fighting is an outlet for the frustrations of their doomed existence, born on the wrong side of the tracks, with few prospects. Rusty James yearns for a time when there were gangs, led by his brother The Motorcycle Boy. He wants more than anything to be like his brother, but can never manage it. He lacks his brother's wit and intelligence and is too stupid to understand that this is why he will never be like The Motorcycle Boy who, for his part, now regards the "rumbles" as childish. The performances of Dillon, Rourke, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Spano, Diane Lane etc - are excellent. For me, though, Dennis Hopper, as the boys' alcoholic father, is startlingly good, drawing real emotion from the pathos of his character's life. The intensity of his little bar-room speech about Rusty James' absent mother sends shivers up and down my spine. Coppola must be credited for a unique and profound interpretation of SE Hinton's short novel. He uses every trick in the book, of course, and loads the film with symbolism and mood. For this, the film has been accused of pretentiousness and there is some justification for this, because it is not evident who it is aimed at. The book was teenage fiction, but the film is 18-rated. Much of the subtlety might be lost on the likely audience of a film which is ostensibly about youth gangs. However, if you can get past that, Rumble Fish remains a superb film and something you can watch repeatedly and always find rewarding.
Rating:
Summary: Holy Jeeze
Review: rumble fish is the most friggin incredible movie ive ever seen. as an artist i was awestruck at francis ford aka THE MAN's unbelieveable attention to detail (just watch for the doves). the whole film is breathtakingly beautiful, and makes me cry no matter how many times i see it. on to the acting...well..not really. theres only one actor that im gonna talk about, and thats mickey rourke. cuz holy 'cow', the boy can act. who knew? his caracter the motorcyle boy is portrayed fantasticly, and i fell in love with him 5 minutes into the movie. his dialogue is some of the most profound in history. he WILL make you think about things that youve never thought of before... sexy, beautiful, and meaningful. gawsh, all a gal could ask for!
Rating:
Summary: This fish keeps swimmin' in a jar
Review: RUMBLE FISH. I absolutely love this movie. I've read many times about how pretentious and over stylized this is? Who cares! Filmmaking isn't always about reproducing reality and making safe, digestible movies for the popcorn public? A little iconoclasm never hurt anyone. The movie gets its story across in a superb fashion - creatively and passionately. In the hands of another production crew, we would have had a lame "movie of the week". They took a risk with stark, darkly crafted images, German expressionistic set pieces and camera angles and a pulsating soundtrack and score. Everything feels OFF to the viewer, maybe even forced - because the idea is Rusty James is trying to be like his brother, live in the world of his brother. But life continues to bang at the door; it's mystery seeping through the cracks of the claustrophobic existence he is surviving from day to day. He needs to discover the world on his own terms. The production of RUMBLE FISH flew under the radar, much like another brilliant film distributed by Universal Pictures: REPO MAN. Both movies address the same subject matter from two wildly different styles and points-of-view. Rusty James and Otto Maddox are definitely kindred spirits in the stories told through them. The cast of RUMBLE FISH is fantastic: Dennis Hopper is terrific as the alcoholic father, Matt Dillon is a natural, Mickey Rourke in his best role, Diane Lane is stunning, Vincent Spano brings STEVE to life and Nicolas Cage's hair in this film is way too much. Also, Stewart Copeland's music works perfectly within the film, and is just as strong on its own. However, the current DVD edition stinks to high heaven. Period. Horribly mastered sound and image. No extras to speak of? We get a trailer and those silly PRODUCTION NOTES - in which we have to scroll through on the television. Awful. In a case like this, I wish that the CRITERION COLLECTION group would take a look at this one and consider going to work on it. Otherwise, we'll have to be satisfied it was released at all for our buying pleasure.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad language ruined in good story
Review: The vulgar/obscene language added to the script by the producers spoiled what would have been a good movie for young teens. Such language is not in the book authored by mister Hinton.
Rating:
Summary: Stylized Reality
Review: This is a powerful video. It draws the viewer into a surreal world with no opportunity for escape. While the scenes and the music add to the unusual landscape, the premise is masterful. The relationships of boy and brother, father and son, celtic and supervisor are as well developed as your own. Pain and suffering support the artistry as the foreboding helplessness builds. One of the most involving movies of the past decade - a must "feel".
Rating:
Summary: Rumble in New Orleans!
Review: This is truly one of my favourite films! Its kind of a film with no clear plot. But you get more of an insight in some peoples lifes and their enviroment.
Mickey Rourke is awesome in the role of local gang legend "the motorcycle boy". And there is a funny apperance by the blues guru, Tom Waits.
If im ever going to make a film, Im gonna have to say "Rumble Fish" inspired me most.
Make sure to see coppolas "The Outsiders" as well.
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