Times Square

Thirteen-year-old Pamela is a politician's daughter, admitted to hospital for neurological tests. She shares a room with Nicky, a homeless, angry teenager at odds with every institution. The two run from the hospital and start living around Times Square. They move into an abandoned warehouse, form a band, and become known figures in the city. One night the radio host Johnny LaGuardia makes them the subject of his show and they turn into a symbol of the city. Allan Moyle shot the film in New York in 1980, in the Times Square that existed before it was cleaned up. The narrative does not define the bond between the two girls, and parts of that relationship were cut during production; the film is remembered along with the arguments about its own editing. Robin Johnson plays Nicky, Trini Alvarado plays Pamela, and Tim Curry plays the radio host. The album of punk and new wave songs went on to have a long life of its own. Who it's for: Viewers who like New York films of the era, punk culture, and youth narratives. Who it's not for: The narrative is loose and the editing is broken. The relationship between the characters is also left ambiguous to the end.