Born in Flames

1983
6.5| 1h20m| NR| en| More Info
Released: 09 November 1983 Released
Producted By: The Young Filmmakers Ltd.
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

In near-future New York, ten years after the “social-democratic war of liberation,” diverse groups of women organize a feminist uprising as equality remains unfulfilled.

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The Young Filmmakers Ltd.

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Trailers & Images

  • Top Credited Cast
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  • Crew
Pat Murphy as Newspaper Editor
Kathryn Bigelow as Newspaper Editor

Reviews

Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Micitype Pretty Good
Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Red-Barracuda Made over six years between 1977-83, this film reminded me strongly of the films labelled the No Wave. These were underground lo-fi movies made primarily in New York in the late 70's / early 80's. They often had political messages and were uncompromisingly uncommercial. I'm not sure but I would think that Lizzie Borden's feature Born in Flames must surely qualify as one, as this is a wilfully challenging and direct bit of underground cinema which is a rallying cry to women generally. It has a sci-fi premise. In the near future, America is celebrating the tenth anniversary of a socialist revolution but despite this, many issues remain the same, such as racism, homophobia and sexism. A militant group called the Women's Army have been formed, they take direct action to fight for women's rights. Their leader is arrested for a minor offense and mysteriously dies in custody in prison, leading to further revolution.I'll come out and admit it straight away that I didn't fully enjoy this one. Not on ideological grounds but merely because I did not find the film fully engaging due to its fragmented experimental presentation. Having said that, I do respect what it was doing and it does have an unmistakable energy to it which I found interesting. It's clearly low-budget as underground films always are but it definitely has ambition for sure. It takes the form of a pseudo-documentary and mixes in some real news footage in with staged material. The actors are all amateur but this does ensure the feel remains more radical and less watered down. It focuses on feminist politics primarily and it does have to be said that many of the issues discussed still exist today so it does still have a relevance in terms of what it is saying. I also enjoyed the punk soundtrack which had a sort of proto riot grrrl feel to it. So, while I cannot pretend to have fully engaged with this one, I do respect it and admit it has a certain unique feel.
sonya90028 This is a very radical political film. As a black lesbian feminist, I could relate to the premise of this film. The plot unfolds in a semi-documentary style, making this film all the more interesting. Set against the gritty backdrop NYC, the film has a distinctly apocalyptic feel to it. This movie harks back to the militant, left-wing revolutionary fervor, of the 60s and early 70s. Despite the changes in society resulting from feminism, gay rights, and the civil rights movement in the last 40 years, this movie shows that there's still much work to be done, to achieve real equality for all. It's not surprising to me that the radical political movement in the film, is led by a working-class black lesbian. Women who happen to be lesbian, blue-collar, and of color, are still the most oppressed people in our society.Jean Satterfield is superb as Adelaide Norris, the dedicated member of the Women's Army. Jean conveys the militant stance of Adelaide, in a very visceral way. The supporting cast of this film, was also compelling. Especially Honey as Honey, the feminist revolutionary radio DJ. The film was slow-moving at times, but packed an emotional punch.Rights of the oppressed in society, have been rolled-back by right-wing conservatives for the past 28 years. So, we could use a radical political strategy that addresses the rights of the oppressed again, like we did in the 60s and 70s. History has been known to repeat itself. In this day and age, a radical uprising by women in pursuit of equality, is needed more than ever. This movie could very well be a sign of things to come, in that regard. I recommend this film, to all who take women's rights seriously, and want to become more aware of women's oppression in society.
litlcreaux Not only have I had the luck to see this movie, I had the privilege of receiving it from "Honey" one of the lead actors. This movie is so important as it brings to life the struggle of not only women who were active in the 70's, but that the issues they brought forth still continue. If one thinks we have come a long way in overcoming gender discrimination, then take a fresh look at this film. I particularly appreciate the feminist analysis that seems to be missing today from women's activism and politics. Every activist ought to view and take heed of this movies message. This film parallels much of the social climate women endure today. It reminds one of the radical ideas that fired the women's movement and how they might be reignited in todays world.It is timeless, yet carries the rawness of movies made in the 70's. I highly recommend this film.
thesnowleopard I remember seeing this about twenty years ago in the basement of a public library, if you can believe it. It was part of some local film festival. I guess it must have just come out. I also remember watching some flick from the same festival that consisted of a woman's self-made porn flick hacked up, dipped in acid, burned, etc. And then she strung together all of the surviving strips and that was her film. Don't recall the name of that one; it was pretty forgettable aside from the porn and filmstrip-hacking aspect. This movie is not forgettable, thought it is really, really strange. Set in the near future, it centers around a young, black, lesbian blue collar activist who goes off to Libya, meets with some socialist sisters, comes back with her political conscience raised even higher, gets arrested on some spurious minor charge and dies mysteriously in jail. Her death sparks a women's revolution that turns the city (don't recall if they named it) upside down. There's a squad of whistle-blowing women on bicycles who hunt down rapists and scare them off their victims. There's a funky black woman DJ who narrates the action like a sports announcer as things heat up. This film is really, really bizarre. And yet, it's a whole lot of fun. This is what science fiction really should be about--not laser pistols, and ridiculously expensive special effects, but stories that pick you up, turn you upside down and give you are good, hard shake.