I was a friend of Steve's. Before I start, go back and take a look at the poster for this film. This was Steve's first-and-only starring role in a feature. Whose picture is biggest? Reb Brown, a/k/a the white guy. Ah, Hollywood...
Steve was trying to get Street Hunter started as a franchise, and he got a lot of friends and acquaintances to join him here, thus the fairly (for a low budget film) star studded cast. After playing the black sidekick in so many movies, he saw the possibility of getting out in front. Hard to do in Hollywood. Harder if you're black in the 80's, even with Steve's film resume'.
It's a good action movie, especially given that the complete budget was probably exceeded by the craft services costs on any of the major features he worked on.
One of my favorite moments was when I was able to send him a photo of the Streethunter name on the marquee of a 42nd Street theater. We had gone to many a movie on that street, and Steve said seeing his name there above the title was like a validation of all the work he had done to date. Sadly, he passed away from cancer before he could (perhaps) do Streethunter II.
Steve was trying to get Street Hunter started as a franchise, and he got a lot of friends and acquaintances to join him here, thus the fairly (for a low budget film) star studded cast. After playing the black sidekick in so many movies, he saw the possibility of getting out in front. Hard to do in Hollywood. Harder if you're black in the 80's, even with Steve's film resume'.
It's a good action movie, especially given that the complete budget was probably exceeded by the craft services costs on any of the major features he worked on.
One of my favorite moments was when I was able to send him a photo of the Streethunter name on the marquee of a 42nd Street theater. We had gone to many a movie on that street, and Steve said seeing his name there above the title was like a validation of all the work he had done to date. Sadly, he passed away from cancer before he could (perhaps) do Streethunter II.