Streetwise (documentary)
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Streetwise is a 1984 documentary directed by Martin Bell. The tagline was "The streets - your only chance for life"
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[edit] Plot summary
Streetwise portrays the lives of nine desperate teenagers. Thrown too young into a seedy grown up world, these runaways and castaways survive, but just barely. Rat, the dumpster diver, Tiny, the teenage prostitute, Shellie, the baby-faced blonde, DeWayne, the hustler, all old beyond their years. All underage survivors fighting for life and love on the streets of downtown Seattle, Washington.
[edit] Memorable quotes
Rat: [To Erin in jail] "You can take the 'ho off the street, but you can't take the street off the 'ho."
[edit] Cast list
- Roberta Joseph Hayes as Herself
- Kim
- Lulu
- Patti
- Shadow
- Tiny
- Dewayne
- Lillie
- Munchkin
- Rat
- Shellie
- Tom Waits as Himself
[edit] Theatrical release information
- US Theatrical Release Date: 1984
- Production Company: Bear Creek
- Filming Locations: Seattle, Washington, USA
Streetwise is a very sad documentary about the lives of several runaways living on the streets of Seattle, Washington. The film was made by Martin Bell, Mary Ellen Mark, and Cheryl Mccall. It was based straight from the Life magazine article called "Streets Of The Lost".
[edit] What became of the kids
- Dewayne Pomeroy hanged himself in July, 1984, the day before his 17th birthday. Some of the street kids held a balloon release and planted a tree in Freeway Park in his memory.
- Lou Ellen Couch was stabbed by a man at an arcade on 1st and Pike street during a fight in December,1985. Her last words were, "Tell Martin and Mary Ellen Lulu died".....Some 319 people attended her funeral. Two floor plaques at the Pike Place Market bear the names of Dewayne and Lulu.
- Roberta Joseph Hayes fell victim to the Green River killer in 1987. She was last seen leaving a Portland jail. Her remains were discovered near highway 410 around Enumclaw, Oregon in 1991.
- Patti died of AIDS.
- Munchkin has been working as a chef in Seattle for over 15 years now.
- Rat had been incarcerated in prison for a while, and was last reported to be driving a truck at night for a living.
- Shadow was last reported to be doing construction work.
- Kimberly is married to a Navy man.
- Erin Blackwell now has 9 children. Two of her daughters live with relatives. Her son, Daylon, lives on his own. Erin and her husband were reportedly planning to move to North Carolina. Mary Ellen Mark still keeps in contact with Erin.
[edit] Notes
- For more information see (maryellenmark.com)
- Amazon Reviewer: Jeffrey Bryan "Jeff" (White Oak, NC)
