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A Scream in the Streets

Name: A Scream in the Streets
Director: Dwayne Avery, Carl Monson, Harry H. Novak, Bethel Buckalew
Released: 1973
Duration: 96 min

Representation Score

2.2/10

Limited

1973

Not Rated

Director

Dwayne Avery, Carl Monson, Harry H. Novak, Bethel Buckalew

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

A Scream in the Streets is a crime thriller that prioritizes suspense and the maintenance of social order. While it includes non-traditional gender presentation through its antagonist, these elements serve primarily to drive the plot rather than explore identity. The film relies heavily on the conventions of 1970s exploitation cinema, focusing on the pursuit of a killer through established institutional methods. It lacks intentional characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity, favoring traditional storytelling techniques. Overall, the work functions as a conventional crime narrative, using gender-bending as a tool for tension but failing to challenge broader social hierarchies or provide meaningful representation for underrepresented groups.

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Category Breakdown

Does A Scream in the Streets have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The antagonist's non-traditional gender expression serves as a key plot device, emphasizing suspense and criminality rather than exploring identity.

How does A Scream in the Streets portray gender?

Fair

The film focuses on male detectives and a deceptive feminine persona, reinforcing traditional anxieties by portraying femininity as a mask for violence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is A Scream in the Streets?

Limited

The cast appears predominantly white, lacking evidence of diverse or non-Anglo-Saxon representation typical of modern standards.

How does A Scream in the Streets represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative emphasizes the restoration of social order through the actions of state detectives, prioritizing their roles over subversive cultural themes.

Does A Scream in the Streets include disability representation?

Minimal

No characters with visible or invisible disabilities are represented in the film.

Present on Screen

The film introduces non-traditional gender presentation through its antagonist.
It uses gender-bending as a mechanism to create thriller tension.

Limited or Absent

The film uses non-traditional gender presentation as a tool for criminality rather than identity exploration.
It reinforces traditional gender anxieties rather than challenging hierarchies.
The casting lacks racial and ethnic diversity typical of modern standards.
The story lacks complex, characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity of underrepresented identities.

Official Synopsis

Two Los Angeles detectives are assigned to track down and arrest a brutal rapist-murderer terrorizing the city. Their job is complicated by the fact that the killer is able to avoid capture because he can pose as a woman.

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