Summer of Sam

New York City's infamous summer of 1977 was a scene of disco divas and the culture clash between fashionable patrons of Studio 54 and the new wave of punk rockers who invaded Manhattan. It was also one of the hottest summers on record and produced the city's first serial killer, whom the tabloids, in a frenzy to boost their circulations, quickly dubbed "Son of Sam." With the media playing an integral role in creating mass fear and paranoia, the whole city became a hotbed of trepidation and panic, captivating not only New York, but the entire world. In director/writer Spike Lee's drama "Summer of Sam," the vicious murderer stalks his way through the Italian-American section of the Bronx, preying on innocent young women. As the temperatures and body count rise, the city becomes immersed in terror. In the desperate search for the 44-caliber killer, a Mafia boss offers a bounty for the Son of Sam. Motivated by greed and ignorance, Joey T., a 32-year-old thug, and his gang of flunkies become obsessed with the idea that Son of Sam is someone from "the neighborhood." Armed with twisted logic, the gang makes a list of everyone they think is a freak-o. The witch-hunt is on, with Ritchie, an aspiring punk rocker, becoming the focus of their suspicion and an easy scapegoat for their fears.