Review of Burst City (1982)
Review refers to a VHS copy, no subtitles.
Youth gangs have chicken races and gigs in what appears to be a dilapidated industrial area. There is some kind of conflict regarding a power plant, culminating in riots.
60% pure cyberpunk. Mad Max (1979) meets the street-level, high-energy equivalent of Blade Runner (1982), with real punk-rock bands. This is the Cyberpunk 2020 “style over substance” version of cyberpunk but without the budget to pull off the style, and the lack of a story hurts it badly. Too many close-ups. The craftsmanship they could afford is pretty good though, as is the energy and atmosphere.
References here: Death Powder (1986), Akira (1988).