The Warriors (1979)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers:

Sol Yurick (novel)
David Shaber (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 February 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

They outnumber the cops three to one.

Plot:

A gang called The Warriors are framed for killing a gang leader trying to unite all the gangs in the area. With other gangs gunning for them they must get back to the home turf of Coney Island... Alive.

Plot Keywords:

Warrior | New York | Night | Coney Island | Street Gang

Cast

Michael Beck	...	Swan
James Remar	...	Ajax
Dorsey Wright	...	Cleon
Brian Tyler	...	Snow
David Harris	...	Cochise
Tom McKitterick	...	Cowboy
Marcelino Sánchez	...	Rembrandt (as Marcelino Sanchez)
Terry Michos	...	Vermin
Deborah Van Valkenburgh	...	Mercy
Roger Hill	...	Cyrus
David Patrick Kelly	...	Luther
Lynne Thigpen	...	D.J.
Ginny Ortiz	...	Candy Store Girl
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Policewoman
John Snyder	...	Gas Station Man

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language. (director's cut)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | France:-16 (re-rating) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 (1979) (re-rating) | Sweden:(Banned) (1979) (original rating) | USA:R (MPAA #25367) | Australia:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Finland:(Banned) (1979) | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) (2001) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (video rating) (1985) (cut) | France:-18 (cut) | France:X | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

72nd St. IRT Station, 72nd and Broadway, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Due to lack of Lights, extra light posts were added to the park scenes.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Luther taunts the Warriors with the bottles, the hearse is parked alongside the ramp, which runs from the boardwalk down to the street. When the hearse is shown from under the boardwalk, the ramp slants down to the right, but in the close-up of Luther, the ramp slants down to the left, plus the whole ramp is about 4 or 5 feet lower.

Quotes:

Cyrus: Can you dig it?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead End (1985)

Soundtrack:

You're Movin' Too Slow

A 100,000 STRONG film!

I remember catching a glimpse of The Warriors at the video section back in the 80's when I had a local WHSmith near where I lived.

I'll never forget the impression I got when I first viewed the image of a swarm of gangs having a near monopoly over the entire square.

When I finally got round to watching this film, I was left totally speechless after the end credits. Everything seemed totally original and above all else unique considering it was so well ahead of it's time, what-with the gangs from all five points of New York (hence Gangs of New York), and the various names each possessed (i.e. Garamercy Riffs, Boppers, Lizzies, Punks, Turnball A.C.'s, Rogues and The Orphans).

What's better is the fact that the film has held up so well after 25 years and still remains a major old school classic amongst many film enthusiasts.

My only complaint about the Warriors though, are the main leads and why so few of them managed to maintain any recognition after the film's success?

Michael Beck who portrays the tough but calm leader Swan, deserved much better as I'm sure he he would've knocked up some pretty cool roles today as well as actors like Brian Tyler and Tom McKitterick (Snow and Cowboy) who were sadly not seen from after either. What angers me the most is how Hollywood are in negotiations to knock up a remake of The Warriors, I honestly can't see that happening considering the fact that it just won't have the same effect as with movies being made twenty years back when they were made more genuine and well praised with not so much gimmicks being flashed around as today.

I just hope that The Warriors gets a midnight viewing sometime in the near future or perhaps maybe Quentin Tarantino stepping in to do some justice to it like with so many other classic flicks of today.