Defiance (1980)

Tommy takes up temporary housing in a New York neighborhood plagued by a violent gang called the Souls. Tommy is waiting for his next assignment as a seaman and though he tries to avoid the... See full summary »

Director:

John Flynn

Writers:

Thomas Michael Donnelly (screenplay), Thomas Michael Donnelly (story)

Stars:

Jan-Michael Vincent, Theresa Saldana, Danny Aiello

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Tommy (as Jan Michael Vincent)
Theresa Saldana	...	Marsha
Danny Aiello	...	Carmine
Rudy Ramos	...	Angel Cruz
Lenny Montana	...	Whacko
Art Carney	...	Abe
Santos Morales	...	Paolo
Frank Pesce	...	Herbie
Don Blakely	...	Abbie
James Victor	...	Father Rivera
Randy Hermann	...	Tito (as Randy Herman)
Lee Fraser	...	Bandana (as Lee Yuro)
Joseph Campanella	...	Karenski (as Joe Campanella)
Fernando López	...	Kid (as Fernando Lopez)
Alberto Vazquez	...	Slagg (as Alberto Vasquez)

Storyline

Tommy takes up temporary housing in a New York neighborhood plagued by a violent gang called the Souls. Tommy is waiting for his next assignment as a seaman and though he tries to avoid the gang and his neighbors, it does not work. Soon he is battling the Souls and not only changing their attitudes, but the attitudes of his previously intimidated neighbors as well.

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Plot Keywords:

gang | new york | new york city | violence | vigilante | 

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Taglines:

There comes a time when we have to stand up and be counted. This is the story of one man who did.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Pele de um Malandro

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Necta

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because of this film Theresa Saldana gained a stalker. The Stalker stabbed her ten times in the torso. Theresa survived and went on to play herself in a Television Movie based on the events.

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Goofs

The total number of Soul members varies constantly.

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Soundtracks

Hot Town Streets
Composed by Gerard McMahon
Performed by Gerard McMahon

User Reviews

A movie with 'souls'

Back when Jan Michael Vincent could be recognized, physically and vocally, and he had so much going for him he slipped this smallish cheesy cult classic into his filmography. Tommy Gamble is a sea merchant suspended for fighting. He gets stuck in a tough rundown New York neighborhood while he waits to get reinstated so he can catch a ship out of the scummy rough neighborhood overrun by the hoods and thugs (laughable & absurd 'Cholo' gang stereotypes) known as the 'Souls'. During his stay he has multiple run-ins with the Souls and stands up to their antics and bullying, showing the neighborhood that fighting back may be the answer to their problems. The plot is a tad thin but, like screenwriter Walter Hill's other efforts, there is a surreal atmosphere that is a lot harder to find in films these days. The acting is good and you don't feel like these actors are surrounded by cameras like most films today. The supporting cast includes actors Danny Aiello and Art Carney but there are few others who are memorable. It's a very hard film to find but it's a good watch if you have nothing else to do on a very late Saturday night.