When his wife and son are brutalized by thugs and a corrupt criminal justice system puts the perpetrators back on the street, a New York City factory worker turns vigilante to find some measure of bloody justice.
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Title: Vigilante (1982)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Robert Forster | ... | Eddie Marino | |
| Fred Williamson | ... | Nick | |
| Richard Bright | ... | Burke | |
| Rutanya Alda | ... | Vickie Marino | |
| Don Blakely | ... | Prago | |
| Joseph Carberry | ... | Ramon | |
| Willie Colón | ... | Rico (as Willie Colon) | |
| Joe Spinell | ... | Eisenberg | |
| Carol Lynley | ... | Assistant D.A. Mary Fletcher | |
| Woody Strode | ... | Rake | |
 |
Vincent Beck | ... | Judge Sinclair |
|
|
Bo Rucker | ... | Horace |
| Frank Pesce | ... | Blueboy | |
| Steve James | ... | Ptl. Gibbons (as Steve W. James) | |
| Randy Jurgensen | ... | Det. Russo | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
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Storyline
Eddie Marino is a factory worker in New York City. He has a wife named Vickie and a son named Scott. Eddie's friend and co-worker Nick and some of the factory's other workers have formed a vigilante group because Nick and the group are fed up with the pimps, gangs, and drug dealers who keep taking over the neighborhoods. Nick and his group are also sick and tired of the police, because the police always fail to protect people who become victims. Eddie goes home from work one night, only to discover that Vickie has been stabbed, and Scott has been shot dead. Frederico "Rico" Melendez, the leader of a Puerto Rican street gang, is arrested for Vickie's stabbing and Scott's murder. Assistant District Attorney Mary Fletcher plans to put Rico away for as long as possible, since New York doesn't have the death penalty. Nick tries to convince Eddie to join the vigilante group, but Eddie turns Nick down, preferring to let the courts handle Rico. Nick makes it clear that he has no faith ... Written by Todd Baldridge
Plot Keywords:
new york | male objectification | nudity | showering together | shared shower |Taglines:
If the law won't get them... we will! See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
4 March 1983 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Street Gang See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby Stereo (4 channels)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Nick: Hey, I don't know about you guys, but me... I've had it up to here. There are some 40-odd homicides a day on our streets. There are over two million illegal guns in this city. Man, that's enough guns to invade a whole damn country with. They shoot a cop in our city without thinking twice about it. Aw, come on. You guys ride the subway. How much more of this grief are we gonna stand for? How many more locks we gotta put on our goddamn doors? Now, we ain't got the police, the ...
See more »
(Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)) / C. Curet Alonso (as Curet Alonso))
Arranged by Luis Cruz
Sung by Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)
Produced by Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)
Executive Producer Jerry Masucci
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
After the gang leader takes the 60 foot fall after Robert Forster chases him and dies, William Lustig felt that the blood splatter wasn't juicy enough and re-shot the scene after going over to the catering table and using a tub of cream cheese mixing it with fake blood then pouring around the actor for the look Lustig was aiming for according to the DVD commentary. See more »Goofs
Reflection of boom mic can be seen during the shower fight scene. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Nick: Hey, I don't know about you guys, but me... I've had it up to here. There are some 40-odd homicides a day on our streets. There are over two million illegal guns in this city. Man, that's enough guns to invade a whole damn country with. They shoot a cop in our city without thinking twice about it. Aw, come on. You guys ride the subway. How much more of this grief are we gonna stand for? How many more locks we gotta put on our goddamn doors? Now, we ain't got the police, the ...
See more »
Alternate Versions
The 2008 Blu-ray and DVD is the complete original version of the film before it was cut by MPAA for its graphic violence. The scenes that were cut involving the patrol cops being ambushed and the deaths of the crooked politician and his lookout are restored and the film is unrated. See more »Soundtracks
Pase la noche fumando(Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)) / C. Curet Alonso (as Curet Alonso))
Arranged by Luis Cruz
Sung by Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)
Produced by Willie Colón (as Willie Colon)
Executive Producer Jerry Masucci
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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Vigilante is a gritty, violent, and controversial revenge flick. Vigilante gets compared to Death Wish often, but vigilante is the more fulfilling and entertaining film. Robert Forster stars as a father and husband who gets driven to the point of vigilantism after his son is killed and his wife deformed. Forster performance is deep and fascinating. Director William Lustig (who also directed the trashy and gory Maniac) adds a sense of realism and desperation to the film and the violence seems very authentic. Fred Williamson is GREAT as the leader of the nieghborhood vigilante group. The son's death is quite disturbing and the ending is satisfying (unlike the death wish ending). You really hate the criminal scumbags and cheer on their demise. There are some great one-liners too. Vigilante is the ultimate revenge exploitation flick.