It was 1978, the summer of 78, when I turned 15. It was that summer that Walter Hill would shoot his third film, "The Warriors", on location in the five boroughs of New York, with an unknown cast of young actors, and real-life gang members as extras. The idea was to make a film on street gangs that was both gritty and realistic, without passing moral judgment. Show it the way it was that sweltering summer, New York with record high homicide rates, a powder keg ready to explode. The film would depict the perilous journey eight gang youths would make, back to their own hood, after attending an outdoor gang summit. It was only Walter Hill's third film as director, and he himself expressed self-doubt as his second film, The Driver, bombed at the box office when shooting began on The Warriors. Hill wasn't sure there would be a future for him as a filmmaker, not in the Hollywood studio system, where you are only as good as your last movie. Of course, both The Driver and The Warriors would become cult classics later, but Hill had no guarantee back then. He wasn't sure he was going to last, so he wanted to get his licks in when he directed The Warriors. It was his last chance to prove himself. Hill shot most of the film The Warriors at night, in the precious few early morning hours when it was still relatively dark. It is a night movie, full of unforgettable images. Luckily, Walter Hill was fast, for the film production posed problems, worrisome run-ins with local gangs and hostile, local residents. A gang adviser was hired and local street gangs were paid off, so the crew would be left alone while working on their turf. The Warriors opened to rave reviews in February 1979, but incited gang riots, and saw both a fatal shooting and a fatal stabbing at separate screenings. Paramount got cold feet, and decided to pull the film. But with the passage of time, both the Driver and The Warriors grew in people's esteem and are recognized as cult classics today. When my friend and I saw the film in Tokyo later on in 1979, we knew it was something special, and we ended up seeing it twice, relishing every memorable line of dialogue, and laughing at the famous clanging coke bottles scene at the end, "Warriors... come out to play-ay!" Over and over, the beckoning voice rising to ever more hysterical levels, delightfully shrill and very, very funny.
David Patrick Kelly as Luther in The Warriors (1979).
The Warriors (1979)
- GoogaMooga
- custodian of oldies
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The Warriors (1979)
Last edited by GoogaMooga on 21 Feb 2019, 05:08, edited 1 time in total.
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck
- Matt Wilson
- Psychedelic Cowpunk
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Re: The Warriors (1979)
Don't forget his first film, Hard Times. One of Bronson's best - and definitely better than The Warriors. The Long Riders is one of the better '80s westerns and 48 Hours is something of a classic. I jump ship after that.
- GoogaMooga
- custodian of oldies
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- Location: Denmark
Re: The Warriors (1979)
There was also Southern Comfort and Extreme Prejudice, then I sort of lose track...
"When the desert comes, people will be sad; just as Cannery Row was sad when all the pilchards were caught and canned and eaten." - John Steinbeck
- Sneelock
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Re: The Warriors (1979)
Oh, I like him a LOT better than you guys do.
I think he's like John Carpenter or DePalma - the movies ain't always great but oh, the clips!
that pick-axe fight in "streets of fire" is amazing!
I think he's like John Carpenter or DePalma - the movies ain't always great but oh, the clips!
that pick-axe fight in "streets of fire" is amazing!
uggy poopy doody.
- Fonz
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Re: The Warriors (1979)
Crossroads.
Vai as the Devil’s guitar-slinger. Great!
Vai as the Devil’s guitar-slinger. Great!
Heyyyy!
"Fonz clearly has no fucks to give. I like the cut of his Cupicidal gib."
"Fonz clearly has no fucks to give. I like the cut of his Cupicidal gib."