The Warriors

The Warriors (1979) 

Notable cast/crew: Michael Beck as Swan.  James Remar as Ajax.  Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Mercy.  David Patrick Kelly as Luther.  Lynne Thigpen as DJ.

Running time: 93 minutes

Director: Walter Hill

Plot: Representatives of a New York City gang attend a meeting of  the larger gangs of the city where Cyrus lays out a plan for the gangs to take over NYC.  Cyrus is murdered, the Warriors are framed, and they are forced to make it back to Coney Island on their own while crossing through enemy territory.  Loosely based on Xenophon's "Anabasis", the account of an army of Greek mercenaries who, after aligning themselves with Cyrus the Younger in the battle of Cunaxa (401 BC) in his attempt to seize the Persian throne, found themselves isolated behind Persian enemy lines.

Verdict: This movie is why the word craptacular was coined.  The acting is hammy, the dialogue is cheesy, but you can't help but enjoy it.  It's one of those movies that if you're flipping channels and see it's on, you stop and watch the rest of it no matter how much is left.  Shot in NYC, it is a picture of a city that had fallen into decay.  We forget, now that NYC has become a safe tourist destination, but the NYC of the 70s was quickly becoming what Detroit is today.  This is still the romanticized NYC in my mind when I think about the city.

It's become a cult classic partly based on how cheesy it can be, partly based on its reputation.  It's funny now to think this movie was controversial, but at the time it was wildly popular with gangs which led to some gang fights breaking out at several screenings.  That added to the film's notoriety and caused the studio to briefly pull advertising for the film.

The director's cut added comic book style transitions, and in truth, the film does have a comic bookish feel to it.  Clearly NYC gangs weren't running around in baseball uniforms and KISS-style makeup (that band's influence was everywhere in the late 70s!), but it doesn't require a massive suspension of disbelief. 

Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?

Beck and Remar are the most memorable Warriors with Swan's stoic authority contrasting with Remar's fiery braggadocio.  The best performances, though, come from members outside the gang.  Thigpen as the radio DJ serves as a Greek chorus commenting on the story with only her mouth ever seen on camera.  Kelly as Luther seethes with arrogance and hatred, ready to explode at any moment at anyone who gives him offence.  His sing-song, "Warriors, come out to play!" taunt is one of the most memorable scenes in the film.  Roger Hill is charismatic as Cyrus.  You could believe all of the gangs of New York would follow this guy.  I was ready to run out and join him myself.  His, "Can you dig it?" line is the capstone to a riveting speech and one of the best remembered lines from the movie.  He's also a dead ringer for the Rock so if there's a remake, we just need to find him a wig and a robe.

Out of five bananas, I give it:

Next review: The Black Hole