The Warriors (film): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox film |
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my mommy says this is a bad movie! and not good to watch, ill have nightmares |
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| name = The Warriors shut up |
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| image = TheWarriors 1979 Movie Poster.jpg |
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| caption = Theatrical poster swag |
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| director = [[Walter Hill (filmmaker)|Walter Hill]] |
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| producer = [[Lawrence Gordon (producer)|Lawrence Gordon]] |
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| screenplay = {{Plainlist| |
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*[[David Shaber]] never |
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*Walter Hill }} |
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| based on = {{based on|''[[The Warriors (Sol Yurick novel)|The Warriors]]''|[[Sol Yurick]]}} |
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| starring = [[Michael Beck (actor)|Michael Beck]]<br />[[James Remar]]<br />[[Deborah Van Valkenburgh]]<br />[[David Patrick Kelly]] |
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| music = [[Barry De Vorzon]]<br />[[Joe Walsh]] |
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| cinematography = [[Andrew Laszlo]] |
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| editing = Freeman Davies<br />David Holden<br />[[Susan E. Morse]]<br />[[Billy Weber]] |
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| distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]] |
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| released = February 9, 1978 |
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| runtime = 95 minutes |
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| country = United States |
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| language = [[English language|English]] |
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| budget = |
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| gross = [[United States dollar|$]]22,490,045 |
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}} |
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'''''The Warriors''''' is a [[1979 in film|1979]] [[Cinema of United States|American]] [[cult film|cult]] [[Action film|action]]/[[Thriller (genre)|thriller]] film directed by [[Walter Hill (filmmaker)|Walter Hill]] and based on [[Sol Yurick]]'s [[The Warriors (Sol Yurick novel)|1965 novel of the same name]]. Like the novel, the film borrows elements from the ''[[Anabasis (Xenophon)|Anabasis]]'' by [[Xenophon]]. |
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==Plot== |
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Cyrus ([[Roger Hill]]), leader of the [[Gramercy, Manhattan|Gramercy]] Riffs, the most powerful gang in [[New York City]], calls a midnight summit of all New York area gangs, requesting them to send nine unarmed representatives to [[Van Cortlandt Park]]. The Warriors, from [[Coney Island]], [[Brooklyn]], are one such gang. Cyrus proposes the assembled crowd a permanent citywide [[truce]] that would allow the gangs to control the city. Most of the gangs laud his idea, but Luther ([[David Patrick Kelly]]), leader of the Rogues, shoots Cyrus and frames the Warriors. The Warriors "warlord" Cleon ([[Dorsey Wright]]) is beaten down by the Riffs who believe the Warriors are responsible for Cyrus' death. With Cleon's fate unknown the other Warriors escape. Unbeknownst to the Warriors the Riffs call a hit on them through a radio DJ ([[Lynne Thigpen]]). Swan ([[Michael Beck]]), the gang's "war chief", takes charge of the group and they head back to the subway. |
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On the way, the Turnbull ACs attempt to apprehend the Warriors but they manage to escape and board the subway. On the ride to Coney Island, the train is stopped by a fire on the tracks, stranding the Warriors in [[Tremont, Bronx|Tremont]], in the Bronx. Setting out on foot, they come across a gang called the Orphans who were not invited to Cyrus' meeting and who are sensitive regarding their low status in the city hierarchy. Swan makes peace with the Orphans leader, Sully ([[Paul Greco]]), who agrees to let the Warriors through their territory peacefully. However, a woman named Mercy ([[Deborah Van Valkenburgh]]) mocks Sully as a "chicken" and instigates a confrontation, which the Warriors avoid by using a [[Molotov cocktail]]. Mercy decides to follow the Warriors. |
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When they arrive at the [[96th Street (IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line)|96th Street and Broadway]] station in Manhattan, they are chased by police. Three of them make the train to Union Square, while Fox ([[Thomas G. Waites]]), struggling with a police officer, falls to the tracks and is run over by a train while Mercy escapes. Swan and the remaining three Warriors run outside, and are chased into [[Riverside Park (Manhattan)|Riverside Park]] by the Baseball Furies where a fight ensues and the Warriors emerge victorious. After the fight, Ajax ([[James Remar]]) notices a lone woman ([[Mercedes Ruehl]]) in the park, becomes sexually aggressive and is arrested when the woman turns out to be an [[Plant (person)|undercover female police officer]]. Arriving at [[15th Street - Union Square (New York City Subway)|Union Square]], Vermin ([[Terry Michos]]), Cochise ([[David Harris (actor)|David Harris]]), and Rembrandt ([[Marcelino Sánchez]]) are seduced by an all-female gang called the Lizzies. Back at their hangout, the Lizzies draw weapons, but the trio narrowly escape, learning in the process that everyone believes they killed Cyrus. |
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Having gone ahead on his own, Swan returns to the 96th Street station, and finds Mercy there. More police show up and Swan and Mercy flee into the tunnel. They have an argument and Swan continues to Union Square where he reunites with the other Warriors. A fight ensues with the Punks but the Warriors defeat them. The Riffs are meanwhile visited by a gang member who attended the earlier gathering, a witness to Luther firing the gun. The Warriors finally arrive at Coney Island, but find the Rogues waiting for them. Swan suggests he and Luther fight one-on-one, but Luther pulls his gun. Swan throws a knife into Luther's wrist, disarming him. The Riffs then arrive and apprehend the Rogues as the Warriors walk off down the beach. The DJ announces that the big alert is called off when it turns out that the earlier reports were wrong. |
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==Cast== |
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{{Main|List of The Warriors characters}} |
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* [[Michael Beck]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Swan|Swan]] |
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* [[James Remar]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Ajax|Ajax]] |
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* [[Dorsey Wright]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Cleon|Cleon]] |
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* [[Brian Tyler (actor)|Brian Tyler]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Snow|Snow]] |
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* [[David Harris (actor)|David Harris]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Cochise|Cochise]] |
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* [[Tom McKitterick]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Cowboy|Cowboy]] |
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* [[Thomas G. Waites]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Fox|Fox]] |
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* [[Terry Michos]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Vermin|Vermin]] |
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* [[Marcelino Sánchez]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Rembrandt|Rembrandt]] |
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* [[Deborah Van Valkenburgh]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Mercy|Mercy]] |
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* [[Roger Hill]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Cyrus|Cyrus]] |
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* [[David Patrick Kelly]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Luther|Luther]] |
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* [[Lynne Thigpen]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#The DJ|D.J.]] |
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* Ginny Ortiz as Candy Store Girl |
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* [[Mercedes Ruehl]] as Policewoman |
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* [[John Snyder (actor)|John Snyder]] as Gas Station Man |
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* Edward Sewer as [[List of The Warriors characters#Masai|Masai]] |
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* [[Paul Greco]] as [[List of The Warriors characters#Sully|Sully]] |
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==Production== |
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Producer [[Lawrence Gordon (producer)|Lawrence Gordon]] sent director Walter Hill the screenplay for ''The Warriors'' with a copy of Sol Yurick's novel.<ref name= "ducker">{{Cite news |
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| last = Ducker |
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| first = Eric |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = New York Mythology |
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| work = Fader |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = October 3, 2006 |
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| url = http://www.thefader.com/blog/articles/2005/10/03/new-york-mythology |
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| accessdate = 2008-09-28 }}</ref> Gordon and Hill were originally going to make a western but when the financing on the project failed to materialize, they took ''The Warriors'' to [[Paramount Pictures]] because they were interested in youth films at the time. Hill was drawn to the "extreme narrative simplicity and stripped down quality of the script".<ref name= "ducker"/> The script, as written, was a realistic take on street gangs but the director was a huge fan of comic books and wanted to divide the film into chapters and then have each chapter "come to life starting with a splash panel".<ref name= "ducker"/> However, Hill was working on a low budget and a tight post-production schedule because of a fixed release date as the studio wanted to release ''The Warriors'' before a rival gang picture called ''[[The Wanderers (1979 film)|The Wanderers]]''. As a result, Hill was unable to realize this comic book look.<ref name= "ducker"/> |
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The filmmakers did extensive casting in New York City.<ref name= "ducker"/> Hill had screened an independent film called ''Madman'' for [[Sigourney Weaver]] to cast her in ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' and it also featured Michael Beck as the male lead. The director was impressed with Beck's performance and cast him in ''The Warriors''. Deborah Van Valkenburgh's agent convinced the film's casting directors to see her. The filmmakers wanted to cast [[Tony Danza]] in the role of Vermin but he was cast in the sitcom ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'' and Terrence Michos was cast instead. In Yurick's book there were no white characters but, according to Hill, Paramount did not want an all black cast for "commercial reasons".<ref name= "ducker"/> |
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Stunt coordinator [[Craig R. Baxley]] put the cast through stunt school because Hill wanted realistic fights depicted in the film.<ref name= "ducker"/> In preparation for his role, James Remar hung out at Coney Island to find a model for his character. The entire film was shot on the streets in New York City with some interior scenes done at Astoria Studios. They would shoot from sundown to sunrise. The film quickly fell behind schedule and went over budget. While they shot in the Bronx, bricks were tossed at the crew. Actor Joel Weiss remembers that filming of his scene at Avenue A being canceled because there was a double homicide nearby. For the big meeting at the beginning of the film, Hill wanted real gang members in the scene with off duty police officers also in the crowd so that there would be no trouble.<ref name= "ducker"/> |
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The studio would not allow Baxley to bring any stunt men from Hollywood and he needed someone to double for the character of Cyrus so he did the stunt himself dressed as the character.<ref name= "ducker"/> Actual gang members wanted to challenge some of the cast members but were dealt with by production security. The actors playing The Warriors bonded early in the shoot, on and off the set. Originally, the character of Fox was supposed to end up with Mercy; and Swan was captured by a rival, homosexual gang known as the Dingos, only to escape later. Actor [[Thomas G. Waites]] was fired eight weeks into principal photography for being difficult on the set and arguing with Hill. The director watched the dailies and realized that Beck and Van Valkenburgh had great chemistry. Their characters ended up together.<ref name= "ducker"/> |
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Originally, at the Coney Island confrontation at the end of the film, actor David Patrick Kelly wanted to use two dead pigeons but Hill did not think that would work.<ref name= "ducker"/> Kelly used three bottles instead and improvised his famous line, "Waaaaariors, come out to plaaaay". Kelly was influenced by a man he knew in downtown New York who would make fun of him. Hill wanted [[Orson Welles]] to do a narrated introduction about Greek themes but the studio did not like this idea and refused to pay for it.<ref name= "ducker"/> |
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==Release== |
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===Theatrical run=== |
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''The Warriors'' opened on February 9, 1979 in 670 theaters without advance screenings or a decent promotional campaign and grossed [[USD]] $3.5 million on its opening weekend.<ref name= "arnold">{{Cite news |
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| last = Arnold |
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| first = Gary |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = ''The Warriors'' - Surly Kids Pack a Box-Office Wallop |
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| work = [[Washington Post]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = March 18, 1979 |
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| url =ghg |
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| accessdate = }}</ref> The following weekend the film was linked to sporadic outbreaks of [[vandalism]] and three killings - two in [[Southern California]] and one in [[Boston]] - involving moviegoers on their way to or from showings. This prompted Paramount to remove advertisements from radio and television completely and display ads in the press were reduced to the film's title, rating and participating theaters.<ref name= "arnold"/> In reaction, 200 theaters across the country added security personnel. Due to safety concerns, theater owners were relieved of their contractual obligations if they did not want to show the film, and Paramount offered to pay costs for additional security and damages due to vandalism.<ref name= "TimeMag">{{Cite news |
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| last = |
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| first = |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = The Flick of Violence |
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| work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = March 19, 1979 |
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| url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,947013,00.html |
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| accessdate = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> After two weeks free of incidents, the studio expanded the display ads to take advantage of reviews from reputable critics including [[Pauline Kael]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]''. She wrote, "''The Warriors'' is a real moviemaker's movie: it has in visual terms the kind of impact that '[[Rock Around the Clock]]' did behind the titles of ''[[Blackboard Jungle]]''. ''The Warriors'' is like visual rock".<ref name= "barra"/> In its sixth week, ''The Warriors'' had grossed $16.4 million, well above its estimated $6–7 million budget.<ref name= "arnold"/> |
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===Critical reception=== |
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A mild commercial success on its initial release, the film was panned by many critics as exploitative and superficial. Gary Arnold, in his review for the ''[[Washington Post]]'', wrote, "None of Hill's dynamism will save ''The Warriors'' from impressing most neutral observers as a ghastly folly".<ref>{{Cite news |
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| last = Arnold |
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| first = Gary |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = Abstracted Epic of Gang Warfare |
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| work = [[Washington Post]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = February 10, 1979 |
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| url = |
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| accessdate = }}</ref> In his review for ''[[Newsweek]]'', [[David Ansen]] wrote, "Another problem arises when the gang members open their mouths: their banal dialogue is jarringly at odds with Hill's hyperbolic visual scheme".<ref>{{Cite news |
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| last = Ansen |
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| first = David |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = Gang War |
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| work = [[Newsweek]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = February 26, 1979 |
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| url = |
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| accessdate = }}</ref> Frank Rich, in his review for ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', wrote, "Unfortunately, sheer visual zip is not enough to carry the film; it drags from one scuffle to the next . . . But The Warriors is not lively enough to be cheap fun or thoughtful enough to be serious".<ref>{{Cite news |
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| last = Rich |
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| first = Frank |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = Dead End |
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| work = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = February 26, 1979 |
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| url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,920188,00.html |
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| accessdate = 2008-09-23 }}</ref> Yurick expressed his disappointment in the film version and speculated that it scared some people because "it appeals to the fear of a demonic uprising by lumpen youth", and appealed to many teenagers because it "hits a series of collective fantasies".<ref name= "arnold"/> President [[Ronald Reagan]] was a fan of the film, even calling the film's lead actor, Michael Beck, to tell him he had screened it at [[Camp David]] and enjoyed it.<ref name= "barra">{{Cite news |
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| last = Barra |
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| first = Allen |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = ''The Warriors'' Fights On |
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| work = Salon.com |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = November 28, 2005 |
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| url = |
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| accessdate = }}</ref> |
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''The Warriors'' has acquired the status of a cult film, along with a re-examination of its standing with some film critics. As of April 22, 2011, the film has garnered a 94% "fresh" rating at [[Rotten Tomatoes]]. At Seattle’s Grand Illusion Cinema, programmer Zack Carlson remembers, “people were squeezed in, lying on the floor, cheering".<ref name= "Wood">{{Cite news |
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| last = Wood |
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| first = Jennifer M |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = Midnight Movie Madness |
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| work = Moviemaker |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = June 20, 2004 |
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| url = http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/midnight_movie_madness_2923/ |
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| accessdate = 2009-02-13 }}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' named ''The Warriors'' the 16th greatest [[cult film]] on their "Top 50 Greatest Cult Films" list.<ref>[http://www.filmsite.org/cultfilmsew.html The Top 50 Cult Movies]</ref> The magazine also ranked it 14th in the list of the "25 Most Controversial Movies Ever".<ref>{{Cite news |
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| last = |
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| first = |
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| coauthors = |
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| title = 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever |
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| work = [[Entertainment Weekly]] |
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| pages = |
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| language = |
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| publisher = |
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| date = August 27, 2008 |
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| url = http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20221484_11,00.html |
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| accessdate = 2008-08-27 }}</ref> |
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===Home video=== |
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In 2005, Paramount Home Video released the "Ultimate Director's Cut" DVD of ''The Warriors''. Aside from a remastered picture quality and a new 5.1 surround remixed soundtrack, the film has been re-edited with a new introduction and comic book-style sequences between scenes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/the-warriors/775 |title=''The Warriors'' - DVD Review |author=Henderson, Eric |publisher=''[[Slant (magazine)|Slant]]'' magazine |date=2005-10-18 |accessdate=2011-09-29}}</ref> |
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==Merchandise== |
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While itself adapted from a novel, the film has been adapted into a number of other products as well. The [[The Warriors (Soundtrack)|film's soundtrack]] was released in the same year as the film. In 2005, [[Mezco Toyz]] released Warriors [[action figure]]s, including Swan, Cleon, Cochise, Ajax, Luther, and a Baseball Fury.<ref>[http://www.mezcotoyz.com/products.asp?pline=war Mezco Toyz | Movie, Television and Proprietary Action Figures & Collectibles<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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[[The Warriors (video game)|''The Warriors'' video game]], based on the movie, was released by [[Rockstar Games]] on October 17, 2005. Levels 1 through 13 acts as a prequel to the film, creating backstory and elaborating on the characters from the film. Levels 14 through 18 recreates much of the film's events. Several of the actors from the movie returned to perform the voices for their original characters. |
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[[Warner Bros. Entertainment]] released a downloadable title for the [[Xbox 360]] titled ''[[The Warriors: Street Brawl]]''. The game plays differently from the Rockstar Games version, being a side-scrolling brawler. In 2009, [[Dabel Brothers Productions]] began a five issue comic book adaption of the film. Following that is a four issue mini series entitled ''The Warriors: Jail Break'' which takes place several months after the film. |
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==Remake== |
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In November 2006, director [[Tony Scott]] announced plans for a remake of ''The Warriors'', which would take place in [[Los Angeles, California]]. "The original ''Warriors'' was New York in the '70s, and everything went upwards, everything went vertically. And now I'm making it a contemporary thing and doing it in L.A., so everything is horizontal. So my vision of ''The Warriors'' is Los Angeles in 2007 and the gangs, instead of being 30, are going to be 3,000 or 5,000," he said.<ref name="WarriorsRemake">{{cite web|last=Collura|first=Scott|title=Helmer Talks Warriors Remake|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/11/16/helmer-talks-warriors-remake|work=IGN|accessdate=August 25, 2012|date=November 16, 2006}}</ref> Scott met with actual gang members for research: "I've met all the heads of all the different gangs, so I've already educated myself. They all said, 'Listen dude, if you get this on we'll sign a treaty and we'll all stand on the Long Beach Bridge. There'll be 150,000 members there. It'll look like the [[Los Angeles Marathon|L.A. Marathon]].{{' "}}<ref name="WarriorsRemake"/> |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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{{Portalbox|New York City|Film}} |
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*{{IMDb title|id=0080120|title=The Warriors}} |
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*{{Amg movie|53477|The Warriors}} |
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*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=1023205-warriors|title=The Warriors}} |
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*[http://warriorsmovie.co.uk The Warriors Movie Site] |
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*[http://www.stonegreasers.com/greaser/conclay.html "The Warriors Trip From Coney Island to Dyre Avenue in the Bronx Revisited"] |
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*[http://lantern-media.com/GangsDocumentaryDiary/Diary-20061028.htm 2006 Warriors Cast Reunion] |
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* [http://thewarriors.neoseeker.com/wiki/Main_Page The Warriors NeoWiki, an external wiki] |
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{{The Warriors}} |
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{{Walter Hill}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Warriors, The}} |
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[[Category:The Warriors|Film]] |
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[[Category:1979 films]] |
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[[Category:1970s action films]] |
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[[Category:1970s drama films]] |
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[[Category:English-language films]] |
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[[Category:American action thriller films]] |
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[[Category:Films based on novels]] |
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[[Category:Films directed by Walter Hill]] |
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[[Category:Films set in New York City]] |
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[[Category:Films set in Brooklyn]] |
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[[Category:Gang films]] |
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[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]] |
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[[Category:Anabasis (Xenophon)]] |
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[[Category:Rail transport films]] |
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Revision as of 16:39, 5 November 2012
| The Warriors shut up | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster swag | |
| Directed by | Walter Hill |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by | Lawrence Gordon |
| Starring | Michael Beck James Remar Deborah Van Valkenburgh David Patrick Kelly |
| Cinematography | Andrew Laszlo |
| Edited by | Freeman Davies David Holden Susan E. Morse Billy Weber |
| Music by | Barry De Vorzon Joe Walsh |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | February 9, 1978 |
Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $22,490,045 |
The Warriors is a 1979 American cult action/thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on Sol Yurick's 1965 novel of the same name. Like the novel, the film borrows elements from the Anabasis by Xenophon.
Plot
Cyrus (Roger Hill), leader of the Gramercy Riffs, the most powerful gang in New York City, calls a midnight summit of all New York area gangs, requesting them to send nine unarmed representatives to Van Cortlandt Park. The Warriors, from Coney Island, Brooklyn, are one such gang. Cyrus proposes the assembled crowd a permanent citywide truce that would allow the gangs to control the city. Most of the gangs laud his idea, but Luther (David Patrick Kelly), leader of the Rogues, shoots Cyrus and frames the Warriors. The Warriors "warlord" Cleon (Dorsey Wright) is beaten down by the Riffs who believe the Warriors are responsible for Cyrus' death. With Cleon's fate unknown the other Warriors escape. Unbeknownst to the Warriors the Riffs call a hit on them through a radio DJ (Lynne Thigpen). Swan (Michael Beck), the gang's "war chief", takes charge of the group and they head back to the subway.
On the way, the Turnbull ACs attempt to apprehend the Warriors but they manage to escape and board the subway. On the ride to Coney Island, the train is stopped by a fire on the tracks, stranding the Warriors in Tremont, in the Bronx. Setting out on foot, they come across a gang called the Orphans who were not invited to Cyrus' meeting and who are sensitive regarding their low status in the city hierarchy. Swan makes peace with the Orphans leader, Sully (Paul Greco), who agrees to let the Warriors through their territory peacefully. However, a woman named Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) mocks Sully as a "chicken" and instigates a confrontation, which the Warriors avoid by using a Molotov cocktail. Mercy decides to follow the Warriors.
When they arrive at the 96th Street and Broadway station in Manhattan, they are chased by police. Three of them make the train to Union Square, while Fox (Thomas G. Waites), struggling with a police officer, falls to the tracks and is run over by a train while Mercy escapes. Swan and the remaining three Warriors run outside, and are chased into Riverside Park by the Baseball Furies where a fight ensues and the Warriors emerge victorious. After the fight, Ajax (James Remar) notices a lone woman (Mercedes Ruehl) in the park, becomes sexually aggressive and is arrested when the woman turns out to be an undercover female police officer. Arriving at Union Square, Vermin (Terry Michos), Cochise (David Harris), and Rembrandt (Marcelino Sánchez) are seduced by an all-female gang called the Lizzies. Back at their hangout, the Lizzies draw weapons, but the trio narrowly escape, learning in the process that everyone believes they killed Cyrus.
Having gone ahead on his own, Swan returns to the 96th Street station, and finds Mercy there. More police show up and Swan and Mercy flee into the tunnel. They have an argument and Swan continues to Union Square where he reunites with the other Warriors. A fight ensues with the Punks but the Warriors defeat them. The Riffs are meanwhile visited by a gang member who attended the earlier gathering, a witness to Luther firing the gun. The Warriors finally arrive at Coney Island, but find the Rogues waiting for them. Swan suggests he and Luther fight one-on-one, but Luther pulls his gun. Swan throws a knife into Luther's wrist, disarming him. The Riffs then arrive and apprehend the Rogues as the Warriors walk off down the beach. The DJ announces that the big alert is called off when it turns out that the earlier reports were wrong.
Cast
- Michael Beck as Swan
- James Remar as Ajax
- Dorsey Wright as Cleon
- Brian Tyler as Snow
- David Harris as Cochise
- Tom McKitterick as Cowboy
- Thomas G. Waites as Fox
- Terry Michos as Vermin
- Marcelino Sánchez as Rembrandt
- Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Mercy
- Roger Hill as Cyrus
- David Patrick Kelly as Luther
- Lynne Thigpen as D.J.
- Ginny Ortiz as Candy Store Girl
- Mercedes Ruehl as Policewoman
- John Snyder as Gas Station Man
- Edward Sewer as Masai
- Paul Greco as Sully
Production
Producer Lawrence Gordon sent director Walter Hill the screenplay for The Warriors with a copy of Sol Yurick's novel.[1] Gordon and Hill were originally going to make a western but when the financing on the project failed to materialize, they took The Warriors to Paramount Pictures because they were interested in youth films at the time. Hill was drawn to the "extreme narrative simplicity and stripped down quality of the script".[1] The script, as written, was a realistic take on street gangs but the director was a huge fan of comic books and wanted to divide the film into chapters and then have each chapter "come to life starting with a splash panel".[1] However, Hill was working on a low budget and a tight post-production schedule because of a fixed release date as the studio wanted to release The Warriors before a rival gang picture called The Wanderers. As a result, Hill was unable to realize this comic book look.[1]
The filmmakers did extensive casting in New York City.[1] Hill had screened an independent film called Madman for Sigourney Weaver to cast her in Alien and it also featured Michael Beck as the male lead. The director was impressed with Beck's performance and cast him in The Warriors. Deborah Van Valkenburgh's agent convinced the film's casting directors to see her. The filmmakers wanted to cast Tony Danza in the role of Vermin but he was cast in the sitcom Taxi and Terrence Michos was cast instead. In Yurick's book there were no white characters but, according to Hill, Paramount did not want an all black cast for "commercial reasons".[1]
Stunt coordinator Craig R. Baxley put the cast through stunt school because Hill wanted realistic fights depicted in the film.[1] In preparation for his role, James Remar hung out at Coney Island to find a model for his character. The entire film was shot on the streets in New York City with some interior scenes done at Astoria Studios. They would shoot from sundown to sunrise. The film quickly fell behind schedule and went over budget. While they shot in the Bronx, bricks were tossed at the crew. Actor Joel Weiss remembers that filming of his scene at Avenue A being canceled because there was a double homicide nearby. For the big meeting at the beginning of the film, Hill wanted real gang members in the scene with off duty police officers also in the crowd so that there would be no trouble.[1]
The studio would not allow Baxley to bring any stunt men from Hollywood and he needed someone to double for the character of Cyrus so he did the stunt himself dressed as the character.[1] Actual gang members wanted to challenge some of the cast members but were dealt with by production security. The actors playing The Warriors bonded early in the shoot, on and off the set. Originally, the character of Fox was supposed to end up with Mercy; and Swan was captured by a rival, homosexual gang known as the Dingos, only to escape later. Actor Thomas G. Waites was fired eight weeks into principal photography for being difficult on the set and arguing with Hill. The director watched the dailies and realized that Beck and Van Valkenburgh had great chemistry. Their characters ended up together.[1]
Originally, at the Coney Island confrontation at the end of the film, actor David Patrick Kelly wanted to use two dead pigeons but Hill did not think that would work.[1] Kelly used three bottles instead and improvised his famous line, "Waaaaariors, come out to plaaaay". Kelly was influenced by a man he knew in downtown New York who would make fun of him. Hill wanted Orson Welles to do a narrated introduction about Greek themes but the studio did not like this idea and refused to pay for it.[1]
Release
Theatrical run
The Warriors opened on February 9, 1979 in 670 theaters without advance screenings or a decent promotional campaign and grossed USD $3.5 million on its opening weekend.[2] The following weekend the film was linked to sporadic outbreaks of vandalism and three killings - two in Southern California and one in Boston - involving moviegoers on their way to or from showings. This prompted Paramount to remove advertisements from radio and television completely and display ads in the press were reduced to the film's title, rating and participating theaters.[2] In reaction, 200 theaters across the country added security personnel. Due to safety concerns, theater owners were relieved of their contractual obligations if they did not want to show the film, and Paramount offered to pay costs for additional security and damages due to vandalism.[3] After two weeks free of incidents, the studio expanded the display ads to take advantage of reviews from reputable critics including Pauline Kael of The New Yorker. She wrote, "The Warriors is a real moviemaker's movie: it has in visual terms the kind of impact that 'Rock Around the Clock' did behind the titles of Blackboard Jungle. The Warriors is like visual rock".[4] In its sixth week, The Warriors had grossed $16.4 million, well above its estimated $6–7 million budget.[2]
Critical reception
A mild commercial success on its initial release, the film was panned by many critics as exploitative and superficial. Gary Arnold, in his review for the Washington Post, wrote, "None of Hill's dynamism will save The Warriors from impressing most neutral observers as a ghastly folly".[5] In his review for Newsweek, David Ansen wrote, "Another problem arises when the gang members open their mouths: their banal dialogue is jarringly at odds with Hill's hyperbolic visual scheme".[6] Frank Rich, in his review for Time, wrote, "Unfortunately, sheer visual zip is not enough to carry the film; it drags from one scuffle to the next . . . But The Warriors is not lively enough to be cheap fun or thoughtful enough to be serious".[7] Yurick expressed his disappointment in the film version and speculated that it scared some people because "it appeals to the fear of a demonic uprising by lumpen youth", and appealed to many teenagers because it "hits a series of collective fantasies".[2] President Ronald Reagan was a fan of the film, even calling the film's lead actor, Michael Beck, to tell him he had screened it at Camp David and enjoyed it.[4]
The Warriors has acquired the status of a cult film, along with a re-examination of its standing with some film critics. As of April 22, 2011, the film has garnered a 94% "fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. At Seattle’s Grand Illusion Cinema, programmer Zack Carlson remembers, “people were squeezed in, lying on the floor, cheering".[8] Entertainment Weekly named The Warriors the 16th greatest cult film on their "Top 50 Greatest Cult Films" list.[9] The magazine also ranked it 14th in the list of the "25 Most Controversial Movies Ever".[10]
Home video
In 2005, Paramount Home Video released the "Ultimate Director's Cut" DVD of The Warriors. Aside from a remastered picture quality and a new 5.1 surround remixed soundtrack, the film has been re-edited with a new introduction and comic book-style sequences between scenes.[11]
Merchandise
While itself adapted from a novel, the film has been adapted into a number of other products as well. The film's soundtrack was released in the same year as the film. In 2005, Mezco Toyz released Warriors action figures, including Swan, Cleon, Cochise, Ajax, Luther, and a Baseball Fury.[12]
The Warriors video game, based on the movie, was released by Rockstar Games on October 17, 2005. Levels 1 through 13 acts as a prequel to the film, creating backstory and elaborating on the characters from the film. Levels 14 through 18 recreates much of the film's events. Several of the actors from the movie returned to perform the voices for their original characters.
Warner Bros. Entertainment released a downloadable title for the Xbox 360 titled The Warriors: Street Brawl. The game plays differently from the Rockstar Games version, being a side-scrolling brawler. In 2009, Dabel Brothers Productions began a five issue comic book adaption of the film. Following that is a four issue mini series entitled The Warriors: Jail Break which takes place several months after the film.
Remake
In November 2006, director Tony Scott announced plans for a remake of The Warriors, which would take place in Los Angeles, California. "The original Warriors was New York in the '70s, and everything went upwards, everything went vertically. And now I'm making it a contemporary thing and doing it in L.A., so everything is horizontal. So my vision of The Warriors is Los Angeles in 2007 and the gangs, instead of being 30, are going to be 3,000 or 5,000," he said.[13] Scott met with actual gang members for research: "I've met all the heads of all the different gangs, so I've already educated myself. They all said, 'Listen dude, if you get this on we'll sign a treaty and we'll all stand on the Long Beach Bridge. There'll be 150,000 members there. It'll look like the L.A. Marathon.'"[13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ducker, Eric (October 3, 2006). "New York Mythology". Fader. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c d Arnold, Gary (March 18, 1979). [ghg "The Warriors - Surly Kids Pack a Box-Office Wallop"]. Washington Post.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "The Flick of Violence". Time. March 19, 1979. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b Barra, Allen (November 28, 2005). "The Warriors Fights On". Salon.com.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Arnold, Gary (February 10, 1979). "Abstracted Epic of Gang Warfare". Washington Post.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Ansen, David (February 26, 1979). "Gang War". Newsweek.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Rich, Frank (February 26, 1979). "Dead End". Time. Retrieved 2008-09-23.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Wood, Jennifer M (June 20, 2004). "Midnight Movie Madness". Moviemaker. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ The Top 50 Cult Movies
- ^ "25 Most Controversial Movies Ever". Entertainment Weekly. August 27, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Henderson, Eric (2005-10-18). "The Warriors - DVD Review". Slant magazine. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Mezco Toyz | Movie, Television and Proprietary Action Figures & Collectibles
- ^ a b Collura, Scott (November 16, 2006). "Helmer Talks Warriors Remake". IGN. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
External links
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