The Warriors (film) Totally Explained

Everything about The Warriors Film totally explained

The Warriors is a 1979 cult classic action/thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on the 1965 novel by Sol Yurick. The film also borrows certain elements from the Anabasis by Xenophon.

Synopsis

Cyrus (Roger Hill), the leader of the most powerful gang in New York City, the Gramercy Riffs, calls a midnight summit for all the area gangs, with all asked to send nine unarmed representatives for the conclave. The Warriors, a gang from Coney Island, Brooklyn, is one such gang.
   The eloquent and intelligent Cyrus tells the assembled gangs that a citywide truce is needed, and that the gangs can control the city, pointing out there are 100,000 of them and only 20,000 officers in the NYPD (five to one). Most of the gangs cheer Cyrus' ideas, but during his speech one gang passes a gun to their leader, and he kills Cyrus. Panic ensues. The murderer - revealed to be Luther (David Patrick Kelly), leader of the Rogues gang - is seen in the act by one of the Warriors. Immediately after, the NYPD rushed in from all sides, which led to a chaotic rush to escape the premises. During the chaos, Luther screams that the Warriors are responsible for killing Cyrus, though this is only heard by Cleon, the Warriors' leader. While the Riffs beat Cleon (Dorsey Wright), and the police arrive to break up the gathering, the other eight Warriors escape the melee and debate what to do. Meanwhile, the other gangs, most based in Manhattan, regroup at their respective headquarters. Masai, second-in-command of the Riffs, takes charge as their new leader, and declares a bounty on the Warriors. This sets the entire city's gang population out hunting for them, with a seemingly omniscient radio DJ (Lynne Thigpen) reporting on the events.
   The Warriors begin their long journey from the Bronx back to Coney Island. The second-in-command, Swan (Michael Beck), takes charge, though the hot-headed Ajax (James Remar) openly voices his desire to be acting gang warlord. The Warriors slowly cross the dangerous Bronx and Manhattan territories, narrowly escaping police and other gangs every step of the way. In the Bronx, they come across Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh), a feisty girl who quickly becomes attracted to Swan and follows them. When the Warriors get separated from one another in Manhattan, three of them are seduced by members of a female gang called the Lizzies. Back at the Lizzies' apartment, the women draw weapons to kill the Warriors, but the men narrowly escape again, learning in the process that everyone believes they killed Cyrus. During the night, gang member Fox is killed in a scuffle with police, while Ajax is arrested by an undercover police officer (played by a then-unknown Mercedes Ruehl) and taken to jail.
   Meanwhile, the Riffs are visited by a anonymous member who attended the earlier gathering - a witness to Luther firing the gun. The Riffs realize the Warriors are innocent, and they head to Coney Island. When day breaks, the Warriors finally arrive home but quickly have more trouble, as Luther and the Rogues are waiting for them. The two gangs meet on the beach, where Swan suggests he and Luther fight a one-on-one duel. Luther pulls a gun, but Swan quickly throws a knife into Luther's wrist, disarming him. Before more violence has a chance to happen, the Riffs arrive on the beach and acknowledge they've learned the truth of Cyrus's murder. The Riffs' new leader compliments the remaining Warriors on their skills and lets them go. As the Riffs swarm on the Rogues, the Warriors head off down the shore.

Cast and characters

The Warriors

The Warriors gang is based in the western neighborhoods of Coney Island, on the edge of Brooklyn. Their gang uniform consists of a red-orange pleather vest embroidered with the Warriors' logo on the back. The gang has an overall Native American theme, and their logo consists of a death's head with an Indian war bonnet shaped like eagle wings. This theme is accented by the Indian-style bead necklaces and armbands worn by some members. Their main stomping ground and base turf is among the many amusement park areas of Coney Island, particularly the landmark that's Deno's Wonder Wheel, a now-iconic symbol synonymous with Coney Island and The Warriors. In a deleted scene, available on the special edition DVD and also included in some televised versions of the film, Cleon mentions that the Warriors is a street family of 120 members (plus affiliates), but only the nine chosen to go to Cyrus' meeting are shown in the film. The nine principal members in the film are:

Cleon (Dorsey Wright): The Warlord, leader and founder of the gang. Named after the Ancient Greek politician. He famously wears a leopard-patterned cloth around his head as well as an Indian-style necklace. After Cyrus' assassination, Luther pins the murder on him, and he's beaten by the Gramercy Riffs. Cleon is African-American.

Swan (Michael Beck): The War Chief, second-in-command of the gang. Assuming control after the loss of Cleon, Swan makes the decision for the gang to continue wearing their colors and fight their way back home, though in general his leadership is more level-headed and practical than his brothers-in-arms. After successfully leading the group back to Coney, he wins a gunfight against Luther using only a knife. During filming, the script was changed so that he ends up with Mercy. Swan is Caucasian

Ajax (James Remar): Soldier of the Middle - A cocky, loud-mouthed womanizer always up for a fight. After the loss of Cleon at the conclave, he engages in a short confrontation with Swan over who should assume command. He is said to be the strongest warrior and is certainly the most aggressive. He wears fingerless leather gloves and a black tank-top under his Warriors vest. Ajax is arrested when he tries to force himself on an undercover female police officer. He is named after the legendary Greek hero. Ajax is Caucasian.

Vermin (Terry Michos): The Bearer - Quick with a smile and a joke, Vermin is the most cynical member of the gang but a solid soldier and extremely loyal. He was tasked with carrying the tokens and money to the meeting. According to the Warriors video game, Vermin formed the Warriors with Cleon. In an early script, he was supposed to be shot and killed by the Lizzies. Vermin is Caucasian.

Cochise (David Harris): Soldier of the Middle "Heavy Mother" - A born fighter who wears Native American-style jewelry, leather pants and boots. He sports an afro with a red bandanna tied around it. He is named after the Apache Chief. Like Vermin, he was scripted to die and then to be thrown into the Hudson River, though in the finished film he survives. Cochise is African-American.

Fox (Thomas G. Waites): The Scout and Memory Man - Fox is very familiar with other gangs' tactics, territory, and numbers. He dies when he's thrown in front of a speeding train while struggling with a police officer. (Mercy later tells Swan that "the cops got him" because Fox told her to run as soon as he began fighting; she wasn't aware he died.) In the script, Fox was originally the love interest of Mercy, but the two actors had no chemistry and the Mercy romance was transferred to Swan. The actor playing Fox left the film over this, which necessitated his being written out of the story. Fox is Caucasian.

Rembrandt (Marcelino Sanchez): The Writer, the gang's graffiti artist, wears the standard Warrior's vest along with a messenger bag and an afro. The youngest member, Rembrandt is far less battle-hardened and is frequently looked after by the other members of the gang. He is most likely named after the famous painter. Rembrandt appears to be of Puerto Rican descent.

Snow (Brian Tyler): The Music Man - A stoic, African American Warrior with an afro. In the script and deleted intro scene, Snow is referred to as "Snowball". A bit more reserved, he's still a talented fighter, proving his worth in the fights with the Baseball Furies and The Punks.

Cowboy (Tom McKitterick): Soldier of the Middle - A Warrior who wears a Stetson cowboy hat and a shirt underneath his vest. He is an optimistic, happy-go-lucky Warrior. Cowboy is Caucasian.

Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh): Perhaps a prostitute (which she denies) who is originally a member of the Orphans but finds herself aligned with The Warriors as soon as they meet. At the end of the film, she apparently quits her seedy job and pursues a relationship with Swan.

Other notable gangs

Along the way, the Warriors encounter the following fanciful gangs, from north to south:

The Turnbull AC's (aka Turnbulls, Bulls, or A.C.s): A gang with shaved heads, they travel in large numbers in a spraypainted bus and wear denim jackets with matching jeans and patches. Their turf is around Gun Hill Road in The Bronx. According to Rembrandt, even the Gramercy Riffs are afraid to go toe-to-toe with the Bulls. Based on real life New York gang The Baldies.

The Orphans: A bottom-of-the-barrel gang, the Orphans were not invited to Cyrus' conclave, nor even told about it. Their full strength is about thirty members. They wear green shirts with "ORPHANS" stitched into the back, and blue jeans. Their turf is Tremont. Their leader, Sully, is a self-conscious coward, with a weakness for flattery.

The Baseball Furies (or simply The Furies): A New York Yankees-inspired gang in pinstriped baseball uniforms wielding baseball bats and wearing facial makeup similar to that of the rock group KISS, only multicolored instead of black and white. The Furies are never heard to speak. They are an intimidating presence as they chase the Warriors down but prove ineffective fighters during the ensuing brawl in Riverside Park. The Furies were created because of Walter Hill's love for baseball. In Greek mythology, the Furies were the embodiment of vengeance.

The Lizzies: An all-female gang who seduce the Warriors and successfully lure some members into their Bowery apartment to kill them. The Lizzies are also one of the few gangs with firearms, though they're poor shots. Their name may double as a reference to Lizzie Borden. It may also suggest their lesbian tendencies ("lezzies" being a derogatory slang word for lesbians), which are implied by a suggestive dance scene between two of the gang members. They also represent the mythical Sirens.

The Punks: A gang with a leader who strolls around on rollerskates. The Warriors fight them in a men's room in 14th Street–Union Square subway station. Each member wears denim overalls over a different-colored striped shirt. The Punks are never referred to by name except in the credits. They share the Bowery with the Lizzies.

The Rogues: The gang that framed the Warriors for Cyrus’s assassination. They wear primarily deep-blue leathers and drive an old Cadillac hearse. The leader, Luther (David Patrick Kelly), is a small man with extremely violent and psychopathic tendencies, he carries a police handgun and wears a police badge which suggests he may have killed a cop. He possesses one of the few firearms seen in the film but is also something of a coward. The Rogues' turf is Hell's Kitchen.

Gramercy Riffs: A disciplined, well-organized gang from around Gramercy Park, said to be the biggest gang in the city. Cyrus (Roger Hill) was the leader of this gang before he was assassinated. After his death, the second in command, Masai, takes over. They are dressed in karate gi; at the end of the film, however, they're seen wearing black t-shirts and matching jeans. The Riffs' membership seems to be made up almost entirely of African-Americans.

Production

The film is based on Sol Yurick's novel The Warriors, which, like the film, depicts a New York City gang attempting to return to its home territory in Coney Island. The novel was loosely based on Anabasis by Xenophon, which records how the Greek mercenary company the Ten Thousand made its way through enemy Persian territory to the Black Sea after the death of Cyrus the Younger in an attempt to seize the throne of Persia.
It should be noted that, like other book-to-film adaptations, the story of Yurick's original novel is radically different from the film version, as Yurick himself observes in his introduction to the 2003 reprint, indicating his dismay. From beginning to end, only a rough skeleton of the book is present in the movie. Significantly absent from the film version is an accurate recreation of the speech of the gang members, especially when they interact with each other. It is thought that Walter Hill changed them to fit more with the Anabasis characters, the Spartans. Moreover, the film version omits nearly all scenes where The Warriors (called the "Coney Island Dominators" in the book) struggle amongst themselves to maintain order, discipline, and a proper chain of command. Also missing from the film are two extremely violent scenes: the brutal murder of an innocent by-passer, and the gang rape of a girl taken from a rival gang.

Thomas Waites Controversy

Thomas G. Waites, the actor who portrayed Fox in the movie, left and had his name removed from the credits. Originally Fox and Mercy were intended to fall in love, but it was felt that the two characters had little on-screen chemistry, and a relationship between Swan and Mercy was developed instead. However Waites didn't want to be completely cut from the film, so director Walter Hill had Waites's character perish while grappling with a cop in the subway. He was replaced by a body double in the scene where Fox is tossed on to the train tracks, which becomes obvious when watching the film - when "Fox" runs in front of the camera, he's visibly covering his face.

Filming locations

The Warriors was filmed in 1978 in many different locations throughout New York City, including the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. The gathering scene at the beginning of the film takes place in Pelham Bay Park in The Bronx. However, the scene was shot in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
The exterior shots of the 96th Street subway station (where the Warriors first encounter the Baseball Furies) were actually filmed at the station at 72nd Street and Broadway. The distinctive headhouse at 72nd Street was redressed with "96th St." signage for the film. The interior shots of the station were filmed at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Brooklyn.
Certain locations that depict the Warriors in the Bronx and Manhattan were actually filmed in Brooklyn. When the Warriors narrowly escape from the Turnbull A.C.s, a group based in Gun Hill, the station mezzanine where the Warriors jump the turnstiles to catch a train is actually Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, now part of the Broadway Junction station complex. In another scene, where part of the splinter group enters a stationhouse in Manhattan, followed by the camera panning upstairs to the group catching another train, we don't see the station where they enter. However, the station used is actually New Utrecht Ave-62nd Street station in Brooklyn.

Reception

The Warriors opened on February 9, 1979 in 670 theaters without advance screenings or a decent promotional campaign. It grossed $3.5 million in its opening weekend. 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. After two weeks free of incidents, the studio expanded the display ads to take advantage of reviews from reputable critics, Pauline Kael of The New Yorker and Janet Maslin of the New York Times. In its sixth week, The Warriors had grossed $16.4 million, well above its estimated $6-7 million budget., many of the interviewees agreed that The Warriors was a major influence leading to them forming gangs.
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." 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." Yurick expressed his disappointment in the film version in a Reuter's article 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." Entertainment Weekly named The Warriors the 16th greatest cult film on their "Top 50 Greatest Cult Films" list.

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. The Warriors video game, based on the movie, was released by Rockstar Games in October 2005. Most of the game acts as a prequel to the film, creating backstory and elaborating on the characters from the film. The ending recreates much of the film's events. Several of the actors from the movie returned to perform the voices for their original characters.

Remake

A modern-day remake of the film is set to be directed by Tony Scott, with a tentative release date of 2008. The remake will include real gang members and try to create a modern version of the story, set in Los Angeles.

Footnotes

Further Information

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