Walter Hill’s The Warriors is a cult classic. Since its release in 1979, audiences have returned to this tightly woven tale of a gang of rebels stuck on a rival territory following a big gang meet-up gone awry. There’s so much quotable dialogue (“warriors, come out to plaayyyy”), and it kicked off a fantastic run for director Walter Hill, including 48 Hrs, Streets of Fire, Extreme Prejudice, and even the recent Dead for a Dollar. However, the film was rife with issues, including a leading man being fired early in production and full-scale riots that erupted after the movie opened.
The Warriors is a celebrated slice of cinema that taps into the urges of fans, letting them live a gang fantasy on the silver screen, unlike other films. People still dress as the warring factions for Halloween, and video game developers have used the movie as a template for territorial scuffles for generations. What you don’t know about The Warriors could beat you with a bat and leave you writhing in the concrete jungle. Join us as we investigate the inner workings of this hardened classic.
We examine all this in WTF Happened to The Warriors, edited by Juan Jiminez and written and narrated by Dave Davis.
Can you dig it?