Arrow Video: The Warriors (1979 - 2005) - Reviewed

Images courtesy of Arrow Video

Still active American writer-producer-director Walter Hill has all but singlehandedly and successfully revitalized the action western subgenre in the United States during the 1970s having written Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway before directing his first feature in 1975 with the depression era boxing drama Hard Times followed by his getaway driver film The Driver three years later.  In the same year Hill produced the first of three Alien franchise horror films, the writer-director cranked out his third and arguably greatest cult masterpiece with the street gang action-thriller The Warriors. 
 
An ensemble piece concerning a New York based street gang dubbed The Warriors who finds itself on the run when a renowned and adored gang leader is assassinated with the blame pinned on their gang, the turf war epic based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel of the same name picks up where A Clockwork Orange left off in terms of depicting dystopian alleyways where violence can and likely will break out while giving viewers ample room to empathize with their dire, life threatening situation.  Initially controversial with reported copycat crimes spawned by the movie with theater owners released from their obligation to screen the film if they didn’t want to, the film has since gone on to become a cult favorite and even spawned a hit video game and comic book series years later.
 
New York City the gangs have outnumbered the police forces and the leader of the city’s most powerful gang Cyrus (Roger Hill) holds a midnight summit proposing the disparate gangs form a truce to peacefully control the city.  However, mid-speech another unhinged gang leader of the Rogues named Luther (David Patrick Kelly) shoots Cyrus dead.  

As one of the Warriors, Fox (Thomas G. Waites) notices Luther but fails to close in before the blame is quickly deflected on them with one of the Warriors being murdered and as gang member Swan (Michael Beck) takes over leadership of the gang from Ajax (James Remar), a citywide hit is put out on the Warriors for their blood to be spilled.  Taking the girlfriend Mercy (Deborah Van Valkenburgh) from the Orphans’ gang leader under their wing, the film develops into a relentless chase thriller as the titular The Warriors encounter danger and threats of death at every turn.

 
A street-gang dystopian thriller that takes on the feel of a futurist western with overtones of the comic book panels (a technique further elaborated upon in the 2005 director’s cut), the film reportedly sparked violent confrontations either going to or from the theater or within the auditorium itself, prompting theaters to add additional security personnel.  Despite the controversy, the film against a $4 million budget took in around $22 million and became a commercial hit against mostly (at the time) widespread critical drubbing.  

A movie that seemed to resonate with the street gang culture while also being a further extension of the life of underground crime dramatized by Hard Times and The Driver.  Something of a classical Greek tragedy transposed into modern day urban New York, the film is aided by tense physical performances by the ensemble cast led by James Remar and Michael Beck.  Fans of Commando and Twin Peaks are also inclined to watch for a psychotic David Patrick Kelly who may well have a career best performance on his hands.

 
Visually speaking Andrew Laszlo (Southern Comfort; First Blood) shoots the New York night streets almost entirely in deep shadow with only interior decorum and lighting illuminating the gritty proceedings while Dillinger and Xanadu composer Barry De Vorzon highlights the tense predicament’s dark and threatening corners that could strike out from any direction.  As with the aforementioned A Clockwork Orange, the gangs are differentiated by their costume designs with The Warriors running in vests while attacked by characters dressed in baseball uniforms with their faces painted and in another scene a group of seemingly innocent young women learn of the warriors’ identity and close in for a vicious attack.

 
For years following the 2005 director’s cut of the film, the original 1979 theatrical cut had become all but unavailable until recently the good folks at Arrow Video conducted new 4K scans of both cuts of the film under the supervision of Walter Hill and aired The Warriors in a new limited edition boxed set.  Featuring a 100-page bound booklet, reversible poster art, gang stickers and a new running audio commentary by critic Walter Chaw coinciding with his book A Walter Hill Film, Arrow have outdone themselves in finally giving global viewers (after an expensive OOP imprint disc) the definitive home video release of the film.  Seen now, it has lost none of its power to enthrall, shock, entertain and speak to the lives of the common man swept up in causes bigger than himself.  Can you dig it?!

--Andrew Kotwicki