THE WARRIORS

US, 1979, 94 minutes, Colour.
Michael Beck, James Remar, Thomas Whaites, Dorsey Wright.
Directed by Walter Hill.

Writer/director Walter Hill is interested in 'mythic' American types - The Streetfighter, The Driver and, now with acknowledgements to ancient Greek history and legend, The Warriors. Photographed interestingly from dusk to dawn in the New York streets and subway, it shows a street gang trying to get back home from the Bronx to Coney Island through hostile 'territory'. Whatever we think of the gangs, their journey is an achievement for survival well communicated. Acting and dialogue are at times too wooden, but the film is very interesting and not the violent horror publicity proclaimed. Violence there is, but presented in stylised realism and confined generally to the gangs themselves.

1. An interesting film? Its appeal? The furore in the United States on its release? Violent reaction from patrons in theatres? Its impact on a New York audience, urban audience? The impact on Americans, non-Americans?

2. The emphasis of the title, its tone? War and issues of war, heroes in battle, heroes who have victory? How well did it indicate the theme?

3. The technical contribution to the film's success: colour photography, New York settings especially the streets, parks, subways, the beach? The emphasis on night photography? The atmosphere of the locations especially trains and the subway station? The beginning and ending with Coney Island - and its use during the credits? The choreography of the battles, the various costumes and make-up of the gangs? The use of close-up style for the characters and this contrasting with the choreography of the battles?

4. The contribution of the musical score, songs, the use of songs over the radio? The stylised presentation of the music?

5. The film's focus on the gangs and their fights, audience response to such violence? Its realism, stylisation? The emphasis on choreography and patterns? The use of colour, geometrical presentation? The importance of strategies and the audience's appreciation of these?

6. How well did the film build up its mod? The ferris wheel, Coney Island and its enjoyment atmosphere, the New York subway and the trains, the word getting around to the various gangs, the solemnity and ritual of their assembling, Cyrus and his speeches and the hopes for the gangs and their representation? The introduction to the various groups, their clothes and make-up as means of identification? The atmosphere of the rally, the unity? The visual impact of the opening?

7. The significance of Cyrus' speech, his power, his revolutionary attitudes, his fanaticism? His large following? The repercussions of his speech throughout the night and the gangs and their presentation as comment on his outline of power? Cyrus as a fascist leader?

8. The presentation of the assassination, its sudden violence, the identification of the killer, his madness and motives? The creation of confusion, the apportioning of blame, the Warriors becoming victims? The repercussions for each of the members of the gang, for the gang itself? The need to escape, move through hostile territories, return home? The build-up of tension and suspense?

9. The issue of territories within the city of New York, the apportioning of territories, the way these were policed and ruled, laws and rights amongst the gang? The film's presentation of the codes of the gangs and their inner coherence? Their imposition on others?

10. The presentation of the various gangs - in detail, the visual effect, the patternings of the groups, their variety of weapons, the places where they fought, their tactics?

11. The presentation of the Warriors themselves: the indicating of the various individuals with their personalities, the leader and his death? Cleon as leader, his death? The emergence of Swan as leader? His decision to lead the Warriors back to Coney Island? The bonds between the men - Swan as war chief, quiet, tactician? Rembrandt, artist, quick-witted and emotional; Cochise as a fighter; The Fox as small, moving silently; Cowboy and his stetson, quick; Snowball like the Massai warrior; Ajax and his being cantankerous, rebellious and cruel? Vermin and his complaining? Their particular skills, their reaction to the death of Cleon, their tactics and strategies in moving from the park to the subway, dividing to survive? The encounters with the various gangs? What happened to them on the way home? Challenge, change? Audience interest in them, sympathies? Tough, yet their human qualities? Becoming victims? Their ability to cope, their hopes? The encounters with the police?

12. The presentation of the various gangs and the clashes with the warriors on the way home: the Gramercy Riffs? Their vengeance after the death of Cyrus? The Rogues, the Turnbull A.C.s, the Orphans, the Baseball Furies. the Punks? The importance of the Lizzies as a women's gang?

13. Mercy and her arrival on the scene, taunting the warriors, attracted, following them? The hot night and the sensuality of Mercy? Her help, enduring the dangers with Swan and the Warriors?

14. The importance of the radio, the highlighting of the voice and the mouth, the various reports on the progress of the Warriors. the incitement to pursuit? The change of tone when the truth was revealed and the praise of the Warriors at the end?

15. The Riffs and their being a group, supporting Cyrus, their vengeance after his death? The contrast with the Rogues and their cruelty? Luther and his madness?

16. The karate group and their numbers, discipline and ritual? Their intervention and the final confrontation?

17. How dramatically successful were the sequences of the strategy with the subway stations, the trains., covering distance, running? The encounters with the various people including the police? The dance couples and their presence on the train?

18. The Lizzies and their luring the Warriors to their bar, the fight and the clash?

19. The arrival, the dawning of a new day, the atmosphere of the beach and the water. arrival at the sea? The fulfilment of hopes? The confrontation with Luther?

20. The showdown on the beach - the Warriors after their successful survival, the karate group and their presence, Luther and his whining? The truth, the battle? The Warriors as victors?

21. Swan as hero, his leading his group to survival, Mercy and her presence at the end? Swan as a realistic character, as a symbol?

22. The screenplay was based on Greek history. Xenophen and his retreat with the Greek mercenaries and their need to get to the sea? How interesting was the parallel of the New York gangs with the Greek mercenaries? Their cause., being trapped, fighting and strategy, the return to safety, coping, the Greek soldiers and their cry of 'The sea' and the screenplay's use of the return to Coney Island? The validity of using Greek mythology for modern gangs? The public's view of the gangs and their violence, their presence in the cities, their menace? What standards should the gangs be judged by? The difference between the Warriors and the other gangs or not? An exploitation of the them or the use of stylised conventions for insight into the modern cities and their violence?