War In The Streets

"Can you count, suckers?" "Can...you...DIG IT?!!!" "Come out and play-ee-ay!" Even if you haven't seen the 1979 cult classic The Warriors or played the Rockstar videogame version, you've at least heard rehashes of its more quotable lines or seen any of countless tributes or parodies, from hip-hop references (Ol' Dirty...

By Jesse Hughey

April 23, 2009

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"Can you count, suckers?" "Can...you...DIG IT?!!!" "Come out and play-ee-ay!" Even if you haven't seen the 1979 cult classic The Warriors or played the Rockstar videogame version, you've at least heard rehashes of its more quotable lines or seen any of countless tributes or parodies, from hip-hop references (Ol' Dirty Bastard was a big fan) to the subway scene in Adventures in Babysitting. Just this month, The Simpsons tipped its hat to the movie when a baby bully menacingly clinks three glass bottles together on his fingers while trying to taunt Maggie into a fight. So what is it about this ridiculous teen-gang exploitation movie that is so beloved? It's certainly not the realism, as gangs are costumed in outlandish get-ups such as baseball uniforms, purple pimp-wear and mime get-ups, complete with makeup. Even less realistic is the gangs' racial integration. But that idealism, along with the Warriors' courageous defiance and the gritty urban NYC cool, still resonates 30 years later. So, of course, there will be a remake--by True Romance director Tony Scott, so it might not completely suck. Still, we recommend the original, which screens at midnight Friday and Saturday at The Inwood Theatre, 5458 W. Lovers Lane. Call 214-764-9106 or visit landmarktheatres.com.
Fri., April 24; Sat., April 25, 2009

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