In the celluloid incarnation, Coney Island stands in for the Black Sea, and the Warriors are chased by gangs that include apparent mimes (in whiteface, suspenders and black caps, no less) and other over-the-top creations, including the Baseball Furies, a group decked out in pinstripes, stirrups and blueface and wielding Louisville Sluggers the way Luke Skywalker swings a lightsaber.

When he is killed, THE WARRIORS are falsely blamed and now must fight their way home while every other gang is hunting them down to kill them. The Warriors are mistakenly fingered for the killing of a gang leader. In 1979 a charismatic leader summons the street gangs of New York City in a bid to take it over. Hill's inspiration, as he told The Chronicle last year on the occasion of a retrospective of his work at UC Berkeley's Pacific Film Archive, 'came from Greek history: the story of Xenophon and the march of 10,000 (mercenary soldiers) to the Black Sea.' A turf battle between New York City street gangs that rages from Coney Island to the Bronx. There are Web sites devoted to the film (most notably the British site Lehan said it is annually among the top five draws at the Red Vic. While '48 Hrs.' was Hill's biggest box-office hit, it's 'The Warriors' that has held a special place in moviegoers' hearts. a Coney Island gang called the Warriors is wrongly blamed for Cyrus death. What to make of this enduring piece of pop culture? It was Hill's third film during an incredible start to his career, which included 'Hard Times' (1975) with Charles Bronson and James Coburn as bare-knuckled boxers 'The Driver' (1978) with Ryan O'Neal as a getaway driver the 1980 Western 'The Long Riders' the Louisiana-set Vietnam allegory 'Southern Comfort' (1981) and, of course, the San Francisco-shot '48 Hrs.' (1982). Mid-run movies, independent films, and local film festivals will all have a. 'We have a poster out and I see young kids looking at it and saying, ' 'The Warriors' is playing.' I think younger people are still discovering it.' 'It's a good summer film, it still packs 'em in,' said Red Vic collective member Claudia Lehan.

Warriors movie 1979 full movie