Gangs of New York

The Warriors (Opening Credits/Intro)

Walter Hill, 1979

Robert Wise helmed The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and The Haunting (1963); two films more than worthy of "classic" status for your host. Sadly, he also gave us West Side Story (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965). The former irked the novelist Sol Yurick so much, it resulted in him writing his book The Warriors in response.

Walter Hill's adaptation of The Warriors (1979) really deserves a more dedicated review in the forseeable future. In any case, here are some thoughts on what's arguably one of the greatest seventies film intros alongside Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977) and Halloween (1978). 

What I love about the opening credits is how it sets up the goal for the film's characters, the rivalry of its gangs, including the power struggle between Warriors members Swan (Michael Beck) and Ajax (James Remar) and the potential dangers involved in attending self styled Martin Luther King, gang leader Cyrus's sermon. This is all perfectly accompanied by Barry De Vorzon's killer soundtrack.

Big fan of all the various gangs from the film, even if some of them look down right ridiculous like the Marcel Marceau inspired street thugs the Hi-Hats. Personal fave dressed gang not named Baseball Furies is the all asian collective known as the Savage Huns. Despite them only appearing in the opening intro, their all green clobber reminds me of Sandy from the TV series Monkey (1978 - 1980) and the rebel commandos from Return of the Jedi (1983), which probably molded my taste in military green apparel and camo wear at an early age.