Starring: Michael Beck (Swan), James Remar (Ajax), Dorsey Wright (Cleon), Brian Tyler (Snow), David Harris (Cochise), Tom McKitterick (Cowboy), Terry Michos (Vermin), Marcelino Sanchez (Rembrandt), Deborah Van Valkenburgh (Mercy), Roger Hill (Cyrus), David Patrick Kelly (Luther), Lynne Thigpen (DJ).

            Directed by Walter Hill, The Warriors is the story of a group of Brooklyn gang members desperately trying to get home, after being framed for the murder of a prominent gang leader in the Bronx. They are outnumbered in enemy territories. Can they make it home or become another bunch of fatalities to the streets.

The film earned 3.5 million on its opening weekend. However, there were some incidents of violence following screenings prompting advertising to halt on radio,  television and the press. Two hundred theaters beefed up security and others just stopped screenings all together after being relieved of any contractual obligations by the studio. Some film critics weren’t really buying into The Warriors. Roger Ebert gave the film two out of four stars in his review for the Chicago Sun Times, “No matter what impression the ads give, this isn’t even remotely intended as an action film. It’s a set piece. It’s a ballet of stylized male violence.” As well, critics from The Washington Post, Newsweek, and Time magazine were among others that gave the film poor reactions. Critics who did enjoy the film included Pauline Kael of The New Yorker who wrote, “The Warriors is a real moviemaker’s movie: it has in visual terms the kind of impact that ‘Rock Around the Clock’ did behind the titles of Blackboard Jungle. The Warriors is like visual rock”. President Reagan even had screenings in Camp David. After a few weeks of no violence, the studio decided to revamp the marketing ad campaign and in its sixth week, The Warriors had grossed $16.4 million, well above its estimated $4 million to $7 million budget making it a profitable success for the studio. But do ticket sales earn you cult classic status?

The passage of time and home video releases and current DVD & Blu-Ray sales have reconfirmed that fans make films cult classics; not directors or actors. In 2015, The Warriors has a Rotten Tomato rating on 94% and is praised by the young and old; an action packed, thriller detailing the violence of 1970’s NYC and the local gangs of the period. At least that’s what they tell you, especially New Yorkers.

Truth is – it’s a very entertaining movie with some quotable lines. Yes it’s stylized and well shot; the action scenes were great (for their time); it was gritty and showcased young anti-heroes. But, so what, it doesn’t make this a believable piece. Why? Well that’s because nostalgia can hype anything up bigger than its normal size… right ladies? The fanboy/man will tell you how amazing the movie is and tell you how his youth was just like that, almost making The Warriors seem more documentary than film. They will bring up memories and neighborhood history and link it to the film, shining a big spotlight on themselves and their golden era. The truth is – The Warriors is more The Avengers than Mean Streets.

First off, let’s start with the Warriors themselves: a ragtag group of less than fifteen members at the most and all handsome enough to grace the cover of subway advert or guest star on Welcome Back Kotter. At the helm is Swan the leader with the perfect hair forever throughout the film. As well his second in command Cochise and his titanium afro that stays on point and stylin’ no matter what. Then there’s Ajax of course with the feathered mane of anti-social behavior. Each member was his own island of cool, perfectly casted to steal the hearts of female audience members. It’s amazing no one has taken their turf yet. I guess they are that good if not the best.

The film begins deep in the Bronx where a massive meeting of all the NYC gangs is taking place at the behest of the enigmCyrus, a VO5 permed huckster in a bathrobe that wishes to unite the gangs under his guidance and seize full control of the city. They’ll take down the cops and ultimately run the streets, “Can you dig it?”… No. No. Allow me to raise my hand here and ask the pimp with no last name some questions. How in the hell was this going to work? Fact #1: This was NYC during the 1970s before cellphone cameras and hotlines and police pretty much had full freedom to give you the wooden shampoo (beating with batons) as they wished, if not worse. Now even if the gangs were able to go up against the cops, they would lose. Example – when Mr. Can You Dig It gets killed [spoiler] did you see the cops having trouble arresting anyone? I didn’t think so. Fact #2: Cyrus never really mentioned the Mafia or the Chinatown gangs or Tongs in his speech. Were they supposed to bend the knee to the runts? How about the Hell’s Angels chapter in the Lower East Side, were they going to join in? No, they wouldn’t; the gangs would ruin their way of living. The gangs would have to take on organized crime on multiple fronts as well the police. And let’s say they succeeded and took over the city. They would have to deal with martial law and possibly military when this hypothetical crime wave becomes a national emergency.

Next question – Why are The Rogues the only gang that actually acts like a gang? They are the only one with one revolver.

Cyrus. He gets shot. Cyrus is dead. Who shot him? The Warriors! How do you know? Well, the guy who was shooting a gun in the midst of like 30 gangs told me The Warriors killed Cyrus. But the Warriors aren’t shooting anyone else. Hey, I’ve never met dude before but, I trust the only guy at the meeting with a smoking gun. Spread the word… These gang members are stupid.

Now our heroes must find a way to get back to Coney Island. They take the subway? Why has no one ever pointed out the fact that The Warriors are supposedly the best of the best of gangs yet; nobody knows how to steal a car and jump on the highway down to the BQE and back home in no time? Hell they have one member who just purchased his first spray paint and takes forever tagging a W on a tombstone.

Without dragging this out here is a summary of other things: The Furies stunk as a crew; they got jacked up by their own bats. The Orphans looked like a troupe of homeless former child actors. The Lizzies were not only hot but, the only game that came close to merc’ing a few of our heroes; too bad the sensitive Warrior ruined the ambush. Mercy was a ratchet Uptown chick that the Warriors kidnapped and she was fine with it; was even willing to have sex in a subway tunnel to Swans disgust; ends up hooking up and wanting to go somewhere else, with her kidnapper. Ajax is a loud mouthed aggressive alpha male, he’s also a rapist; he gets arrested trying to sexually assault Caitlyn Jenner on a park bench halfway into the film.

How was the radio station DJ relaying information that fast? Walkie-talkies don’t have that kind of distance. Unless the crews knew the number to dial on the pay phones to spread the word. If that’s the case, how come the Warriors don’t know about this radio station?

The Riffs were exactly what everybody in the 70’s wanted to be after seeing Bruce Lee. Hell maybe Bruce Leeroy from The Last Dragon is the son of one of the Riffs. Daddy Green was a Riff?

The Climax is the best part. Luther’s Smith & Wesson against Swan and his… switchblade. As our gang of heroes confront The Rogues about their deception, Luther explains to them that he just likes doing those things. He takes aim and fires dead center at Swan standing in front of two Warriors. But apparently Swan has the agility of a cat as he is able to dodge the bullet and throw his switchblade, Shinobi style, into Luther’s hand; obviously splitting the bullet in two because, no Warrior was hit by the revolver round… Swan did this while standing in sand.

Luther cries in pain and is taken away with his Rogues by The Riffs who took forever to learn the truth and obviously drove to Coney Island. The Riff leader praises The Warriors as “Good” and Swan replies, “The Best”. Our movie ends and Joe Walsh sings us out into the sunrise.

– It’s only a movie and an entertaining movie. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, walk away. If you want to see how the actual gangs were in NYC then go watch the documentary “80 Blocks from Tiffany’s” (1979) on youtube. Other than that, this has been an objective retrospective of Walter Hill’s cult classic The Warriors. Stay cool, stay fresh and keep your fingers on the Rewind button.

After being rejected by all of the networks, David Lloyd (writer on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi and Cheers) was approached by Showtime to air his pilot as a series on their new pay for cable network. The premise of a working class family coming to terms and coming together after a sibling comes out of the closet was just the sort of daring television that Showtime was looking for.

It premiered the summer of 1984 and lasted five years. It was the first situational comedy series ever on cable TV; starring: Robert Walden, Paul Regina, Brandon Maggart, Philips Charles Mackenzie, Hallie Todd, and Robin Riker.

The official synopsis of BROTHERS is: Set in south Philadelphia, Brothers centered around the lives and relationships of the Waters brothers; oldest brother Lou (Brandon Maggart), a somewhat uncouth, but well-meaning construction foreman, middle brother Joe (Robert Walden), a retired placekicker for the Philadelphia Eagles and owner of a sports bar called The Point After, and the youngest brother, Cliff (Paul Regina), an aspiring chef.

In the premiere episode, Cliff shocks his family when he runs away from the altar on his wedding day. Instead of getting married, Cliff reveals to his family that he is gay.

The series would go on to deal with issues of sexual identity, love, dating, discrimination, stereotypes exc. But overall it was about people navigating personal relationships.

The series was nominated for numerous Cable ACE awards during its 115 episode run. The only win belonging to Philip Charles Mackenzie for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

Now go on and enjoy the video link below and binge watch the other episodes while they are still there; you can find each season on playlists created by fans on youtube. So stay classy, stay retro and keep your manicured fingers on that rewind button.

Video for season 1 playlist Link :   Brothers – Season 1 (Showtime):

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCDE606E94D5B981A

The first person that came to mind was Taylor Negron.

Born August 1st, 1957 to Puerto Rican parents and raised in California. Taylor was an actor, comedian, painter and playwright. Best known for his roles in Easy Money, The Last Boy Scout, Nothing But Trouble, Better Off Dead, Punchline, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, River’s Edge and more. His television appearances include  Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, Reno 9-11.

In 2008, he wrote “Unbearable Lightness of Being Taylor Negron” as well his essays were published in the anthology “Dirty Laundry” and more. He was a member of the “Uncabaret”.

Unfortunately Taylor died from lung cancer at the age of 57. He was with close friends and family during his final moments.

 Clip – The Moth Presents Taylor Negron: California Gothic: 

Fisher Stevens  –

 Born November 27, 1963. Known for his film roles as Eugene “The Plague” Belford (Hackers), Hawk Ganz (Flamingo Kid),  Ben Jabituya/Jahveri (Short Circuit); Television: Frasier, Lost and LAW & ORDER. His best known roles on Broadway include: Jigger Craigin in the 1994 Lincoln Center revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. He had an early success in the 1982 Broadway production of Torch Song Trilogy playing David, the adopted son of the gay protagonist played by the show’s writer Harvey Fierstein, and the original Broadway production of Brighton Beach Memoirs, where he succeeded Matthew Broderick in the starring role of Eugene. Throughout his career, he has acted in and directed more than 50 stage productions.

Fisher has had more than three decades in theater. He co-founded Naked Angels Theater Company in 1986. Co-founded New Media/Documentary Co. in 1996. In June 2010, Stevens made his major theatrical directing debut with John Leguizamo’s one-man show, Ghetto Klown (originally called Klass Klown), which eventually ran on Broadway from March to July 2011. The two had appeared together in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Public Theater about 20 years earlier. On July 13, 2012, PBS debuted Tales From a Ghetto Klown, a documentary about the development of the show which prominently features Stevens.

In 2010, Stevens won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for co-producing The Cove.

Dean Cameron – 

Born Dean Eikleberry on December 25, 1962, in Morrison, Illinois. Best known roles: Summer School(1987) and Ski School (1991). Dean has starred in some short-lived television series like Spencer (1984), Fast Times (1986, a spinoff of the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High), They Came from Outer Space (1990), and Mister Sterling (2003).

He tours with a two person show entitled “The Nigerian Spam Scam Scam” with Victor Isaac; read from Dean’s correspondence with a Nigerian 419 scammer. He’s performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival in 2004 and 2005; “Just for Laughs Fest” and “Upright Citizens Brigade” 2005.

Dean also directed a video for Steel Panther and co-wrote a song for them. He also co-wrote the independent film “Hollywood Palms” and and directed a short film, Glutton Falls and directed/choreographed “Bukowsical”, a sell-out late night musical theater parody at the Sacred Fools Theater Company in Los Angeles, California.

Phoebe Cates –

Born Phoebe Belle Cates; July 16, 1963. Best known roles: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Gremlins, Private School, Date with an Angel, Bright Lights Big City, Drop Dead Fred, The Anniversary Party.

Retired from acting in 1994 to raise her children with husband and actor Kevin Kline. She briefly returned to acting as a favor to friend Jennifer Jason Leigh in her directorial debut “The Anniversary Party”.

In 2005, Cates opened her own boutique called “Blue Tree”. A downtown style vintage and thrift shop on Madison Avenue. 

In Film:

Fun fact: I love Loretta Lynn. Really old country might be as far removed synthwave as possible, but I eat that stuff up. March of 1980 gave us the Loretta Lynn biopic Coal Miner’s Daughter starring Sissy Spacek. The film was a huge success that garnered a tremendous amount of critical praise. If you aren’t familiar with Lynn’s music, I strongly encourage you to check out “Fist City”, a song that was banned from radio at the time of its release due to the violence of the lyrics. That’s right, the country song had lyrics deemed too violent for people to hear.

Speaking of Danny Elfman, Forbidden Zone was also released this month. While Danny Elfman is most well known today for his compositions and film scores, he was formerly a member of The Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo. The film, which is based on the band’s performances, marks the band’s transition from the earlier baroque/cabaret recordings to their new wave sound.

In Music:

Patti Smith and the MC5 each released one of my all time favorite albums with Horses and Kick Out the Jams. The punk powercouple of Patti Smith and MC5 guitarist Fred Smith got married in March of 1980. Unlike a lot of celebrity / musician relationships, they lasted until Fred Smith’s untimely death in 1994. Interestingly enough, their son is married to Meg White, formerly of the White Stripes.

In Literature:

As a slight change from the typical focus on traditional books, this month I am going to focus on comic book history exclusively. I will be mixing the two in the future. Spider-Man teams up with the Punisher and later prevents him from murdering a drug dealer in Amazing Spider-Man #202. Things got a little more intense over in the DC Universe in Batman Vol. 1 #321. The Joker celebrated his birthday by kidnapping Robin, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, and Catwoman and creating what he calls the “Victim-Go-Round”. It is all of a sudden hitting me why there needs to be a future article on retro comics. Anyway, the caped crusader ends up saving his friends (of course). The issue is also notable for being the first instance of what would become a recurring Joker motif of a “Bang” flag coming out of a gun, only to be followed an actual gunshot. That sounds convoluted; just look at the picture.

In Television:

In 1977 the world was treated to the television film My Mom’s Having a Baby. Three years later, in March of 1980, the world was given its sequel, a film with a title unrivaled since. I am talking about the television film Where Do Teenagers Come From? It actually received a good degree of criticism for depicting sex education during daytime programming hours. How scandalous.

In Sports:

On March 14, 1980 twenty-two members of the United States Olympic team died in a plane crash. Also, due to the conflict between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan, U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced a boycott of the Moscow Olympics.

You may have seen a few links of Scytron starting to pop up on our site and on our YouTube videos. Well we would now like to reveal to you guys what Scytron actually is!

Scytron is  a hub that will host the best in independent films/ documentaries and shorts that are influenced and inspired by the 80’s era and the growing Retrowave scene. We want to give film makers as much exposure and love as the musicians who contribute to making this scene so EPIC!!

We are still in process making the website for Scytron which should be ready soon. In the meantime we have launched the official YouTube page which is featuring an EPIC movie short called RAGE. A sci-fi/ action movie packed with an amazing soundtrack by many SOLID acts in the scene! RAGE is available for full streaming on the Scytron Youtube page! Check it out below!

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We will have some amazing movies to host for you guy to watch as well as amazing features once the site is done. All for FREE streaming. 

The EPIC Scytron logo was created by Blood+Chrome. His work is amazing. Make sure to check it out!

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