Suggestion: The Warriors

[macshordo 112]

Can you dig it? Walter Hill's made some quality films but this is arguably his most famous. I still really enjoy the film but I think there's a bit to discuss with this one in terms of age, sexism (similar to the arguments of Everybody Wants Some!! I imagine) and why anyone thinks it's a good idea to put a butchered Director's Cut as the films only high definition source.

[Muthsarah 124]

Devin, Amy:

 

PLEASE consider picking more cult films like "The Warriors". I've mentioned it before, but my agenda here is to try to promote the borderline films, the ones that MAYBE could be Canon-worthy and MAYBE could not. I want debate. I want doubt.

 

This film...not a slam-dunk by any means. It's a good film, but not an AFI whatevers. It's fairly influential on the 80s genre, style-wise, but not an obvious ur-genre-setter like "Double Indemnity". It's not a film that is, by any means, a clear first-ballot Canon choice.

 

But I really, really like it. Even if you wanna dismiss this post at 100% subjective (which it is), I just gotta say: I'm usually biased AGAINST a film. As big as it is. As much as people assume a film is a Great Film. However many awards it won. I gotta be CONVINCED a film deserves to get in, obviously, or else I'll play the gatekeeper and deny it entry, even if I acknowledge it as a really, really well-made film. That's how I felt towards "The Lost Weekend" this week.

 

Towards "The Warriors"....I feel inextricably biased in the other direction. I adore it. It's...not by any means a "great film", but it's really good one. And it's a very enjoyable watch. It's beautiful to look at. It (I assume) captures a time and a feel (based off of what I've heard from people older than myself). Most of all, it's just damn interesting and unique, and in a way that I think (might) well capture an era in American cinema, somewhere between New Hollywood and 1980s glossy-but-gritty studio genre flicks.

 

I think it'd make for a fascinating conversation. Do I think it'd get in? I have absolutely no idea. I don't even know how I'd vote. It's THAT up-in-the-air. And that quality, more than anything, makes it seem so incredibly interesting as an episode topic.

 

You've done Cannibal Holocaust, as an example of extreme genre cinema. You can handle The Warriors, easily, as it's practically a PG-13 film. An early-80s punk trek "up-country" to Coney Island is both surreally artsy and superficially fun. I think it would have a very wide appeal, especially if there were easy streaming options for the newbies. Since I assume it's not exactly a film everyone has seen. But the idea of so many cinephiles viewing this film for the first time....just feels....so fun. It's a trip, in a sense. But not in the crazy, hyper-kinetic way of today. It's very 70s. Really, one of the last gasps of 70s filmmaking styles, with 1980s aesthetics. To me, such a premise sells itself. Hopefully, such a Canon episode could sell many others as well.

 

Here, I am bias too.

[thejlar 8]

I came here to suggest this film as well, but mostly because I think it's trash: fun to watch once, but also horribly misogynistic and incredibly hollow. I would love to hear Amy and Devin debate this one. I feel like I can predict where Amy comes down on it (against), but I don't really know what Devin would say. I imagine he'd be against it, and, if so, I want to hear him tear it down. If he's for it, it could make for a compelling argument.

[JormpJomp 1]

Great flick!