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The Wanderers (1979)
Director: Philip Kaufman
Writers: Richard Price (novel), Rose Kaufman (screenplay)
Cast: Ken Wahl, Karen Allen, John Friedrich, Toni Kalem
Genre: Drama
Director Philip Kaufman probably best known for his stylish horror sci-fi flick, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and for writing the smash hit Indiana Jones movies, gave us his own unique version of teenage gangs, circa 1963 New York, in the film The Wanderers.
The Wanderers is part coming of age, as we watch the teenage gang members go about their business of hanging out, fighting with other gangs and trying to score with the girls...It's also part surrealism with the Bowling Godfathers five older men all brothers who rule the local bowling alley and would seem to be at home in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. It's even got some pseudo horror in it with the zombie like Ducky Boys gang. This films got it all, but don't think it couldn't make up it's mind as to what kind of film it wanted to be. I'd say it's purposely broad and unique and that makes it a cult classic.
There's oodles of unique characters and multiple themes running through this urban jungle tale. The gang known as the Baldies were pretty wild! Look at how big the head Baldie 'Terror' is compared to his girlfriend Pee Wee. Yikes! The bridge scene has to be seen to be believed! Ouch!
Writers: Richard Price (novel), Rose Kaufman (screenplay)
Cast: Ken Wahl, Karen Allen, John Friedrich, Toni Kalem
Genre: Drama
Director Philip Kaufman probably best known for his stylish horror sci-fi flick, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and for writing the smash hit Indiana Jones movies, gave us his own unique version of teenage gangs, circa 1963 New York, in the film The Wanderers.
The Wanderers is part coming of age, as we watch the teenage gang members go about their business of hanging out, fighting with other gangs and trying to score with the girls...It's also part surrealism with the Bowling Godfathers five older men all brothers who rule the local bowling alley and would seem to be at home in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. It's even got some pseudo horror in it with the zombie like Ducky Boys gang. This films got it all, but don't think it couldn't make up it's mind as to what kind of film it wanted to be. I'd say it's purposely broad and unique and that makes it a cult classic.
There's oodles of unique characters and multiple themes running through this urban jungle tale. The gang known as the Baldies were pretty wild! Look at how big the head Baldie 'Terror' is compared to his girlfriend Pee Wee. Yikes! The bridge scene has to be seen to be believed! Ouch!
Each scene in the movie is like it's own mini-movie and tells a complete story in just the time that the scene takes to be done. The party scene had lots going on downstairs and upstairs too...
I really liked the entire cast and thought all the actors brought a unique personality to the film. The director found some of the actors as unknowns which adds to the indie feel of the movie. The only name I'm familiar with is Karen Allen who would later star in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The Wanders is a cross between Pulp Fiction, The Warriors and The Big Lebowski...so how can you go wrong. And the soundtrack of late 50s & early 60s rock n roll music propels the movie along with the classic rock songs being an intricate part of the movie.
But what impressed me most was the end of an era feeling as the carefree days of the early 1960s give away to the assassination of JFK....the teenage Wanderers move into adult hood as the music style changes and we see a silhouetted Bob Dylan singing The Time They Are a Changin'...Indeed they would be changing, as the carefree days of the early 60s would give rise to the Vietnam war and social unrest.
There's much more here than meets the eye.
I really liked the entire cast and thought all the actors brought a unique personality to the film. The director found some of the actors as unknowns which adds to the indie feel of the movie. The only name I'm familiar with is Karen Allen who would later star in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The Wanders is a cross between Pulp Fiction, The Warriors and The Big Lebowski...so how can you go wrong. And the soundtrack of late 50s & early 60s rock n roll music propels the movie along with the classic rock songs being an intricate part of the movie.
But what impressed me most was the end of an era feeling as the carefree days of the early 1960s give away to the assassination of JFK....the teenage Wanderers move into adult hood as the music style changes and we see a silhouetted Bob Dylan singing The Time They Are a Changin'...Indeed they would be changing, as the carefree days of the early 60s would give rise to the Vietnam war and social unrest.
There's much more here than meets the eye.