Waaariorrrrs… Come out to playeeeaaayyy! in HDeeee! What else needs to be said?

Synopsis

The Warriors has arrived on HD-DVD. For the uninitiated, The Warriors is a film from 1979 that caused controversy because of gang depiction and violence. Looking back, we now see that The Warriors is about a bunch of grown men in various goofy makeup and attire running around looking “bad” (in the Michael Jackson sense of the term) and just trying to make peace in the streets. It is …o silly, yet I love it so much.

The soapbox gang prophet Cyrus has called all the different gimmick/fetish gangs to New York to put a stop to the gang wars. Gangs come from out of the woodwork in attire that makes a Star Trek convention look like high fashion. During his high profile peace talk, Cyrus is killed, the gangs go wild, and violence ensues. Unfortunately for them, the Warriors are pointed out incorrectly as those responsible for Cyrus’ death. So most of the movie follows the Warriors on their trek back to Coney Island as multiple gangs try to hunt them down for the murder.

The director’s cut presented here is the same we received on SD in 2003. The additions to the original film are transitions between scenes which give it a comic book feel, like comic pages turning, asserting that it was never meant to be anything more. Because the material here is so dated to the late 70s, it probably presents better to a modern audience with these additions though they seem mostly unnecessary.

Like I said before, I love this film. I love the cheesy costumes and over-the-top chase scenes. While it doesn’t hold the same meaning it *maybe* held in 1979, it has become more. With a soundtrack and recent video game available, the film now moves into high definition courtesy of Paramount.

Video

The Warriors looks fantastic. Period. The movie’s almost 30 years old, and this presentation is much better than many of the catalog releases we’ve seen from much newer films. Just goes to show how a re-mastered print via a 1080p AVC goes a long way. Best picture this film is likely destined to get.

Audio

Why Paramount pushes the Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 but no lossless track is still a mystery to me. But the track is still pretty good. Dialog is clear, bass is decent but not overpowering. The sound is clean, but mostly front heavy. Overall OK just not a great mix.

Special Features

The special features are carried over from the SD release. We still have no commentary, but have a 4 part feature including The Beginning, The Battleground, The Way Home, and The Phenomenon. It’s a solid documentary with a lot of interesting interviews and facts presented by many of the people involved in the production. I highly enjoyed it, and I recommend fans take the time to watch.

Final Thoughts

The Warriors. It’s cheesy, it’s dated, but it’s still as fun as ever. This HD-DVD presentation gets a thumbs up. Fans should not hesitate to pick this up if you haven’t already!!! Anyone else, if you like the idea of guys with baseball uniforms fighting guys with roller-skates, it’s a blind buy.

Special Features List

• The Beginning
• The Battleground
• The Way Home
• The Phenomenon