The Wanderers [DVD]

When I saw the Wanderers on cable (or maybe a VHS rental) in the early 1980s I was sure Phillip Kaufman had directed The Wanderers before his great remake of Invasion Of the Body Snatchers. It just seemed like the Wanderers was a smaller movie where I was seeing the inspiration/precursor to the ‘spooky’ pod people ‘atmosphere’—chasing after the humans in the streets of San Francisco—in the crazy Ducky Boys gang stalking it’s victims not from their Bronx area borough.But, Invasion of The Body Snatchers was made before The Wanderers. Either way, both movies are well made with Michael Chapman adding the effective atmospheric camera work for The Wanderers.Kino Lorber has done another good job restoring (also 40’s film noirs The Chase and The Scar) The Wanderers adding two different commentaries, as well as video of author Richard Price revisiting the Bronx neighborhood where he grew up that inspired his Wanderers novel published in 1974 (he was just 23 when published).The 27 minute video is better than the 16 minute Q&A of cast members Karen Allen, Toni Kalem, Tony Ganios (Also was ‘Meat’ in Porky’s), at the NY Film Forum.The 118 minute Theatrical version adds commentary by screen writer, Director Phillip Kauffman (who directed one of my all time favorite movies, The Right Stuff) while the 124 minute Preview cut has commentary by film historian Annette Insdorf.The longer version seems to leave absolutely no doubt of the sexual orientation of one of the Wanderers.The Wanderers has developed a larger following over the years for good reason. This is not just a sex comedy about a gang of kids from the streets of New ‘Yawk’. The Wanderers deals with racism, parental abuse, alcoholism, and in general, the fear of growing up.Ken Wahl and John Friedrich (who quit acting to teach and raise his family) are the main Wanderer stars of the movie. Toni Kalem gives probably the best performance in the movie as the Italian girlfriend to Wahl. Friedrich portrays Joey and his part seems to get more important as movie progresses.Honestly, I don’t think Ken Wahl was ever much of an actor.Karen Allen is a co-star in this one just on the heels of Animal House. To be blunt she is not sexy enough to be such an object of lustful obsession.Anyways, this movie is well made—despite my acting/casting critiques—and has a cinematic importance existing along the lines of other movies of this genre like the more famed American Graffiti as well as another New York themed gang movie with a cult following The Lords of Flatbush.The Wanderers 4.5 stars.Again, Kino Lorber (2017) does a very good job of Restoration.

Remembered watching this movie with my brother back in the day. Got this for him as a birthday present.

Good coming of age movie from NY back in the 50’s or 60’s.

A movie set in the early '60's with everything that applies - the assasination of JFK, the shadow of Vietnam, the evolving Civil Rights movement, the great exodis to the West Coast, and the coming-of-age and breaking up of old ties in the face of high school graduation or dropping-out. I have not read the book by Richard Price and I don't know why he decided to set it in the time period that he has unless it's to use the Kennedy thing as symbolic of the passing of innocence (as if it hasn't been overused as such already).Basically it's the story of several working class ethnic teenage gangs and one in particular, the Italian-based Wanderers, lead by the charismatic and generaly level-headed Ritchie (Ken Wahl, WISEGUY). Their nearest competitors for control of turf are the Baldies, led by a huge, seemingly good-natured monstrosity called Terror (Erland van Lidth de Jeude) and his tiny-but-tough girlfriend Peewee (Linda Manz, DAYS OF HEAVEN) Other gangs include the Asian Wongs and the Black Del bombers (The DB's). But all these groups fade into insignificance in the face of the large and vicious Ducky Boys, a silly name for a malevolent, almost demonic gang that seems to perpetually carry its own fog and avant-garde music along with it.A different threat to Ritchie's world comes in the person of Nina (Karen Allen), an independent spirit who comes from a far greater world than the Bronx. She has greater intellectual interests, such as playing classical music on her car radio, listening to Bob Dylan singing "Blowin' In The Wind", and reading "Lady Chaterley's Lover" for its literary merits while guessing rightly that Ritchie has read it for the dirty parts. All of this is far removed from the world Ritchie knows, but Ritchie is drawn to her because he senses she is part of a different world, largely because she is not as shallow as his other friends are, like his regular girlfriend Despie (Toni Kalem).This is a wonderfully funny movie with snappy dialogue, a few good one-liners (Terror: "Now, there you go again: hurtin' our feelin's.") and numerous awkward situations for our heroes. Gang violence as we know it is fairly minimul. There are a few tragic undertones such as when one Wanderers' member, Turkey, decides he now wants to join the Baldies (This makes him an outsider who is later killed by the Ducky Boys). Richtie encounters a group of people watching the JFK assasination in a TV store and crying. But some of the funny moments include an encounter between Ritchie and his pal Joey and the Baldies (I won't tell what that eventually involved), how a few Mob bosses cool down some uncooperative gang members in a bowling alley, and the Baldies getting drunk and winding up enlisting in the Marines (Even this has its tragic undertones: Vietnam is just on the horizon). Things climax when a football game between the Wanderers and the DBs is interrupted by a mass invasion of the Ducky Boys and all gangs bury their differences, beat back the invaders and later reunite at a party to mark Ritchie's upcoming marriage to Despie.I place this film among those that I will watch when I'm just absolutely stuck as to what I want to see on the tube.Don't forget to listen in on director Philip Kaufman's commentary track, which is entertaining as well as informative.

Great dvd

The Wanderers easily has to be one of the best gang movies ever. For a start it’s partly based in fact and if that’s not enough,it’s also an adaptation of one hell of a novel.The movie itself centres around the titular gang and is a slice of teenage life in the Bronx in 1963. We have the pleasure of seeing their everyday lives,loves,lose and of course gang life.Many gangs are depicted but one in particular “The Ducky Boys” (a truly feared and real gang) are The Wanderers toughest rivals.The movie builds up to a mass fight that really delivers.When i say it’s a must watch,i mean a must watch...especially the “Preview Cut”...that’s the version i highly recommend.10/10,5/5,A+ all the way!

This is possibly one of the most underrated "gang" movies you will ever see. With its mix of humour, rites of passage and easy to follow storyline it basically tells tells the tale of the end of the rock n' roll era and the Bronx street gangs through the eyes of Richie the leader of the Italian American street gang The Wanderers. With some truly memorable set scenes and amazing music soundtrack from Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons, Dion & many others if you're a fan of this movie genre then grab a copy and thoroughly enjoy

I watched this when it first came out in the 80's, but have been unable to get a copy.I obtained this and it is still a an entertaining film albeit in some parts, the effects do look dated. But this film still has s great story, great music and a nostalgic feel to it.Certainly if you enjoyed the Jersey Boys, then you will certainly enjoy the WanderersThe story centres around an American Italian gang called the Wanderers in 60's New York, who attend high school where there are many other rival gangs, but all the gangs fear a gang who hang out in a seedy part of New YorkBaldies who are a skimhead gang.It culminates in an American football game which is hijacked resulting in a pitched fight.Contains violence, swearing and mild nudity

I remember watching it when I was 18years old, I'm now 58, I love the 60's music and the antics they all got caught doing, it's one era that I'd love to have been born in, it really is an easy/comical/fun loving/plus some sad bits too, like the film Grease that I watched when I was 13 years old, so I could relate to it, just brilliant

a classic movie great to see it in HD on the picture very good quality a bit grainy in certain frames but 5 stars made in 1979 on the audio absolutely glorious in both mono and 5.1 my preference is the original mono also 5 stars as stated this was made in 1979 .this review is for the German edition no annoying immovable subtitles all in all just short of 2 hours perfect bliss