Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

From my favorite movies..

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

I first saw the Wanderers at the drive in movies back in 79 or 80 and loved it enough to see it three more times before it eventually stopped showing as the feature or second movie{back then you got two movies to watch for the price of admission}.Haven't seen it for 36 years until I saw it for sale on E-bay {from the drive in movies to e bay} for the price of 7 bucks. I can't believe this movie isn't a classic in the industry of movie makers who seem to have a hard time making movies with heart or originality {see Chips and Starsky and Hutch remakes}. I didn't grow up in the Bronx but that movie made me feel like I was there in a more simpler time. The characters as camp as they seemed were real people that I could relate. The soundtrack music is good enough that kids today would say, I've heard that before. This movie draws you in and holds your interest until the final chilling scenes with humor tragedy and social commentary that seem to be saying the times they are a changing.

This was a good movie about growing up in The Bronx in 1963, where the country was going thru unfortunate events of 1963. The actor who did "Terror" was great & played an inmate in "Stir Crazy" and used his aide to let the inmates escape. The Ducky Boys were great and I wonder what they did when President Kennedy got shot? The Ducky Boys are a classic gang that I would keep a long distance from. I wonder if they respect strange black girls in vintage funeral cars, 1951-54 Packard Funeral Cars? I did like the Marine Recruiter because he reminds the spirit of B.B. Daniel a man who's estate was also on a corner & when his area becomes a building center. The Marine guys would say, "I got a way for all of you to stomp all the heads you want & make the world safe for democracy at the same time." And despite Turkey is in the group, they leave him behind & screaming for his departed buddies and crying out the name of "Terror" like he was some god-like being. It looked like no one saved Turkey from The Ducky Boys. In the book when they called in confession they would get 10 lashes with a car antenna & both the priest and the receiver bow to each and shakes hands because being part of The Ducky Boys, you take punishment as you dish it out. Poor Turkey and proved he made a bad choice in his life. Terror & Pee Wee reminds me of my grandfather & his second wife if they were their ages. Erland was a great, Terror. As for Alan Rosenberg he should got supporting Oscar as Turkey & yelling, "TERROR, BALDIES, WHERE ARE YOU? SAVE ME TERROR! I'M GOING TO BE KILLED BY THE DUCKY BOYS!" Alan showed us he's a good actor. Marcus Brainard

From the very beginning of Philip Kaufman's "The Wanderers", you're immediately transported in an orgasmic explosion of music into New York's Bronx borough of 1963. Just before the audience is introduced to some of the most original colorful characters in cinematic history, whose personal perceptions of the world are limited to the prism of their ethnocentric gang affiliations that rule their urban jungle environment. In contrast to George Lucas' semi-autobiographical movie 'American Graffiti', that re-created his young life filled with hot rods, cruising the main street and drag racing in a small California town in 62'. Philip Kaufman adaptation of Richard Price's semi-autobiographical novel 'The Wanderers' re-creates the atmosphere of the gritty street gang life of Bronx, NY in 1963. While George Lucas' American Graffiti enjoyed far more recognition and success than Philip Kaufman's 'The Wanderers' ever did. These two great independent films could serve as bookmarks to one another, with American Graffiti in 1973 being the main inspirational source that launched the whole 50's & 60's nostalgic retro entertainment for the rest of the 70's. While 79's 'The Wanderers' marks the end of the 50's nostalgia era. With one film about the lives of high school kids in 62' on the west coast, and the other about the daily lives of high school kids in 63' on the East coast. Both movies are similar in nostalgic form and independent style, but very different in tone and content. Because these two movies are so interconnected to one another, it shouldn't be any surprise that Philip Kaufman and George Lucas teamed-up to create the story for a little movie called, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1980. Ever heard of it?While it's more than likely you've already seen 'American Graffiti'. However, if you haven't ever seen Philip Kaufman's "The Wanderers"? Then you definitely want to find it and watch. I assure that you won't be disappointed. It's truly an independent Philip Kaufman masterpiece, which includes Kaufman's trademark use of captivating cinematography while the great music of 1963 serves the movie by magnifying the films humor, tragedy, gritty realism, with an occasional touch of the truly bizarre, as we observe the daily lives of the young tough high school gang members of the Bronx in 63'. And, Alan Rosenberg's portrayal of 'Turkey' is one of the most original and uniquely funny, tragic and troubling characters that's ever been performed for the big screen.A must see film. A+

The Wanderers Is one of the most underrated,overlooked movies of all time and a classic of gang films,teen films and coming-of-age films and one of my all time favorite movies.Based on Richard Price's novel and set In 1963 Bronx,New York, The Wanderers tells the story of an Italian gang called The Wanderers focusing on three members of the gang Richie(Ken Wahl),the leader of the gang,Joey(John Friedrich),the hyperactive little guy In the gang who lives with an abusive Father and Perry(Tony Ganinos),the gentile giant who's new In town and joins The Wanderers and Is a neighbor of Joey's. The three characters along with The Wanderers deal with love, growing up, changing of the times, and rival gangs such as the all-black gang The Del-Bombers, the bald headed gang The Fordham Baldies, an Asian gang called The Wongs and probably the scariest gang of them all The Ducky Boys a group of small guys who are silent,but come in large numbers.The Wanderers Is a great film from beginning to end and will stay with you after you watch it because it's funny,tragic,nostalgic,haunting and unforgettable. The film is funny because of the way it depicts teenage life for The Wanderers in the early 60s,whether it's picking up girls,going to parties,or getting in fights with other gangs. The music fashions,style and the way the characters act seems true to what was going on at the time and they're definitely is a realism to it. The film is like a great mixture of George Lucas' American Graffiti,Walter Hill's The Warriors and Barry Levinson's Diner all in one. The film also paints a world where every teenager in the Bronx is in a gang and all of the gangs are different by race like the all Italian gang (The Wanderers),a Asian gang(The Wongs) Black gang(The Del-Bombers),Bald gang(The Baldies),a silent gang(The Ducky Boys). The way the gangs are shown in the movie is exaggerated,funny,surreal and at times scary but also unique. The film has an episodic nature where some scenes aren't connected to one another and sometimes character tend to disappear,but there isn't a wasted scene in the film and the movie has a great energy and flow. Some of the scenes will have meaning and will stick with you after you finish. Like the best Teen films or Coming Of Age films The Wanderers is a film about dealing with the last grasps of being a teenager and facing the tough challenges of being an adult,where the characters face the fact that they're not going to be teenagers or in a gang forever,or it's dealing with life teenage and other relationships,parents or an uncertain future. This is one of the reasons why The Wanderers sets itself apart from other gang films. Like American Graffiti,The Wanderers is about the end of the 50s and the beginning of the 60s where the innocence and fun of the late 50s was being replaced by the dark times of the 60s. The characters especially Richie,Joey and Perry know that the times are changing faster than they and they're is a bunch of powerful moments in the film that give way to the changing of the era's and will stick with you after the film is over. The film moves at a solid pace and at times feels like a 90 minute film than a 117 minute film with great energy and break neck speed. Although The Wanderers is not an Action film they're a couple of fight scenes in the film that are well done and brutal and add to the greatness of the film. I know people have been comparing The Wanderers and The Warriors and trying to say which film is better,stop comparing them. As someone who owns and loves both films they both shouldn't be compared,The Wanderers is coming of age Comedy-Drama,The Warriors is an Action film,the only thing they have in common is that they're both gang films. Both are classic films and shouldn't be compared. The ending of the film is beautiful,sad,tragic and at the same time optimistic and will make the viewers make up their minds about what happened to the characters. A great ending.The whole cast does a great job. Ken Wahl does a great job as Richie,the leader of The Wanderers. John Friedrich is wonderful as the hyperactive Joey. Tony Ganios is wonderful as Perry,the gentle giant who's new in the neighborhood and becomes a member of The Wanderers. Karen Allen does a great job in her small role as Nina,a girl Richie and Joey meet. Toni Kalem does a fine job as Despie,Richie's girlfriend. Alan Rosenberg is funny as Wanderers' weasel Turkey. Jim Youngs does a great job as Buddy,a ladies man. Erland Van Lidth is excellent as Terror leader of The Baldies. Linda Manz is outstanding as PeeWee Terror's girlfriend. Dolph Sweet gives a memorable performance as Chubby,Despie's father and a local gangster who helps The Wanderers out when needed. William Andrews frightening and intense as Emilio,Joey's abusive Father.Director Philip Kaufman does a masterful job Directing the film moving the camera when ever he can, never slowing down. Kaufman's direction gives the film a since of edge and realism and at times creepiness. A year before in 1978 Kaufman directed the great remake Invasion of the Body Snatchers a creepy and terrifying film and Kaufman brings the same terrifying tone in this film with The Ducky Boys scenes. The soundtrack is amazing with great songs like Walk like a man,Soldier Boy,Baby It's you,The Wanderer,Stand By Me and many more. The soundtrack greatly fits with the tone of the late 50s and early 60s. In final word,if you love Gang films,teen films,Coming of age films and love films like The Warriors,The Outsiders,Rumble Fish and American Graffiti or cinema in general,I highly suggest you see this underrated classic. Highly Recommended. 10/10.