Film 2013...with Wook [Issue 2]
Day 2,024, 17:49
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Published in United Kingdom 
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by
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by WookieO
Movies with Wook
After all this election hullabaloo I thought we could all settle down and watch some more of my favourite films. In these series of articles I’m trying to expand your knowledge of the film world by picking out some of the stories of the silver screen that I love.
The Warriors
This 1979 film shot almost entirely on location in New York City is the tale of ‘The Warriors’ gang and their headlong flight through the night from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx via Manhatten, Brooklyn and finally to their home at Coney Island.
The gang are wrongly accused of murdering Cyrus, the leader of the ‘Gramercy Riffs’, the largest gang in NYC and thus begins their troubled evening. Chased from pillar to post, through the subway and on the streets, ‘The Warriors’ battle their way home before confronting Cyrus’ real killer on the beach just as dawn is breaking.
There’s no amazing special effects, some of the acting is pretty poor, but on the plus side the music is great, giving a real atmospheric feeling to the film and the screenplay has enough in it that you’re never bored. You definitely empathise with the characters and want ‘The Warriors’ to make it home and in fact because the acting is quite poor in places it feels more real somehow.
Wook says: A cult classic and one to watch with a few beers.
Glory
A simply amazing film based on a true story and starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. This 1989 epic masterpiece is set during the American Civil War and tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – the first African American unit in the US Army.
It won 3 Oscars including one for Washington for best supporting actor.
I won’t detail the whole story, but suffice to say in 1860s America it was not easy to persuade the powers that be to set up a black army unit, even in the more liberal north. Broderick’s character, Colonel Robert Shaw, has to persevere against the white hierarchy’s disbelief, hatred and stubbornness; but persevere he does and the film culminates in the 54th Massachusetts’ assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina.
I first saw this film as part of a history project at school and was immediately enthralled by it. I’ve watched it many times since then and I can never get over the way the actors really pull you into their lives and you feel for every single one of them.
Wook says: One to watch with a cup of tea and some choccy biscuits.
Go
A seemingly light hearted film with some darkly comic moments, Go is a 1999 film with a large and varied cast including Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer and even Grange Hill’s own Desmond Askew!
The plot centres around one drug deal with Timothy Olyphant’s character Todd and the events that precede and follow it. Including some more good music, some high octane frolics and even a bit of tasteful nudity, this movie is definitely not one to write a whole dissertation on, but for a bit of fun it hits the mark.
Also ever since Dawson’s Creek I’ve had a slight Katie Holmes obsession and this was filmed slap bang in the middle of all of that and more importantly before she let Tom Cruise brainwash her too.
Wook says: One to watch with some vodka and potentially some mind altering substances.
After all this election hullabaloo I thought we could all settle down and watch some more of my favourite films. In these series of articles I’m trying to expand your knowledge of the film world by picking out some of the stories of the silver screen that I love.
The Warriors
This 1979 film shot almost entirely on location in New York City is the tale of ‘The Warriors’ gang and their headlong flight through the night from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx via Manhatten, Brooklyn and finally to their home at Coney Island.
The gang are wrongly accused of murdering Cyrus, the leader of the ‘Gramercy Riffs’, the largest gang in NYC and thus begins their troubled evening. Chased from pillar to post, through the subway and on the streets, ‘The Warriors’ battle their way home before confronting Cyrus’ real killer on the beach just as dawn is breaking.
There’s no amazing special effects, some of the acting is pretty poor, but on the plus side the music is great, giving a real atmospheric feeling to the film and the screenplay has enough in it that you’re never bored. You definitely empathise with the characters and want ‘The Warriors’ to make it home and in fact because the acting is quite poor in places it feels more real somehow.
Wook says: A cult classic and one to watch with a few beers.
Glory
A simply amazing film based on a true story and starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. This 1989 epic masterpiece is set during the American Civil War and tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – the first African American unit in the US Army.
It won 3 Oscars including one for Washington for best supporting actor.
I won’t detail the whole story, but suffice to say in 1860s America it was not easy to persuade the powers that be to set up a black army unit, even in the more liberal north. Broderick’s character, Colonel Robert Shaw, has to persevere against the white hierarchy’s disbelief, hatred and stubbornness; but persevere he does and the film culminates in the 54th Massachusetts’ assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina.
I first saw this film as part of a history project at school and was immediately enthralled by it. I’ve watched it many times since then and I can never get over the way the actors really pull you into their lives and you feel for every single one of them.
Wook says: One to watch with a cup of tea and some choccy biscuits.
Go
A seemingly light hearted film with some darkly comic moments, Go is a 1999 film with a large and varied cast including Katie Holmes, Jay Mohr, Scott Wolf, Taye Diggs, Breckin Meyer and even Grange Hill’s own Desmond Askew!
The plot centres around one drug deal with Timothy Olyphant’s character Todd and the events that precede and follow it. Including some more good music, some high octane frolics and even a bit of tasteful nudity, this movie is definitely not one to write a whole dissertation on, but for a bit of fun it hits the mark.
Also ever since Dawson’s Creek I’ve had a slight Katie Holmes obsession and this was filmed slap bang in the middle of all of that and more importantly before she let Tom Cruise brainwash her too.
Wook says: One to watch with some vodka and potentially some mind altering substances.
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Comments
Quite without meaning to, I've chosen films from 1979, 1989 and 1999.
I like that, makes it look like I meant to, or it did before I just wrote this.
Damn it.
Warriorrrrs, come out to plaaaaaaaaay, WARRIORRRRRRRS COME OUT TO PLAAAAAAAY!
The xbox game was pretty good too.
CAN YOU DIG IT?!
YEAH!!!
Warriors? Seen it but wasn't too impressed as it is so dated...classics like Psycho don't just break the barrier of time and taste...it drops its pants and sh*ts on it.
Where's the Breakfast Club?
It is dated, but that's part of the charm. I've only ever been to New York since it's massive clean up in the '90s under the zero tolerance policies of Giuliani, so to see it in all of its 'glory' in this film is great.
The Breakfast Club may well appear in Issue 3..I might do an '80s special.
your a fag Hugh... Warriors is a true classic
I can dig it
CAAAAN YOOOOOUUUUU DIG IT?
Also, Go is sweet. The Magic Carpet Ride escape sequence tickles my balls every time! Shit, I've probably seen that movie over 15 times since it came out.
you're an addict.
warriors- good film better game
the game was amazing, two player kicking 10 bells out of the other gangs was epicness on a grand scale!
Waaaarrrrrriiiorsss, come out to pla-ay!