The Wanderers

Just bizarre. It feels like an uneasy mash-up of about 3 or 4 genres in a single film however for some reason it works well enough to give you a decent film. It's just so strange to see a gang-violence, teen-coming-of-age, surreal romance movie. While I wouldn't say it works great the movie does manage to entertain if for nothing else than offering something very different, as well as a great soundtrack.

I went to a street gang movie and a football game broke out.

The Wanderers effectively mines nostalgia for the bygone era of the early 1960s where rival ethnic gangs battled for supremacy on New York's inner city streets. Like American Graffiti, it's a coming of age film, so the attention is focused on characters who are generally likeable and are played by talented actors who look the part. The downside is Kaufman's aggressive signposting with loud period music that forces sentiment rather than allowing it to arise more organically from the material.

Pretty surreal. Not horrible, and only made memorable by how strange this is and the surrealism about it. The plot on the otherhand... Only recommended for those who are die hard street gangster film fans. If not, just watch The Warriors instead, it's much better.

Kaufman's subtext simply doesn't hold together. "The Wanderers" is the only movie gooey enough to feature a protagonist determining their course in life by accidentally running into Bob Dylan.

Great fun.

Striking coming of age film interspersed with bizarre, surreal digressions doesn't always come together, but still extremely effective at times, especially the nightmarish sequences involving the 'Ducky Boys'; it's the more literal minded moments where the film starts to falter - if the film had stuck with an impressionistic tone, it may have worked better. Well cast all round, with Manz especially good as an atypical 'gangster's moll'. Fine oldies soundtrack is occasionally too obtrusive.

American Graffiti meets The Warriors. The Wanderers is as energetic as the youth in and of itself. Yes, it doesn't have a notable plot, but the charming characters and the creation of a world with a vivid imagination make up for the lack of a gripping story. The Wanderers is one of those historical fiction films you would wish to live in it, for better or worse.

[Distant] I remember we watched this when I was 6 or 7 and after relaying the story to my schoolmates it became the most popular playground game for months. Good times.

An extremely long time since I saw this, but I remember thinking it was kind of good.

Very Italian. Very New Jersey. Very loud oldies soundtrack. Very disappointing rumble between blacks and Italians... it ends up being a football game.

Simply great. It's great to be young and insane

One of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. Helped along by being a bit drunk and in good company. Would recommend it anytime for a movie night with the guys. Loved the way the movie just didn't take it self seriously... at any point. The ultra buff dad, the gang always followed by smoke and a hawaii t-shirt are key ingredients. Will watch this again soon.

82.000

How wild is it that this was released within two months of The Warriors?

Loved this movie as a kid. 'Grease' for guys. A naive masterpiece.

Classic

Our Daily Free Stream: Im Jahr 1979 erblickten drei grosse Gangfilme die Kinoleinwände der Welt: Quadrophenia, The Warriors und Philip Kaufmans The Wanderers. Kaufman blickt (genau wie Quadrophenia) voller Nostalgie zurück... die ganze Rezension sowie die unserer Meinung nach wichtigsten Gang Filme gibts auf der Webpage unserer Videothek cinegeek.de

A few laughs.

Fleeting adolescence. Becoming an adult, seeing the decisions you made become material, realising that actions have consequences. Everyone around you is doing their own thing, even people you never liked or bothered with are now leaving your life and disappearing into their own. You don't know who will still be left of your old friends, but you know that your souls will always be intertwined "Wanderers Forever"

Strange mix of high school street gang, football playing, horsing around and fooling around. It was mildly entertaining but there were many elements that seemed ridiculous and highly staged. I disliked how they handled the fight scenes, the domestic problems and the old boys club. This is a somewhat mindless movie featuring some great retro music.

Great period soundtrack. The movie is silly junk cinema, fusing together youth gang wars and coming-of-age comedy. It does mindlessly entertain most of the time, but not always. The (American) football scene, for example, bored me stiff - but maybe it's my foreign sensibilities.