Counting Down My Favourite Flicks: "The Warriors" Quiz

Answer: Sol Yurick

Solomon Yurick was born on the 18th of January, 1925, in Manhattan, New York, in the United States. "The Warriors", which was published in 1965, was Yurick's first novel, which then inspired the 1979 film of the same name. Though the novel is a work of fiction, it was somewhat influenced by one of Yurick's early jobs as a social investigator for the New York City welfare department, a position he held until the early years of the 1960s.

Answer: Gangs

Directed by Walter Hill, the 1979 film "The Warriors" focuses on gang warfare in New York City, and begins with a midnight summit in Van Cortlandt Park. The Warriors are just one of many gangs to attend this meeting, and the wide variety of gangs shown throughout the course of the film is one of the most interesting things about it.

Answer: Weapons

During the opening of "The Warriors", gangs are shown making their way to Van Cortlandt Park in New York City. Snippets of conversation reveal that those attending the meeting are supposed to do so unarmed, as a temporary truce, in order to listen to what the leader of the Gramercy Riffs has to say.

Answer: Rembrandt

Rembrandt is one of the Warriors' newest recruits, and is also the gang's designated tagger. Played by Marcelino Sanchez, in the opening moments of the film he is asked by Warlord, Cleon, "You got the stuff?" before being told, "I want you to hit everything in sight". Despite being the least experienced member of the gang, he makes it safely home at the end of the film.

Answer: Cyrus

Cyrus is the leader of the Gramercy Riffs, the largest and most powerful gang in the film. After calling for each gang to send nine of its members to Van Cortlandt Park, in order to discuss the possibility of taking over New York City, he moves the crowd by constantly repeating the words "Can you dig it?" However shortly after expressing his desire to form one single gang, with the aim of taking control of the city, he is shot and killed.

However though Cyrus is murdered by another gang, it is the Warriors who are accused of the crime, and are thus forced to try and make their way home safely, not an easy thing to do when every other gang in the city is out looking for them.

Answer: The Natives

The Natives are actually a gang led by Bill the Butcher Cutting (played by Daniel Day Lewis) in the 2001 film, "Gangs of New York". The other three, however, are all shown at one time or another in the film "The Warriors". The Orphans are a relatively unknown gang, and are not invited to the big meeting at the start of the film.

The Baseball Furies on the other hand are extremely distinctive, due to their multi-coloured face paint and New York Yankee baseball attire. Armed with baseball bats and eerily silent, they are one of the most memorable gangs in the film. Finally the Hi-Hats are also a memorable gang, who hail from Soho in Manhattan, and resemble mime artists. With their white face paint and red and black outfits they are easily spotted, and are shown at the start of the film, making their way onto the subway.

Answer: No

One of "The Warriors'" most memorable gangs is the Lizzies, an all-female gang who operate out of a bar, and use their sexuality to try to ensnare the Warriors. They are first shown at Union Square station, where they manage to lure Vermin, Rembrandt and Cochise back to their base.

However once they have the men trapped they pull guns on them, forcing the three men to fight their way out.

Answer: Radio

Throughout the 1979 film "The Warriors", radio plays a pivotal role, especially given the fact that the Gramercy Riffs use it to put a hit out on the Warriors, following the death of their leader, Cyrus. As a result, the message soon spreads that the Gramercy Riffs "want all the Warriors" alive "if possible. If not, wasted." As a result, every gang in New York City immediately starts hunting for them.

Answer: Coney Island

The Warriors' home turf is Coney Island, and when they do eventually make it home at the end of the film, though relieved, they are aware that the danger is not truly over until the true culprit (who murdered Cyrus) is caught. Therefore when Swan spies the real murderer, Luther from the Rogues, he confronts him, stating "Let's do it, me and you", only for the latter to respond with "One on one? You're crazy".

Answer: False

Of the original nine who attended Cyrus' meeting at the very beginning of the film, only six make it back to Coney Island in one piece. These are Swan, Cochise, Cowboy, Rembrandt, Snow and Vermin. They are also joined by a prostitute named Mercy, who originally hung around with the Orphans, and takes a shine to Swan.