Textual Analysis of ‘The Warriors (1979)’DIRECTED BY WALTER HILL

Camerawork• This is an establishing shot which

details the Coney Island Wonder Wheel which is the location in which the intro is set.

• This is a panning shot which follows the train as it enters the station for the main characters to get on and travel to the Bronx.

Editing• The Warriors logo appears on

the screen which details the style of text that is spray painted. Which gives an idea of what the film is about.

• The cast name list appears a short while after the logo is brought off the screen, this is also in a red paint which connotes danger.

Mise-En-Scene• The Do-Rag on Cleon’s head is a

thing that is usually associated with gangs in New York.

• Another thing shown is the type of clothing the other gangs wear showing that they are part of a gang.

• The clothing that The Warriors are wearing shows that they are part of this gang. The Cowboy is wearing a fedora which signifies that he lives up to his name, and Cochise is wearing fashion items.

• The lighting in all of the of the scene is dark, which shows that it is night time when the gangs are having this meet up.

• It also shows that they are underground on trains which is also very dark.

• The way the scene is set shows that the film was set in the 1970s, which is also when the film came out.

• The location of the clip is set mostly underground in the subways however there are moments of the intro where the characters have conversation outside on the station platform

• Also, at the end of the intro the location changes to a park, full of gangs where the meeting is happening.

• There are also moments of the introduction when a few gangs are going down corridors.

Use Of Sound• The sound of the doors on the

train closing is used to show that they are about to set off to their final destination, also the sound of the train moving can also be heard.

• The sound of the train echoing down the tunnels is used to show how fast the train is moving through the underground.

Representation Of Characters• Throughout the opening sequence

it shows all the characters having dialogue with another, this is a very good use of the 180 degree rule, it gives us an idea of what part of the gang that they play as well, with one of the youngest being the one that paints ‘The Warriors’ logo onto things as a sign to show that they were there.

ConclusionIn conclusion I like the overall theme of the introduction, and I like how the director had the main characters hold a small bit of dialogue which allows us to learn about what the character is really like and how they sound. It’s a different kind of introduction as it lasts for a while and has dialogue in it while the credits continue to appear on screen, it also brings in character development early on in the film.