1990: The Bronx Warriors

1990: The Bronx Warriors (Italian: 1990: I guerrieri del Bronx) is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.[3]

1990: The Bronx Warriors
Italian theatrical release poster by Enzo Sciotti
Directed byEnzo G. Castellari
Produced byFabrizio De Angelis[1]
Screenplay by
Story byDardano Sacchetti[1]
Starring
Music byWalter Rizzati
CinematographySergio Salvati
Edited byGianfranco Amicucci[1]
Production
company
Deaf International Film[2]
Distributed byFulvia Film[2]
Release date
  • October 29, 1982 (1982-10-29) (Italy)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryItaly[1]

Plot

Ann is the 17-year-old heiress to the arms manufacturing giant, The Manhattan Corporation. Unable to face her guilt over inheriting a morally questionable company when she turns 18, Ann runs away into the lawless wasteland of New York's the Bronx. According to the film publicity: "In the year 1990 the Bronx is officially declared No Man's Land. The authorities give up all attempts to restore law and order. From then on the area is ruled by the Riders".

Attacked by a roller skating gang called The Zombies, Ann is saved by members of The Riders, and taken under the protection of The Riders' leader, Trash. The Manhattan Corporation hires a ruthless and psychopathic mercenary named Hammer, who turns the various Bronx gangs against each other to ensure Ann is returned.

Cast

Production

The idea for the film was first envisioned by producer Fabrizio De Angelis when he missed a subway stop for his Manhattan hotel and ended up in dangerous neighbourhood in the Bronx. De Angelis stated he imagined the idea of a futuristic city where young hoods would fight for their home.[4]

1990: The Bronx Warriors was one of the three science fiction films Enzo G Castellari made with producer Fabrizio De Angelis.[5] These films take influence from Mad Max 2 (1981), The Warriors (1979), and Escape From New York (1981).[5] Castellari changed some of De Angelis' plot ideas while filming, including incorporating more weird gangs such as the roller skating gang.[4] When discussing 1990: The Bronx Warriors, The New Barbarians and Escape from the Bronx, Castellari stated the three films were written prepared and filmed in six months.[6]

Italian regulations required that 50% of a film had to be shot in Italy.[4] To solve this situation, the film was shot on location in the Bronx with interiors shot in Rome.[7][4]

Release

1990: The Bronx Warriors was released on October 29, 1982 in Italy.[8]

Reception

In a contemporary review, Kim Newman wrote in the Monthly Film Bulletin that the film contains the "usual virtues and vices of the Italian rip-off" noting that it was predominantly derivative of Escape from New York and The Warriors as well taking smaller elements from The Exterminator, Class of 1984 and Mad Max 2.[1] Newman stated that "Castellari nimbly steals back all the stylistic elements that Carpenter and Hill poached from Leone's Westerns in the first place."[1] The review praised the "attractive Panavision photography" and that the editing does "the best to conceal the fact that the epic battles and quests cover an extremely limited area of the Bronx."[1] In his book Science Fiction, Phil Hardy also stated that the film was derivative of Escape From New York and The Warriors.[9] The review went on to describe it as "riddled with narrative non-sequiteurs as it is devoid of cinematic imagination or élan."[9] Variety referred to the film as an "exceedingly silly Italian action picture" that was "poorly scripted" and "lacks atmosphere".[7] Variety praised Fred Williamson, stating that he "comes off as the best in the cast, handling himself smoothly in fight scenes which owe more to Italian sword 'n sandal programmers than recent violent epics."[7]

AllMovie described the film as "one of the more successful examples of the post-apocalyptic action film genre that became popular during the early '80s" and that it was "probably too silly and overblown for a general audience, but is likely to please exploitation fans in search of cheap thrills".[10] The review praised Sergio Salvati's cinematography and Walter Rizzati's rock music-oriented score.[10] The review noted that these elements did not compensate for the films "sillier excesses" such as the roller-skating gang and that the leads of Stefania Girolami and Marco di Gregorio were bland protagonists.[10]

A fan website exists for this movie, plus the 1983 sequel Escape from the Bronx. The creator Lance Manley is the subject of a 13-minute documentary on the 2015 Blu-ray release of 'Escape From the Bronx'. Entitled "The Hunt for Trash" it details his search for Mark Gregory, the star of both movies who has not been seen for decades.

See also

Notes
  1. Newman, Kim (1983). "Bronx Warriors "(1990 I Guerrieri del Bronx)"". Monthly Film Bulletin. London: British Film Institute. 50 (588): 191–192.
  2. "1990 - I guerrieri del Bronx (1982)". Archivo Cinema Italiano. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. Firsching, Robert. "The Bronx Warriors (1982)". AllMovie. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  4. Fischer 2011, p. 130.
  5. Hughes 2011, p. 273.
  6. The New Barbarians [liner notes] (Media notes). Enzo G. Castellari. Death Waltz. DW025.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Willis 1985, p. 421: "Review is of 84 minute version viewed in New York on April 22, 1983"
  8. "Releases". British Film Institute. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  9. Hardy 1984, p. 376.
  10. Guarisco, Donald. "The Bronx Warriors (1982) - Enzo G. Castellari". AllMovie. Retrieved August 12, 2015.

References
  • Fischer, Dennis (2011). Science Fiction Film Directors, 1895-1998. McFarland. ISBN 0786485051.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hardy, Phil, ed. (1984). Science Fiction. New York : Morrow. ISBN 0-688-00842-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hughes, Howard (2011). Cinema Italiano: The Complete Guide from Classics to Cult. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 0857730444.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Willis, Donald, ed. (1985). Variety's Complete Science Fiction Reviews. Garland Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-0-8240-6263-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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