1990: Bronx Warriors

Buy This Item 1990: Bronx Warriors by Shriek Show  Available from Amazon  $17.99  on 11-25-2008     Enzo Castelarri's "Bronx Warriors" does what many truly great films do: It inspires fascinating discussion and provokes mixed reactions. The male friend with whom I saw it back in 1993 and I were so enthralled that we kept our significant others waiting to leave for our respective Christmas vacations because we kept phoning each other to discuss symbolism and interesting themes in the movie. While I continue to absolutely love the film, I also recognize why some viewers have not shared my reaction. Perhaps you have to have at least considered a forbidden love affair or perhaps you have to have found yourself trapped in a relationship where you feel you have lost your voice to appreciate what Trash explores. <br />The story centers around Ann (Stefania Girolami in an Oscar-winning performance) and her boyfriend, Trash (Mark Gregory--who also won an Oscar for his extraordinary performance). She leave her upper-class home in New York after her father (apparently) arranges for her to take over the Manhattan Corporation, which controls 60% of the world's arms production!. Ann, who has willed herself not to speak since age 6, expresses herself through her beloved motorcycle. <br /> <br />The true story of who fathered Ann is never revealed in the movie, but the context suggests that she is Hot Dog's illegimate child born from an illicit affair. The hinted-at story of Sandy conception provides a key to understanding both why Hammer later begins an affair with his Bronx neighbor Rat (George Eastman) and why he makes a mail-order marriage in the first place. I suspect that Hot Dog's aging father may have wanted to see him settled--preferably far away so that his unconventional behavior would no longer be a source of social embarassment--and given Ann's muteness and out-of-wedlock child, her father probably couldn't find a suitable suitor in the Bronx. <br /> <br />Ogre (Fred Williamson) first encounters his future wife on a lonesome gray beach surrounded by her crated belongings. His tiger gang buddies begin carrying many household items up the muddy path to his dreary homestead. But Ogre refuses to bring Witch along, despite Ann's apparent distress and Trash's pleas that her mother MUST have her motorcycle. <br /> <br />Ann's motorcycle, abandoned on the New York beach, captures the sense of what 20th century Bronx life might have been like for too many women--treasured possessions, the last ties to "civilization" left behind. <br /> <br />Rendered voiceless without her motorcycle, Ann begs Ogre to return for her motorcycle through notes and more pleas from Ice. Finally she persuades Hot Dog--a truck driver whose messed up leg evidences the extent to which he has "gone native" and who is considered less civilized by his neighbors--to guide her back to the beach. Ann comes to life again as she, at last, gets to ride. Drawn by her passion for the motorcycle, Ogre arranges with Trash to trade land for the Motorcycle. Without consulting his witch, Ogre assures him that Ann will provide lessons too. <br /> <br />During first of these lessons, Ann strikes her own bargain with Hot Dog, whom she still considers a boor: She will trade sexual favors to earn back her motorcycle, one piece at a time. Ultimately, her reluctant bargain grows into full-blown love and passion. The dark, brooding tone of "Bronx Warriors" however, suggests that something in this situation will go tragically, and probably violently, wrong. <br /> <br />Castellari has filled his movie with awesome rock music (actually played by Bon Jovi) and intriguing imagery. The metaphor of rock music as voice and losing and regaining one's voice, Ann's role in changing her father's fate, the question of whether Trash's bargain reflects a man taking control of his life or just being victimized in a different way, and many other complexities make this a movie worth watching again and again and again. Reader Reviews BRONX WARRIORS (1983) from Enzo Castellari will principally be of interest to fans of the director, as well as the occasional retro-movie goer, who is into Mad Max style movies, wherein the world or sections of it show people living in a No-Man's Land divided into dozens of gangs, each with their own uniforms, fighting styles, belief systems, organization and ceremonies. e.g. a funeral of a key biker fallen in combat is shown. A kind of diversity is celebrated, whic his not unlike modern society today. The story is partly a legacy of Star Wars I, in which there are bizarre characters carrying out their lives in a bubble away from the rest of the world, exactly like a science fiction comic book. The music and soundtrack is excellent, as are the many special effects, such as the flame throwers, knife and physical battles, etc Some numbers are reminiscent of Jean Luc Ponty's fusion music, or Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here or The Wall, or Carmina Burana for example. The visual aspects are outstanding, showing hot rods, classic cars from the pre-50's era, Harley Davidson motorbikes, people getting engulfed in red hot flames, blood packs going off as a result of gun wounds. There's also a special sensitivity of the director in selecting unusually artistic filming locations and moments, such as the World Trade Center towers in a panoramic view, seen from the Bronx, or a typically colorful sunset. The cast is also very well chosen, in their unusual visual presentation, out of the norm and appealing for that exact same reason . The filming is extremely clean, and sharp, a pleasure to see in its wide-screen format. There are a few vulnerable moments, such as a birthday celebration, or tender moments between the protagonist "Trash" and his new girlfriend, for which the director should be congratulated for bringing a hint of balance and realism to this nihilist story. Unfortunately, there are multiple downsides to this picture, the foremost being the simpleton script, plot, and dialog that drags it down from what otherwise could have been an overall very decent effort. Another one, is the stereotypical consideration of the largest American cities being wastelands, combat zones, made up of abandoned housing projects, with gang strife such that even the law is afraid of walking the streets in those areas. There's a few one-liners some may like, such as "He's a killer at heart" to which the other character replies " No, he's just an a#$ole who thinks he's G-D". The litmus test is whether people would want to see this picture again, and the answer is no. Not because features anarchy, but because the film doesn't possess the all-important dream-like quality and high paced unfolding action that the public expects but won't get from this release.

1990: Bronx Warriors Available from Amazon Price: $17.99 Updated on 11-25-2008.

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