Fanspot
Coney Island Boardwalk
Can you dig it?
Cyrus (Roger Hill)
When he decided to adapt Sol Yurick’s novel, Walter Hill intended to make a film that he felt was “too extreme and bizarre” for the studios. But after reworking the script and reducing the budget, Paramount agrees to launch production. Based in New York, in Riverside Park, Central Park, Union Square or Long Island City and Breezy Point in Queens, Walter Hill’s team lingers on Coney Island, which is still far from having regained its full glory. The bad reputation of the place is still prevalent and one generally avoids lingering there at night, as the gangs have a habit of spawning there when the tourists have returned to their hotels.
The Warriors is about a huge confrontation in New York between several armed gangs. The story naturally finds its place in the alleys of Coney Island, on the boardwalk. One scene even takes place under the boards of the promenade, where it is no longer possible to take refuge today. The location also hosts a large part of the film’s conclusion. To make sure his filming went smoothly, Walter Hill hired a real gang, the Mongrels, for $500 a day. It was even considered to enlist a real clan member to play one of the main roles.
Strongly criticized, considered as an incitement to revolt, The Warriors nevertheless became a cult, counting among its fans a certain Ronald Reagan. Ranked among the twenty-five most controversial feature films in history, it is as much a part of Coney Island legend as the hot dog. On the boardwalk, it is still possible to buy a t-shirt from the film between two roller coaster rides…
The Warriors was banned for under 17s when it was released in theaters.
Coney Island Boardwalk Garden
Now back in favor with New Yorkers and tourists, Coney Island has had a complicated history.
An iconic Brooklyn amusement park, Coney Island became a fashionable place as early as 1860. Hotels, amusement rides and horse racing tracks flourished at the pace of a boom that was greatly helped by the installation, at the beginning of the 20th century, of an electrified railroad line connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan. The first carousel was built in 1876, followed in 1916 by the opening of the iconic Nathan’s Famous hot dog restaurant. In 1920, it was The Wonder Wheel, the Ferris wheel that would come to symbolize the place worldwide, that New Yorkers welcomed with open arms. Several sensational rides entered the breach, taking advantage of the affluence. But the war dealt a fatal blow to the park, and the bankruptcies quickly followed. Finally, it was during the 1960s that the attractions found favor with visitors from Manhattan and tourists.
The Fantrippers Buying Board
Fanspots Stories New York
Discover the secrets of the cult places of the greatest masterpieces of pop culture in New York!
The world capital of pop culture, New York embodies unbridled creative freedom. The city that never sleeps has been the muse of a large number of directors, actors, screenwriters, singers, musicians, cartoonists and writers…
Many have passed on their fascination for the city to the general public and made some of its places famous worldwide, making them into the legend of pop culture. These are the secrets of a hundred of them revealed in this first volume of the Fanspots Stories collection.
Did you know that?
Did you know that the filming of Rage Against The Machine’s Music Now in the Fire caused Wall Street to shut down for the first time since 1929?
Fanspots Stories New York is also
Spider-Man, Ghostbusters, Superman, Leonard Cohen, Led Zeppelin…
Directed by a team of pop culture specialists and embellished with many anecdotes, Fanspots Stories New York tells more than just a story: these are some of the most fascinating stories in pop culture.
Fanspot Stories New York
100 pop cults
a unique and new concept
224 pages of fun
a beautiful large-format book 24 x 30, round back slicefil
Content quality
Interest for fans
Value for money
Discover all the places The Warriors on our map
By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.