The Wanderers

Films about gangs and criminals have no doubt attracted degenerate youth all across America. These are films where young gangstas find their true models and messiahs. To see this pathetic trend, one only has to go to an urban area (and most rural areas) on a busy day and see how many youths are sporting a Scarface or 50 Cent shirt. Call me crazy, but I think Tony Montana is a piece of erratic trash (that ultimately fails). I am also not sure whether or not I would even give 50 Cent the title of “Sub-Man” because he just seems much lower than that. Sadly, to the bottom feeding males of our society, criminals with money are always going to be their greatest heroes because that is as best as these individuals (that lack individuality) can strive for. I do believe, however, that all young males (no matter what type of background) form a “gang” in some form or manner, as it is natural. The “gang” members featured in the 1979 film The Wanderers are certainly of a more “mellow” nature.

The main gang featured in The Wanderers is a group of young Italian-Americans greasers known as “The Wanderers.” This gang is not full of your typical dego wops, but a more “gentle” group of garlic lovers. I was looking for something more stereotypical of these gangster Italian-Americans, but they ultimately act like a bunch of whiney Jews who complain about not being able to get laid. Maybe Martin Scorsese should have directed The Wanderers instead of Philip Kaufman. Despite The Wanderers gang being the main gang in the film, I found myself more interested in the lesser shown gangs.

The Fordham Baldies is the “toughest” gang in The Wanderers. These guys are sort of proto-skinhead types that sport leather jackets to match their equally shiny shaved heads. This gang seems to be a mixture of WASP types with a token beefy Negro for good measure. Although the Baldies are much more interesting than the Wanderers, my favorite gang in The Wanderers is easily the Duck Boys. The Duck Boys are an all Irish gang of silent psychopath leprechauns that sport raggedy working-class clothes. This gang of murdering Catholics gave a new meaning to the no longer used word “mick.” The other two gangs featured in The Wanderers, The Wongs (Chinese) and The Del Bombers (Black), were of really no interest.

The Wanderers was a film that obviously attempted to make something nostalgic out of early 1960s NYC gangs. Unfortunately, the film was too weak in it’s portrayal of that era. Still, I found The Wanderers to be a breath of fresh area in comparison to your contemporary “KILLZ EVREE MUDHA FUCKA” gang film that has become so common in Hollywood. I know the producers in Hollywood have no interest in criminal violence (only white collar stuff), so why do they find it so necessary to expose already degenerate youths to it?!?

-Ty E