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‘The Warriors’ With Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, and Sean Fennessey

February 5, 2019 · The Warriors (1979) · Action · Crime · Thriller · 1:21:55 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsCleonCleon, the original Warriors warlord who gets killed after the rogue guy claims that the Warriors shot him▶ 32:23
Sean FennesseyCleonAgrees with Cleon pick, praising his fighting moves and wishing he had more screen time▶ 33:03
Shea SerranoCleonDiscusses Cleon's death scene and connects emotionally to the vest/colors aspect of the Warriors▶ 32:43

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsThe Fox character death scene and the behind-the-scenes firing of Thomas Waits mid-production▶ 44:33
Sean FennesseyAgrees with the Fox death scene being poorly executed because it was hamstrung together▶ 47:18
Shea SerranoThe Fox character death scene - it lacks emotional impact and doesn't effectively raise stakes▶ 46:26

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsTony DanzaIn the book none of the characters were white, but Paramount didn't want an all black cast for commercial reasons; Tony Danza was supposed to be Vermin but was cast in Taxi instead▶ 49:08
Sean FennesseyClarified that Vermin is the slick American guy who provides comic relief▶ 49:34

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts: movie was rushed to beat The Wanderers, Fox originally supposed to end up with Mercy, Swan was to be captured by gay gang called the Dingoes with Dobermans, Rogues drove 1955 Cadillac hearse, Michael Beck became born again after partying, Mercy's jacket covered broken wrist from stunt injury, production had to pay off gangs in NYC boroughs▶ 51:30
Sean FennesseyThe Wanderers director Philip Kaufman made The Right Stuff and it did pretty well, plus explained why Mercy's jacket line always seemed weird to him▶ 51:38
Shea SerranoAcknowledged being too young (26) for some references, noted Dobermans would be more effective than baseball bats and face paint, and connected the jacket to hiding from people looking for someone in pink▶ 51:50

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsJames RemarProbably everybody in the movie except James Remar, whose Apex Mountain was 48 Hours (though could be Sex and the City)▶ 54:03
Sean FennesseyLynne ThigpenLynn Thigpen's Apex Mountain is Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego (or possibly Sesame Street or Lean on Me)▶ 54:18
Shea SerranoJames RemarJames Remar's Apex Mountain was 48 Hours (after briefly suggesting Mortal Kombat 2)▶ 54:16

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsJames RemarJames Remar - 'most people know who he is, but they don't know his name'▶ 55:24

Best Quote

Shea SerranoI'll shove that bat up your ass and turn you into a popsicle▶ 58:59

Picking Nits

Bill SimmonsGang delegation dynamics - wondered about tension among those not selected as the 9 delegates, and why other Warriors weren't called for backup▶ 1:00:48
Sean FennesseyWhere were the other Warriors members during the crisis, and why didn't they call for backup on pay phones▶ 1:01:05
Shea SerranoMultiple nits: Cyrus couldn't be heard by 900 gang members in a park, Ajax's poor decision-making with the undercover cop, and why didn't they have friends with cars or make phone calls for rides▶ 59:09

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsMultiple questions: Radio station codes would be discovered by police, Swan and Mercy stayed together maybe a week, Ajax probably dead within three years from armed robbery▶ 1:05:19
Sean FennesseyLuther's gun shooting wasn't planned - someone else had the gun and passed it when Luther made the impulsive decision to shoot Cyrus▶ 1:07:56
Shea SerranoRadio codes were underground/secret so police wouldn't know, Swan and Mercy lasted tops a week, wants to see Ajax grow up to become the rich guy from Sex and the City▶ 1:05:22

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsWalter HillWalter Hill, the director, because he created a prototype for everything that was about to come with action movies▶ 1:18:10
Sean FennesseyNew York, because of the cinematographic techniques that made the city look like a dingy crystal palace▶ 1:20:28
Shea SerranoDavid Patrick KellyLuther, because he's the one person everybody knows and you can play his 'Warriors' clip anywhere▶ 1:18:47

Movies Referenced (41)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
John Wick (2014)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 3:27
Mad Max (1979)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey▶ 4:23
The Beach (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Shea Serrano▶ 33:49
The Rock (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:38
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 30:59
Chinatown (1974)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:32
Die Hard (1988)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 14:59
Scarface (1983)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 20:55
First Blood (1982)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 15:11
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 14:48
Miami Vice (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 10:16
Mortal Kombat (2021)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons▶ 35:41

Directors Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Walter HillIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey48 Hrs., Aliens▶ 1:59
Spike LeeIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyDo the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 16:52
Philip KaufmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyThe Unbearable Lightness of Being, Raiders of the Lost Ark▶ 51:38
Roger CormanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyThe Silence of the Lambs, Apollo 13, Little Shop of Horrors▶ 15:56
Sidney LumetIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean Fennessey12 Angry Men▶ 11:15
Woody AllenIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsAnnie Hall▶ 11:08

Actors Referenced (32)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Mariachi El BronxIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Shea SerranoWe Bought a Zoo▶ 1:00
James RemarIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Shea SerranoOppenheimer▶ 30:11
Union StationIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyTwister▶ 29:27
Geany MasaiIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 26:57
Michael J. FoxIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Shea SerranoBack to the Future, Back to the Future Part II▶ 44:43
Michael BeckIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyThe Warriors▶ 23:10
Donald TrumpIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsHome Alone 2: Lost in New York▶ 41:46
David Patrick KellyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyThe Crow▶ 25:43
Dexys Midnight RunnersIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsTommy Boy▶ 1:11:56
Eddie MurphyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyThe Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II▶ 14:29
Robert MaysIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Shea SerranoThe Fast and the Furious, Rush Hour▶ 0:07
Ted KnightIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsCaddyshack▶ 1:06:25

Writers Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Aaron SorkinIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsA Few Good Men▶ 30:42
Harper LeeIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsTo Kill a Mockingbird▶ 30:59
Lawrence GordonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyPrey, Lock Up, Watchmen▶ 15:56
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 12:48

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Andrew LaszloIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean FennesseyFirst Blood▶ 1:19:21