The Warriors – Discovering the 4K Collector's Edition

Set in New York in the summer of 1979, The Warriors is finally available in 4K in its original cinematic form, the one seen in theaters at the time and long disavowed by Walter Hill himself.

This is a far from marginal detail: for the first time in UHD, the film is presented without the graphic novel inserts introduced in the controversial Ultimate Director’s Cut of 2005 (which led to the circulation of a pirated 2K theatrical version online), restoring the work to its rougher, more direct, and nocturnal nature.

Revisiting the Warriors' desperate journey from the Bronx to Coney Island today means rediscovering a film that thrives on rhythm, bodies, and urban space. Hill's New York is a mythological hell, populated by metropolitan tribes that seem to have emerged from an archaic poem rather than a '70s crime story. It's no coincidence that the shadow of Xenophon's Anabasis continues to loom: Cyrus's death and the long nocturnal retreat transform the film into an epic march punctuated by clashes, escapes, and a relentless destiny.

The absence of comic book transitions restores narrative continuity and tension, enhancing the gritty and contrasted cinematography, the essential direction, and Barry De Vorzon's unforgettable soundtrack, with “In the City” (co-written with Joe Walsh) serving as an emotional seal over the end credits. It's a return to origins that will delight purists and those who always considered that “revised” version an alien body. The film features faces that were unknown at the time, such as Robert Townsend, Sonny Landham, Debra Winger, Craig R. Baxley, and Mercedes Ruehl (the bait on the bench).

60 Nights of Filming - From Midnight to Morning

In 4K, The Warriors confirms itself not only as a cult classic but as one of the great American films of the late '70s: violent, stylized, and profoundly political in its depiction of the city as a battlefield. An experience that can now be relived as audiences experienced it in 1979. Includes the BD-50 with the 2005 2K version and graphic novel inserts.

Unlike the latter in 1.78:1 format, the 4K is presented in the original 1.85:1 (3840 x 2160/23.97p), HEVC encoding on a dual-layer BD-66; original 35mm negative (Panavision Panaflex Gold cameras) scanned at 4K/16-bit resolution with restoration and new color correction. A spectacle that takes shape beyond the opening credits, organicity and a high level of precision even in the background, with details further refined even in the darkest scenes. Helping the overall rendition is Dolby Vision, with dynamic modulation of light compression more faithful to Andrew Laszlo's cinematography. A viewing experience that would therefore deserve the presence of native 10-bit screens.

Compared to the DTS-HD MA 2.0 (24 bit) of the 2K disc, the Italian track on the 4K has been downgraded to Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps) dual mono, which despite the obvious limitations offers a viewing experience not so distant from that in Italian cinemas at the time. Conversely, the English track has gone from DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (24 bit) to Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (24 bit), with excellent rendition even if reduced in amplitude compared to the US 7.1 edition with ATMOS objects.

The extra features section re-proposes known content: trailer, director's introduction, 4 production focuses from the project's origins told through cast and crew anecdotes, the filming analyzed by Andrew Laszlo, the fight choreographies and costumes, the editing, and the controversies surrounding the film's release, including the intriguing hypothesis of Orson Welles' voice-over. Italian subtitles included.

The Warriors 4K - Italian Collector's Edition

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The collector's box includes: mini poster, original poster, photo booklet detailing the making-of, 6 postcards with stills from the film and famous quotes, 2x sets of stickers, cardboard cutout with a subway stop “signed” by the Warriors.