The Warriors
With the release of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds this week the movie world is introduced to a new cinema gang...the Basterds.
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis.
So to celebrate the release of the movie we took a look at some of cinema's most famous big screen gangs.
- The Warriors
Released in 1979 The Warriors is a cult action/thriller film directed by Walter Hill and based on the 1965 novel by Sol Yurick.
The Warriors are a street gang based in the western neighbourhood of Coney Island and led by Cleon, the gang's founder.
Their gang uniform consists of a red-orange pleather vest embroidered with the Warriors' logo on the back.
After the loss of Cleon it's Swan, who was second in command, that takes control of the Warriors, he is the focus of the film.
- The Black Widows
Released in 1978 Every Which Way but Loose saw Clint Eastwood in an unusual comedy role as Philo Beddoe, a trucker and brawler .
The Black Widows are a motorcycle gang led by Cholla who incur the wrath of Philo when two of the members insult him and Clyde at traffic lights. Philo chases them down and steals their bikes, which he repaints and resells.
The Black Widows return in the sequel Any Which Way You Can still holding a grudge against Philo for the theft of their bikes.
The Black Widows are a major comic element to these two movies as they are abused by Philo's pet orangutan Clyde. Despite being critically mauled the movies still remain popular.
- T-Birds/ the Pink Ladies
Released back in 1978 Grease is of the most popular teen movies of all time loved the world over by a string of different generations.
Everyone at school wanted to be as cool as Danny Zuko and everyone wanted to be in the gang the T-Birds.
Led by Danny the T-Birds were the coolest gang at Rydell High School with Kenickie, Danny's best friend second in command.
But not to be outdone the girls had their own clique known as the Pink Ladies, led by Rizzo.
- Ocean's Eleven
released back in 1960 with the famous Rat Pack the movie was given a twenty first century makeover and released in 2001 with George Clooney, instead of Frank Sinatra, leader of the pack.
Clooney takes on the role of Danny Ocean who, shortly after being paroled, meets up with former partner in crime Rusty with a plan to rob the vaults of the Bellagio, The Mirage and the MGM Grand casinos.
Ocean brings together a team of eleven to pull of this feat that had never been done before. Reuben Tishkoff a former casino owner is the money, Basher Tarr an explosives expert, Linus Caldwell a pick-pocket, Yen and acrobat and Frank Cotton works black jack tables and is a way into the casino.
The movie was a critical and commercial hit and the gang went on to reprise their roles in ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen.
Inglourious Basterds is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Grease