Cheap Colors (DVD) (Sean Penn, Robert Duvall) (Dennis Hopper) Price

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Customer Reviews of Colors

600 gangs - 70,000 members
1988's Colors was the film that opened the Hollywood floodgate that unleashed dozens of films that attempted to capture the "reality" of life on the bottom of the food chain. The plot is simple: Sean Penn and Robert Duvall are two LA Police Department officers who try to stem the flow of violence and drugs on their beat. Duvall is an older and wiser cop on the verge of retirement who realizes how futile his job is. Penn is Danny "Pacman" McGavin, a young cop who believes that to destroy the gangs, you have to fight fire with fire. The rest of the film is director Dennis Hopper's attempt at calling attention to the urban warfare of Los Angeles. Hopper gained the trust of the local gangs and worked with them effectively; the Watts location perhaps being the most effective "character" in the film. Sean Penn is great; his aggression and dedication can't help but earn respect. Surprisingly, Hopper doesn't give Penn a believable racist edge. Instead, he throws in an utterly contrived "romance" with hispanic Maria Conchita Alonso. I felt this was a total cop-out (no pun intended).

Haskell Wexler's cinematography is excellent, though Herbie Hancock's music certainly makes it clear this film was made in the 80's. Dennis Hopper doesn't shy away from graphic violence, but he doesn't lose his grip on reality. Colors was very controversial back in the day, as people protested what they saw as the films glamorous depiction of gangs. In some ways, their warnings have proven prophetic: since Colors, the gangbang lifestyle has gone on to popularization in several movies straight through MTV. And now, even Whites have soaked up the dysfunctional world of the ghetto. Yes, the anti-gang message is there, but children do not respond to messages, they respond to images: Slick crimes and the power of brotherhood. In the end, Colors committs utter resignation to gang violence. The film makes it clear that in our current social environment, all society can do to limit the "gangsta" influence is to isolate it and let it kill itself off.

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A good film exploring gangs
I liked COLORS alot because it's a gritty, but realistic police drama. I grew up in bad urban streets, so I know how bad things can get. I also like the film because it explored the dangerous lives the Crypts and Bloods, who wear blue and red, naturally. There is still a bloody gang war between them, but COLORS wisely tells us they're bad background and potray them as human beings like us, and not vicious animals arrested by the police we see on TV.

Anyway, Dennis Hopper awkardly, but fantastically directed this film with Robert Duvall as a veteran cop and his young, headstrong apprentice Sean Penn, as they lead a Los Angeles gang unit against the petty crime in the streets fueled by the two rival gangs. But the boiled relationship with Duvall's calm manner and Penn's hair-trigger temper won't get them very far to survive in Watt's mean streets. That problem leads to a sad climax.

COLORS is a bit dated now when compared to more brutal, but nearly worthless gang movies nowadays. But it helped paved the way more better ones like BOYZ N THE HOOD and MENACE II SOCIETY. The film is different from both of those movies because it gives us a picturesque view of both the urban gang life and the police life.

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Sup' Blood
Colors, a realistic account of the irreversible damage done to the city of Los Angeles by gang violence. Robert Duvall is partnered with trigger-happy PAC MAN(Sean Penn) and together the two deliver an action-packed adventure you'll never forget!