I’ve always loved “The Wanderers” which was originally released 30 years ago in 1979. It was based on a book written by Richard Price and starred a young Ken Wahl. The story centered around a group of friends in the early sixties as they came of age along with the rest of the country after the shocking Kennedy assassination. There’s a brilliant scene showing Bob Dillon singing “The Times Are a Changing” signifying the change for the character and the nation as the innocence of naiveté of the 1950s officially came to a crashing end.
My friends growing up on the streets of Newark all thought we were like the wanderers so I guess that explains why this movie has a special spot in my heart. While the language might be a little rough for some it was dead on accurate. So were many of the situations the guys found themselves in, especially the opening sequence.
The Trailer
Playlist of video clips from The Wanderers
Here’s the full movie from Youtube (for now anyway)
Might as well share the song that inspired the book and movie. Dion’s “The Wanderer” one of my favorite songs ever.