Colors is an influential gang culture film that had a major impact on hip hop culture when it was released in the late 1980s. The gritty portrayal of life in Los Angeles street gangs shed light on an often overlooked part of society. While controversial, Colors was groundbreaking for its time and brought attention to important issues around gang violence, police brutality, and the struggles faced by young people growing up in impoverished inner-city neighborhoods.
Directed by Dennis Hopper and released in 1988, Colors was one of the first major Hollywood films to focus on the topic of street gangs. It takes place in Los Angeles in the late 80s during the height of the crack epidemic and gang violence. The story follows two police officers, veterans Bob “Uncle Bob” Hodges and rookie Danny McGavin, as they patrol the gang-filled streets of East LA and South Central. Their vastly different approaches to policing clash as they confront the dangerous realities of gang life.
Colors arrived at a pivotal time when gang culture, hip hop music, and the emerging “gangsta rap” scene were coming into the mainstream. The film authentically captured many aspects of street life in LA, from the slang used by gang members to their graffiti tags and clothing styles. For many audiences around the country unfamiliar with West Coast gang culture, Colors offered a first glimpse into a world that had previously been overlooked and marginalized by the mainstream.
Production
The idea for Colors originated from a screenplay writer by Richard Di Lello andbased on a story by Robert K. Ressler in the late 1970s. The screenplay went through numerous revisions and changes over the next decade as it passed through multiple studios and producers. Sylvester Stallone was originally attached to direct and star in the film in the early 80s, but he eventually left the project.
In 1986, producers Robert H. Solo and Rick Finkelstein acquired the screenplay and brought it to Orion Pictures. They approached Dennis Hopper to direct, who agreed on the condition that the script undergo further revisions. Hopper then worked extensively with screenwriter Michael Schiffer to adjust the storyline and characters to better reflect the times. Hopper and Schiffer spent months researching the Los Angeles gang scene to craft an authentic representation.
Filming took place on location in Los Angeles between August and November of 1987. Exterior scenes were shot in many of the actual gang-controlled neighborhoods of East LA, South Central, Westlake, Pico Union, and Watts. This lent the film a heightened sense of realism and immediacy, while also creating logistical challenges and safety concerns for the cast and crew shooting on location in dangerous areas.
Cast
In casting the two lead roles of veterans LAPD officers Hodges and McGavin, Hopper chose seasoned actors Robert Duvall and Sean Penn. The two had very different acting styles and approaches that mirrored the clash between their onscreen characters. Relative newcomer Maria Conchita Alonso was cast as McGavin’s new love interest Louisa, while actual LA gang members made up most of the supporting cast of gang bangers.
Some of the standout supporting cast members included:
- Don Cheadle as Rocket, a member of the Crips gang.
- Gerardo Mejía as High Top, a member of the Bloods gang.
- Trinidad Silva as Frog, a senior member of the Crips.
- Glenn Plummer as South Central Gang Member.
- Courtney Gains as White Supremacist.
Rapper Ice-T also made his acting debut in the film as a gang member, foreshadowing his future acting career that would include roles on New Jack City and Law & Order: SVU.
Plot Summary
As a new officer, McGavin is eager to clean up the streets and aggressively goes after gang members. He arrests a high-ranking Crip named Rocket for the murder of a Bloods member and earns the wrath of the Crips gang leader Frog. Meanwhile, Hodges prefers a more seasoned, nuanced approach based on his years of experience dealing with gangs. He tries to teach McGavin how to navigate the complexities of gang life.
McGavin pursues a relationship with Louisa, who is wary about dating a cop after negative experiences with police brutality. After McGavin shows kindness to Louisa’s young brother who is tempted by gang life, Louisa warms up to McGavin.
When McGavin arrests Frog and other Crips while they are plotting retaliation for Rocket’s arrest, Frog taunts them as they are taken away. Later, Frog is released after making bail and immediately plots revenge, ignoring Hodges’ efforts to reason with him.
Frog and his fellow gang members attack McGavin and Louisa on the street. Hodges arrives in time to kill Frog before he can execute McGavin. The film ends with McGavin and Louisa brought closer together by the trauma of the experience, while Hodges hopes McGavin has learned a lesson about the complex reality they face as cops in LA gang territory.
Reception
Upon its release in April 1988, Colors was praised by some critics for its gritty realism and willingnessto engage with the difficult subject of inner-city gang violence. However, the film also received some negative reviews from critics who felt it relied too heavily on police perspectives and gang stereotypes. Some said it failed to humanize the gang members or explore the root societal causes of gang culture.
Controversy also erupted around claims that the depiction of gang life would incite violence. Gang intimidation against theaters showing Colors also led to heightened security around its release. However, the box office success of Colors showed mainstream audiences were eager for movies that took an unflinching look at contemporary urban issues.
While it had a polarizing response, most agreed Colors was an ambitious, groundbreaking film for its time. It helped pave the way for future urban crime dramas like Boyz n the Hood and New Jack City that would build on its themes in the early 1990s.
Impact on Gangsta Rap
Beyond just cinema, Colors also had a notable impact on gangsta rap and West Coast hip hop music that was emerging in parallel. The film introduced many nationwide audiences to aspects of LA street life that rappers were portraying in their lyrics.
Colors featured songs from some of the earliest gangsta rap pioneers, including tracks by Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, and the LA Dream Team. The soundtrack presented gangsta rap to moviegoers who likely had never heard its hardcore style before.
Ice-T also collaborated with heavy metal band Body Count on the track “Colors” for the movie. With its famous repeated hook “Colors, colors, colors”, it quickly became an anthem for LA gang culture and gangsta rap as a whole. The crossover track forged connections between rap and metal that would influence later bands like Rage Against the Machine.
The success of the Colors soundtrack demonstrated the mainstream appeal gangsta rap was garnering. It set the stage for N.W.A’s groundbreaking Straight Outta Compton album that arrived a year later in 1989, followed by other early West Coast rap classics. While controversial, Colors helped introduce hip hop fans across America to the emerging California gangsta rap movement.
Legacy
Though debated in its time, Colors remains an important time capsule of street life in late 80s Los Angeles. It arrived during a pivotal year in 1988 that included other major hip hop films like Tougher Than Leather and the documentary Colors: Behind Enemy Lines. Colors stood out among them for its big budget production and A-list Hollywood talent on both sides of the camera.
For better or worse, Colors brought the LA street gang subculture into the national consciousness. Even if its perspective was filtered through a police point of view, it offered one of the first unvarnished onscreen portrayals of West Coast gang life. The film’s impact can be seen in the many urban crime films and shows it paved the way for in the decades that followed.
Thirty years later, Colors still attracts interest for its time capsule qualities and electrifying performances. Recent anniversary screenings have allowed new audiences to evaluate the film outside of its tumultuous original release. While some elements seem dated, Colors’ importance in reflecting and influencing hip hop culture of the late 80s remains undeniable.
Conclusion
Colors had a long and winding road from script to screen between its inception in the 70s to its release in April 1988. Developed under the guidance of Dennis Hopper and shot on location in Los Angeles neighborhoods, the production overcame challenges to authentically capture the city’s gang culture. While Colors received a polarizing response, its impact on both cinema and hip hop’s crucial formative years is unquestionable. The film remains an important time capsule of street life in 1980s LA and development of West Coast gangsta rap.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Late 1970s | Original Colors screenplay written by Richard Di Lello, based on a story by Robert K. Ressler |
| Early 1980s | Sylvester Stallone attached to direct and star in Colors |
| 1986 | Producers Robert H. Solo and Rick Finkelstein acquire the screenplay and bring it to Orion Pictures |
| 1986 | Dennis Hopper hired to direct Colors |
| 1987 | Filming takes place in Los Angeles from August to November |
| April 15, 1988 | Colors released in theaters |
